Sydney's top-four hopes remain well and truly alive after delivering a killer blow to Melbourne's finals hopes, holding tough to register a nine-point win at the MCG on Sunday.
Down to two men on the bench from midway through the second quarter, the Swans displayed their trademark toughness and grit, as well as superior polish, to hold off a late Melbourne fightback and claim a 13.9 (87) to 10.18 (78) victory.
Sydney held a 28-point advantage at three-quarter time but with its rotations drastically affected with Alex Johnson (knee) and Nick Smith (hamstring) out of the game, the Demons came with a vengeance with three goals on the trot trimming the margin to seven points when Nathan Jones kicked truly at the 18-minute mark.
That was as close as Melbourne got as the move of Isaac Heeney behind the ball as the loose man in defence proved to be a masterstroke from coach John Longmire and was critical in the Swans hanging on to victory.
The Swans' win saw them rise up to sixth on the ladder, while the loss consigns the Demons, who have not featured in finals since 2006, to seventh on the ladder with games against West Coast and Greater Western Sydney to close out the season.
Sydney seized control of the contest in the second term, booting six goals in the space of just 16 minutes to erode an 18-point Melbourne advantage.
Jake Lloyd (31 disposals at 80.6 per cent efficiency) and Nic Newman (22 disposals at 77.3 per cent efficiency) controlled the flow of the game from the back half, while Aliir Aliir (10 marks) constantly chopped off Demon kicks going inside 50.
The Swans had 99 uncontested marks to Melbourne's 61, as the Swans cleverly maintained possession and exposed the Demons' inability to defend by constantly creating the outnumber forward of the ball and making the Demons' defensive press look second-rate.
Swans skipper Josh Kennedy had a huge second half, with 17 of his 28 disposals coming after the main break, while the Swans levelled the clearances (33-33) despite being smashed in hit-outs (17-59).
Lance Franklin booted 2.5 but was influential at important times in the game, while Tom Papley's three goals came at damaging points of the contest.
Melbourne had its chances but its inefficiency going inside forward 50, despite dominating that stat (60-43), and inaccuracy in front of goal proved costly.
Midfielders Dom Tyson (31 disposals), James Harmes (26) and Angus Brayshaw (25 and six clearances) were among Melbourne's best, but they were unable to utilise Max Gawn's advantage in the ruck.
There was more heartbreak for Johnson, who injured his right knee in the first quarter, with Sydney fearing the luckless defender has injured the anterior cruciate ligament in his 'good' knee.
If that is the case, the 26-year-old is staring down the barrel at a sixth knee reconstruction.
Taking the injuries into account and the high stakes the game was played under, Sydney's win was one of its best of the season and time will tell whether it is a legitimate finals threat or a spent force.
MEDICAL ROOM
Melbourne: Jesse Hogan went down to the rooms in the third term with a right ankle issue. The star forward did a fitness test along the boundary line before coming back onto the ground. Jayden Hunt limped from the field with a right ankle complaint in the final term and did not return.
Sydney: Alex Johnson injured his right knee while changing direction as he tried to tackle Demon Jesse Hogan. Johnson made a fairytale return last week against Collingwood after the best part of six years on the sidelines following five knee reconstructions. Nick Smith (back/hamstring) spent time down in the rooms in the second quarter and also did not re-enter the game.
NEXT UP
Melbourne will travel to Perth to take on West Coast at Optus Stadium next Sunday, while the Swans take on Greater Western Sydney in the local derby at Spotless Stadium next Saturday.
MELBOURNE 2.6 3.12 7 .14 10.18 (78)
SYDNEY 1.1 7.2 13.6 13.9 (87)
GOALS
Melbourne: vandenBerg 3, T.McDonald 2, Petracca, Hogan, Pedersen, Garlett, Jones
Sydney: Papley 3, Heeney 2, Franklin 2, Cunningham, Hayward, Hannebery, Dawson, Kennedy, McCartin
BEST
Melbourne: Brayshaw, Tyson, Harmes, Oliver, Salem
Sydney: Lloyd, Heeney, Newman, Aliir, Franklin, Kennedy, Hewett
INJURIES
Melbourne: TBC
Sydney: Johnson (knee), Smith (back)
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Dalgleish, Nicholls, Fleer
Official crowd: 51,424 at the MCG
