This was a chance to say thank you to one of the club's favourite sons.

The Eastlake Demons proved no match for an emotion-charged Ainslie outfit mourning the passing of five-time premiership player and former under 18s coach Gibson at Alan Ray Oval on Sunday.

Tricolours coach Chris Rourke remembers Gibson as "a ripping bloke and a real warrior of the football club" with the commemoration falling on the club's 'Back to Ainslie' day.

With old boys lining the boundary fence the current crop of Tricolours got the job done in an emphatic 13.7 (85) to 7.9 (51) victory over the Demons.

In years gone by Gibson would have been one of those former players cheering from the hill, which made this victory extra special for the resurgent Tricolours.

"It was a pretty big day for the club, especially with the passing of Scotty," Rourke said.

"He was a really much-loved former player, and after he retired he would come down every week and stand on the hill and encourage us. He will be a big loss."

Ainslie raced out to an early lead and as the game progressed the visitors battled to stay within six goals of the reigning premiers.

It was a trio of emerging stars that impressed Rourke most with Tom Powell, Ben Jamieson and Nelson Foley putting in "really good" showings.

"A couple of the young kids stood up really well which was good," Rourke said.

"We’ve given them a bit of responsibility and they’ve reacted pretty well to it so I’ve been really pleased. Obviously our senior players show them around the park but they really took some ownership and played well.

"Our form has been good over the last couple of weeks. We had a slow start and we’re a pretty proud club so we had to have a good look at ourselves and over the last month we have played some good footy.

"Hopefully that continues."

Eastlake have slipped out of the top two after the Queanbeyan Tigers comfortably accounted for the Tuggeranong Hawks by 105 points at Margaret Donoghoe Oval.

The Tigers were relentless from the opening siren and gave up just one point in the final term to inflict Tuggeranong's fourth loss by 100 points or more in the opening seven rounds with a 19.18 (132) to 4.3 (27) win.

Of the three losses that were less than 100 point margins, the winless Hawks were beaten by 98, 94 and 21 as the club undergoes a painstaking rebuild.

The ladder-leading Belconnen Magpies opened the round with a comprehensive 53-point win over the Gungahlin Jets at Gungahlin Enclosed Oval on Friday night.

Meanwhile, there was rain and a chance of snow but there was certainly no Thunder when the Canberra Demons thrashed the Northern Territory by 65 points in the NEAFL at Manuka Oval on Saturday night.

The Demons' hopes of clinching a breakthrough finals berth received a boost with a fourth consecutive win in a 17.12 (114) to 6.13 (49) triumph.

Canberra now sit in fourth spot on the ladder and on the cusp of something special as we edge past the halfway point of the season.

AT A GLANCE

AFL Canberra -

GUNGAHLIN JETS 0.0 1.3 1.4 4.6 (30)

BELCONNEN MAGPIES 5.2 10.2 11.4 13.5 (83)

Gungahlin goals: D. Leon, J. Hind, J. Mennen, L. Martin

Gungahlin best: J. Hind, M. Sheldon, J. Noble, D. Gillian, L. Robertson, B. Faram

Belconnen goals: C. Baker 3, B. Hoffmann 2, B. Walker 2, C. York 2, S. Coate, M. Viney, T. Alexander, S. Fisher

Belconnen best: A. Jones, S. Coate, J. Bennett, D. Bloomfield, C. Baker, B. Talsma

AINSLIE TRICOLOURS 5.1 9.3 10.5 13.7 (85)

EASTLAKE DEMONS 1.2 3.6 4.8 7.9 (51)

*Goals and best not provided.

QUEANBEYAN TIGERS 4.2 11.8 14.11 19.18 (132)

TUGGERANONG HAWKS 1.0 2.0 4.2 4.3 (27)

Queanbeyan goals: B. Fruend 4, M. Grocott 4, S. Lancaster 4, B. Lagana 2, C. Palombi 2, R. Pollock, B. Greenwood, K. Evans

Queanbeyan best: B. Fruend, C. Palombi, J. Lehman, M. Grocott, J. Carroll-Tape, T. Clowry

*Tuggeranong goals and best not provided.

NEAFL -

CANBERRA DEMONS 4.2 6.2 13.8 17.12 (114)

NT THUNDER 0.1 2.6 2.9 6.13 (49)

Canberra goals: J. Turner 4, L. Meline 2, I. Taylor 2, S. Tonkes, A. Bruce, J. Powell, A. Smout, T. Faul, B. Fulford, M. Hardie, N. Richards, J. Osborne

Canberra best: A. Paech, I. Taylor, T. Highmore, J. Turner, A. Smout, A. Baker

NT goals: T. Saunders, D. Ewing, P. White, A. Ankers, R. Tungatalum, M. Mummery

NT best: J. Anderson, K. Riley, T. Davies, B. Rioli, S. Rioli, A. Ankers