Sydney have continued their strong start to the AFL season with an impressive 16-point win over North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium.

The Kangaroos were competitive for most of Saturday night but were always going to struggle after giving up a 36-point lead in the second term when they conceded five straight goals.

The hosts were able to reduce the gap to 11 points with five minutes remaining but the Swans steadied to win 14.7 (91) to 10.15 (75).

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“It was a tough contest. We knew they were going to come out and play some real tough footy,” said Lance Franklin, who booted four goals.

“We sort of let them back in but we dug deep at the end.”

The Swans’ ninth win of the year means they will enter the mid-season bye second on the ladder, just one win behind Fremantle.

Many of the hallmarks of Sydney’s 2015 season were on show.

Adam Goodes, who kicked three goals, was routinely booed when he went near the ball.

Franklin shone, the highlight being a remarkable one-step goal from beyond the 50m arc in the second term.

Young gun Luke Parker was dominant in the middle, grabbing 33 possessions, while Dan Hannebery demonstrated his courage by playing on after a knee to the back.

Elsewhere, Fremantle narrowly avoided a huge upset by beating a second-string Gold Coast at a dreary Metricon Stadium.

The Suns incredibly came close to victory over the competition frontrunners, spending most of a pulsating final quarter trailing by less than a kick.

But they were unable drag themselves over the line as the Dockers scraped home with a 7.4 (46) to 6.17 (53) triumph.

It came down to the final moments, as a low-scoring contest ended in a sudden flurry of goals.

Nick Suban kicked what appeared to be the sealer with a minute to go from a free kick just metres out from goal, but the Suns kept coming and Tom Lynch provided an almost instant reply.

In the end the Suns ran out of time but would have won plenty of admirers after an strong four-quarter performance supported by an even spread of contributors.

Predictions of a Freo bloodbath proved well off the mark, with the ladder leaders again a long way from their best – a week on from their first defeat of the season against Richmond.

That was mostly down to the Suns.

Where they failed against Hawthorn and Sydney in the previous two rounds, Gold Coast was able to drag the game down to their level and stop Fremantle’s damaging run-and-gun style.

Nathan Fyfe amassed a game-high 31 possessions and booted two goals in two minutes just after half-time, and at that stage the Dockers appeared poised to kick away.

But led by acting captain Michael Rischitelli (17 touches) and boom rookie Adam Saad (20 touches), the Suns didn’t let them.

It was an incredible effort from a side crippled by an unprecedented injury crisis that left them with just 23 players to pick from.

Gold Coast coach Rodney Eade tempted fate on Friday by saying the Suns needed to avoid a first-quarter injury since their substitute, the returning Nick Malceski, was still hampered by a knee problem and not able to run out a match.

In tune with their complete lack of good fortune this year, of course, it happened.

Halfway through the opening term, Danny Stanley’s afternoon came to an early end when he went down with a knee injury, throwing a clearly unfit Malceski into the mix.

But Gold Coast found a way to carry on regardless, falling over only at the final hurdle.

In Perth, West Coast pair Mark LeCras and Josh Kennedy combined for seven goals to help the Eagles cruise to a 50-point AFL win over Essendon at Domain Stadium.

The Eagles never looked in danger against a struggling Bombers side still reeling from last weekend’s dreadful performance in which they failed to kick a first half goal.

The 14.12 (96) to 6.10 (46) win lifted the Eagles (8-3) back to second on the ladder while the Bombers (4-7) are teetering in 13th following their fifth loss in six matches.

LeCras was outstanding with 21 disposals and four goals while Coleman Medal favourite Kennedy chipped in with three.

Brownlow medallist Matt Priddis (32 disposals) and youngster Andrew Gaff (33 disposals) were among the Eagles’ midfielders to capitalise on the dominance of ruckman Nic Naitanui against Essendon pinch-hitters Jake Carlisle and Joe Daniher.

Key defender Jeremy McGovern battled thigh and hand injuries to be an important contributor for West Coast before being subbed out at the final change with the result all but sealed.

– with AAP