In a match that featured 15 lead changes to three-quarter time, the Swans led by seven points late in the final term before Leroy Jetta’s scrambled goal cut the margin to one with three minutes to play.
But the home side held their nerve long enough for Adam Goodes to bob up with the sealer, handing the Swans a 12.17 (89) to 12.8 (80) victory.
Jude Bolton and Ryan O’Keefe delivered on their pre-match promise to lift at the stoppages, Shane Mumford was outstanding as the game’s dominant ruckman and Gary Rohan and Jesse White each booted three goals.
Jobe Watson mirrored the Swans duo with an excellent game in the middle while Alwyn Davey and Leroy Jetta shared five goals and posed constant threats on the ground and in the air.
The loss came at an extra cost for the Bombers with David Hille suffering a game-ending hamstring injury in the second quarter and Angus Monfries ruled out with the same injury in the third term.
Swans coach Paul Roos said the increased output from his senior players was the difference between the round 10 loss to Hawthorn and Sunday’s triumph.
“If you looked at our midfield group and certainly our senior players in the midfield, Jude was fantastic, McVeigh was fantastic and Ryan O’Keefe played really, really well,” he said.
“Brett Kirk on Watson was a really good battle so definitely our leaders really stood up today, which makes a huge difference to your team, no doubt.”
Roos also hoped that Goodes’ winning goal would prove the catalyst for the Swans star to turn his form around after struggling to produce his best in the past month.
“He’s not playing super and he knows it but the good thing is, if you keep working hard, good things happen and I think that was him today,” Roos said.
“He battled away and battled away and all of a sudden he kicks the winning goal. Hopefully that’s a real turning point for him.”
The first half was an arm wrestle from the outset, albeit a free-flowing one, with both sides going goal for goal to leave scores level at the main break.
The Swans emerged with renewed purpose after half time but they struggled to capitalise on their dominance of general play.
In contrast, the Bombers looked dangerous every time they went forward. Andrew Welsh’s clever overhead tap of a bouncing ball to Mark McVeigh for the Dons’ third of the quarter exemplified their quick thinking.
The final term was an old-fashioned slog as the rain teemed down.
It took 10 minutes for the first score - a behind to Michael Hurley - and 17 minutes before Paul Bevan goaled to put the Swans up by five points.
Marty Mattner had a golden chance to put the home side 11 points clear after the Bombers conceded successive 50m penalties after a free kick, but he sprayed the shot from 25m.
Jetta’s goal sent shivers through the more than 29,000 fans at the SCG and gave Essendon renewed hope, before Goodes’ last-minute heroics put the contest out of the visitors’ reach.
Sydney Swans 3.3 7.5 10.12 12.17 (89)
Essendon 2.2 7.5 11.6 12.8 (80)
GOALS
Sydney Swans: Rohan 3, White 3, Goodes 2, Bevan 2, Smith, McVeigh
Essendon: Jetta 3, Davey 2, Gumbleton 2, Lonergan, Welsh, Howlett, McVeigh, Zaharakis
BEST
Sydney Swans: Mumford, Bolton, McVeigh, Roberts-Thomson, O’Keefe
Essendon: Watson, Lovett-Murray, Davey, Prismall, Jetta
Injuries
Sydney Swans: Nil
Essendon: Hille (hamstring), Monfries (hamstring), Stanton (ankle) replaced in selected side by Howlett
Reports: Nil
Umpires: McBurney, McLaren, Meredith
Official crowd: 29,329 at the SCG
