But coach Chris Rourke says "we've got a lot of work to do before we become a big contender" - a humble admission but perhaps a scary thought for the AFL Canberra landscape.

A second-quarter blitz set up Ainslie's 25-point win over the Belconnen Magpies at Alan Ray Oval on Saturday. The 12.8 (81) to 8.8 (56) win takes the Tricolours to first on the ladder through seven rounds - but the Queanbeyan Tigers have a chance to reclaim top spot on Sunday.

Rourke was looking for a big response from the Tricolours after they were trounced by Queanbeyan a fortnight ago - and he found it through the likes of Aaron Wiles and Hayden Armstrong.

"We've got some good young kids but our experienced players, they drive the culture and the trademarks," Rourke said.

"They know how it's supposed to be done and they stepped up in a big game. [Two weeks ago] against Queanbeyan we were really poor, so it was a pretty big day.

"Belconnen are a very good side so we've got some work to do.

"A little bit of a home ground advantage probably gives us the points.

"Certainly in this competition, credit to the other sides because they've bridged the gap. We've got a lot of work to do before we become a big contender."

Belconnen held a slender one-point lead at the first break. But that was before Nelson Foley started getting his hands on the ball, before Ben Jamieson gave Ainslie some run through the middle, before Armstrong and the forwards began building serious pressure.

In the blink of an eye the Tricolours had booted six to give themselves an unassailable lead.

"Belconnen jumped out of the blocks and we got a roll on in the second quarter," Rourke said.

"It was just a really tough game of footy in the second half, there's not much between the two sides, that's for sure."

Ainslie's triumph came after the Eastlake Demons put the Gungahlin Jets to the sword at Football Park on Friday night.

Michael Peterson, Daniel Potts and Joseph Hancock booted three goals each as Eastlake secured a 16.20 (116) to 4.9 (33) victory against a rebuilding Jets outfit.

The winless Tuggeranong Hawks will close out the round when they host the high-flying Tigers in their bid to leapfrog Ainslie at Greenway Oval on Sunday.