Sydney cruised to a 17-point win over North Melbourne in a scrappy AFL pre-season clash at Bruce Purser Reserve on Saturday night.

For most clubs, the pre-season competition is an opportunity to show what the club has changed over the summer.

And while recruits Mitch Morton and Tommy Walsh both toiled manfully to press their claims for a place in the Swans’ round one team, ultimately the 2.9.10 (82) to 9.11 (65) win underlined something that hasn’t changed in the AFL.

Sydney play a hard-nosed brand of contested football, and will more than likely come out on top in a scrap.

With rain making for an even more error-prone game than most sides’ first full-length hit-out, the Swans held sway for three of four quarters at the north-west Sydney venue to stay in contention for the pre-season final.

The hosts dominated the opening term but inaccurate goal kicking meant they took only a 14-point lead into the first break.

The Kangaroos, who struggled to adjust to the wet conditions early on, took a more direct approach to the forward line in the second term and it paid quick dividends.

Goals from Brent Harvey, Matt Campbell and Drew Petrie gave them momentum and the lead, but the Swans rescued both in prompt fashion.

Pace ace Gary Rohan and Andrejs Everitt both kicked opportunistic goals to give Sydney a six-point lead at the break.

The game was then busted open in the third term by a super-goal from Lewis Jetta, who heaved the ball almost 70 metres, and two goals from Craig Bird.

North veteran Brent Harvey slotted the opening goal of the final term but a super-goal from Kieren Jack was followed by three more majors by the home team.