JUDE Bolton believes the Sydney Swans need a consistent four-quarter effort if they are to defeat the Western Bulldogs in the second semi-final at the MCG next Friday night.

In their two previous meetings this year, the Bulldogs won by 22 points at the SCG in round seven, and by 16 points at Manuka Oval in their round 18 meeting.

The turning point in each game was the second quarter. In the round seven clash, the Bulldogs kicked seven goals to the Swans' one, and in the round 18 match-up, the Dogs kicked eight second-term goals to one.

“They have blown us away in the second quarter both times this year,” Bolton said.

“We need to maintain that intensity and take it up to them. We started in Canberra really well, but our intensity dropped away, and they are a good enough team to score eight goals in that second quarter. It is going to (need) consistency of effort and 22 contributors over four quarters for us to win.”

Bolton said he expected the Bulldogs to bounce back from their 51-point defeat to Hawthorn on Friday night.

“We were looking for the same thing (from) the Kangaroos (on Saturday night) because they had been beaten by Port Adelaide the week before. We had to match that early. The second half, we were able to stretch away.”

The key to the second-half comeback was motivating words from Swans coach Paul Roos.

“'Roosy' felt that some of us were going at half-pace at half time,” Bolton admitted.

“He said he could guarantee that if we all got on board and played at 100 per cent like Leo Barry that we could walk away with a win. We lifted our intensity and our workrate, and it opened up for us.”

Bolton hoped the 35-point win over North Melbourne would silence some of the Swans' critics.

“There has been a fair bit of criticism of our guys, and we got knocked out in the first week of the finals last year so that criticism is probably due," he conceded.

"But I believe we still have plenty to offer, and the experience our players have had in previous finals stood us in good stead last night.

“A lot of our older, senior guys really stood up last night and showed the way. The second half showed what we base ourselves on, and we got back to the way we like to play."