Whatever the word, from the position of Labor's second safest seat, Cabramatta could end up Labor's fifth most marginal, with a hold of around 6.5per cent, compared to the 29per cent margin it had before polls opened on Saturday morning.

Labor's candidate, Fairfield Mayor Nick Lalich, is now the Cabramatta state MP.

But the Liberal candidate, Dai Le, also has a reason to smile after pulling off a record swing of around 23per cent, gaining the most votes in the booths of Cabramatta High, Lansvale and Lansvale East.

Last week the Champion's booth analysis predicted a shock for Labor a swing to the tune of 22 to 35per cent swing across 14 booths.

A comparison between booths in the 2007 state election and the weekend's by-election show an average swing of 17per cent away from Labor and 21per cent to Liberal in 14 of the 17 booths.

In 2007 at Cabramatta High, 71per cent of the primary votes went to Labor candidate Reba Meagher, who quit politics rather than sit on the back bench.

Last weekend, Labor's primary vote was down to 43per cent a change of 28per cent.

Alternatively, the Liberals in 2007 managed only 11per cent of the primary vote, while on Saturday they beat Labor with 44per cent a 33per cent swing in their favour.

By Monday afternoon Ms Le had polled 43.1per cent in national two-party preferred voting and Mr Lalich got 56.9per cent.

For Mr Rees, the loss of Ryde on Saturday and swings away from Labor in Cabramatta and Lakemba could suggest annihilation for Labor in March, 2011.

``I don't believe it's impossible; I don't believe anything's insurmountable or I wouldn't have put my hand up for the job, but there's no question it's a big ask,'' he said.

``There's no other way to sugar-coat this but the message is very clear to my government, my leadership and my new team, and that is: `Lift your game or else!'''

Opposition Leader Barry O'Farrell said if Saturday's swings were anything to go by at the 2011 state election, Labor would be ``decimated''.