The Sydney Swans Reserves booted six goals to none in the final term to steal a 13-point victory over the Demons at Phillip Oval's grand opening on Saturday.

The Demons had a golden chance to move to outright first in a remarkably close competition before a fourth-quarter capitulation handed the Swans a 9.14 (68) to 8.7 (55) victory.

Sydney's victory sees the Demons slide from first to third in the space of two weeks and now they are in danger of falling as low as sixth, with five teams locked on 40 points at the top of the table.

Canberra will face two other top-five teams to round out the regular season but they are all but assured of a spot in the top six.

The Brisbane Lions and the seventh-placed Greater Western Sydney Giants are vying for sixth on 34 competition points, and in welcome news for Canberra, they play each other in the final round.

But Klemke won't be content with an early finals exit.

"We’ve got to really turn it around quickly and we can," Klemke said.

"We’re a pretty young group and the next two weeks against Sydney Uni, we beat them last time and we know they’ll be out to get us this time, and then Aspley.

"We’ll just focus on this week, we’ve got a few sore boys and hopefully they’ll be alright for next week and we can bring a strong showing in Sydney."

Canberra was clearly the better side for three quarters but they didn't have the answers when the Swans turned around their goal kicking woes.

The Demons surrendered a 23-point lead in the final term as they failed to recover from a Swans onslaught in the midfield battle - as hard as Cameron Milne tried in the ruck battle against Darcy Cameron.

Canberra's backline battled hard but the Demons couldn't make the most of the few chances they got in their own forward 50 to slump to a second consecutive defeat.

Klemke concedes Canberra's failure to stem the flow has been a concern the club needs to stamp out in the run to September.

"When you get beaten that convincingly through the midfield it’s always going to be hard to win a game. Our clearances in the end were 60 to 28," Klemke said.

"We lost it through the midfield, the Swans killed us through there. It’s something we have been a little concerned about and we’ve got a few boys down at the moment and that’s probably affecting us.

"[Alex] Smout is probably not having the last few weeks that he had during the year and we need him up and about if we’re going to go well out of there.

"We looked at trying things, we tried some other mids to go through there and at the end of the day the Swans were just too good. That’s something they practice in and out.

"We tried to change it up and we just couldn’t stop it, and it’s disappointing. We were up in the third quarter and it was a great opportunity to have and win the game, win this first game here [at Phillip Oval], but at the end of the day the Swans were just too good in that last quarter."

Meanwhile, the Ainslie Tricolours gave themselves a major percentage boost to aid their AFL Canberra minor premiership bid in a staggering 34.23 (227) to 3.1 (19) triumph over the Tuggeranong Hawks at Alan Ray Oval.

However the Tricolours still have to catch the ladder-leading Belconnen Magpies, who maintained their place on top with a 17.12 (114) to 9.7 (61) to win over the Eastlake Demons at Phillip Oval.

The Gungahlin Jets will bring the round to a close when they host the Queanbeyan Tigers at Margaret Donoghoe Oval - the Tigers' home ground - on Sunday.

AT A GLANCE

NEAFL round 19 -

CANBERRA 4.3 5.3 8.5 8.7 (55)
SYDNEY 1.0 2.10 3.12 9.14 (68)

Canberra goals: A. Bruce 3, B. Fulford, K. Klemke, M. Hardie, S. Tonkes, J. Powell
Sydney goals: J. Rose 3, J. Bell, J. Stern, B. Stewart, D. Robinson, R. Stoddart, S. Wicks

Canberra best: T. Highmore, A. Baker, M. Maguire, K. Klemke, A. Bruce
Sydney best: R. Fox, D. Cameron, D. Robinson, J. Rose, K. Veerhuis, C. O'Riordan

AFL Canberra round 14 -

AINSLIE 8.6 21.7 27.14 34.23 (227)
TUGGERANONG 1.0 3.1 3.1 3.1 (19)

EASTLAKE 9.7 (61)
BELCONNEN 17.12 (114)

Sunday: Gungahlin Jets v Queanbeyan Tigers at Margaret Donoghoe Oval, 1.30pm.