Swans overrun Roos

The Sydney Swans have kept their season alive with a thrilling 15-point come-from-behind victory over a committed North Melbourne at the SCG on Sunday.

Having trailed at the long break the Swans made their move in the third term but saw their seven-point buffer evaporate as the Kangaroos opened the fourth quarter with two consecutive majors.

With the suspended Barry Hall absent from the Sydney forward line Adam Goodes and young-gun Craig Bird booted majors to reclaim the lead before Lachie Hansen answered for the Roos to close to within a point.

But with the modest crowd of 21,929 behind them the Swans kicked clear with Bird's second of the term, and when veteran Michael O'Loughlin scored late the Swans had sealed a vital 15.10 (100) to 13.7 (85) victory.

The Swans shared the load up front with nine players chipping in with majors but the efforts of Rhyce Shaw (30 possessions) and co-captain Brett Kirk (37 disposals) proved the difference.

For the visitors Josh Gibson was superb throughout limiting Adam Goodes to a modest afternoon while Adam Simpson was also industrious, but it wasn't to be for the much-improved Kangaroos under caretaker coach Darren Crocker.

North Melbourne's high-tempo game plan saw them dominate the early exchanges, but their inability to split the sticks from set-shots saw the hosts take an unlikely one-point advantage into the first change.

The Roos hit the ground running in the second term and threatened to open up the contest booting two majors inside three minutes.

Sydney steadied and when Ed Barlow kicked his second midway through the quarter, they led by a solitary point.

The visitors restored order with three consecutive majors to open up a 17-point buffer before late goals to makeshift forward Ted Richards and midfielder Jude Bolton slashed the deficit to just five at the long break.

It took little over a minute for the hosts to reclaim the lead when Lewis Roberts-Thomson kicked his first goal of the season.

The Roos hit back through Hansen and Andrew Swallow but with their season on the line the Swans took control with three unanswered majors to take all the momentum and a seven-point buffer into the final term.

And while they didn't have it their own way, the Swans had enough left in the tank to secure their sixth win of the season and remain within touching distance of the top eight.

SYDNEY: 3.4, 7.6, 11.7, 15.10 (100)
NORTH MELBOURNE: 3.3, 8.5, 10.6, 13.7 (85)

GOALS: Sydney: Barlow 2, J.Bolton 2, Goodes 2, Bird 2, O'Loughlin 2, Richards, Roberts-Thomson, Shaw, Veszpremi, O'Keefe,
North Melbourne: Jones 3, Harding 2, Swallow 2, Firrito 2, Hansen 2, Harris, Ross,
BEST: Sydney: Shaw, McVeigh, O'Keefe, Jack, Kirk,
North Melbourne: Firrito, Simpson, Gibson, McMahon, Jones,
INJURIES: Sydney: Nil
North Melbourne: Nil
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Nil
UMPIRES: James, Ryan, Schmitt
CROWD: 21,929 at the SCG