Sydney has consolidated their position in the top-eight following an epic contest at Etihad Stadium, coming away with a crucial six-point win over North Melbourne thanks to a goal from Allir Aliir in the game's final two minutes.
Six majors for North in the third term had the home side in good stead for the final term, yet a six-goal blitz from the Swans in the last cost the Roos not only the four points, but a chance to leap back into the eight.
Despite the Swans losing their skipper in Josh Kennedy in the second term with a back issue, it was nonetheless a day to celebrate, with Lance Franklin securing his 900th career goal in what was a stunning team display.
The potent North forward line in Jack Ziebell (five goals), Ben Brown (four) and Majak Daw (four) almost proved to be the difference, while Shaun Higgins (33 disposals, 18 contested) and Jed Anderson (27) were admirable through the centre, finishing with a combined 12 clearances and 14 inside 50s.
Yet the Swans were too strong, with Isaac Heeney stepping up in his skipper's absence with 28 touches, while Dane Rampe, Jake Lloyd and Aliir helped launch the Swans' attack from the back end.
With a chance to secure their position in the top-eight, both the Roos and Swans kicked off proceedings in white-hot form, piecing together an exceptional quarter of football under the roof of Etihad Stadium.
Moving the footy at breakneck speed and setting the tone for a fast-paced affair, the two sides' intensity stood marked throughout the entire term, with North Melbourne edging out their opposition five goals to three.
Ben Ronke ultimately slotted the first goal of the game off such movement however, and thrived off the lively ball use executed by the Swans off half-back.
North too had their own dynamic movers, with Jed Anderson and Shaun Higgins slamming the ball forward; their electric pace resulting an equally hair-raising goal from Jack Ziebell in the pocket.
But the Roos' concussion woes reared its ugly head just five minutes into the game, with Kayne Turner ruled out of the game with concussion after receiving a head knock in a marking contest.
Although North bounced back with a goal to Ben Brown, the extra sizzle from Sydney's runners loomed ominously, with Zak Jones on numerous occasions putting on the afterburners across half-back and driving the ball forward, giving both Tom Papley and Isaac Heeney majors.
Regular backman, Jamie Macmillan, showed some of his own, weaving through several Sydney defenders to thread a remarkable running goal from just inside the 50.
While both sides' ability to burst out from defence and bring the ball up the guts was impressive, the Swans' cleaner use and marking in both the attacking (four) and defensive 50 (six) end mitigated the Roos' rampage.
Nevertheless, the defence of Robbie Tarrant and Scott Thompson held firm, and North soon found the scoreboard as result of their solid stoppage work and run across the wings and through the centre.
As Majak Daw and Ziebell kicked magical majors to extend the Roos' lead, the home side finished the term 12 points in front, with their frenetic energy placing them in good stead for the following quarter.
The battle of Daw and Aliir proved to be a captivating encounter, with the battle of pure athleticism a highlight for the entire afternoon.
While the heat of the first term carried all the way through the second, with an emphatic five-goal response from the Swans allowed them to wrestle the momentum in their favour, despite the loss of Josh Kennedy early in the fray.
The Sydney skipper was taken from the field with a lower back issue after pulling up sore from an attempted tackle, and sat the remainder of the game on the bench.
Despite their leader and contested ball champion off the field, the Swans pushed past the Roos in all facets of the game, dominating on the scoreboard and burning their opposition with their sheer speed.
Sydney got off to a perfect start, slotting the first three majors of the term through Will Hayward and Ronke; the latter's pair from either pocket being set up by brilliant intercept play and rebound from Aliir at half-back.
Brown finally interrupted the flow with one of his own, before the Swans lifted once more to dismiss their opposition and punish them with a further two goals through Hayward and Harry Cunningham.
Aggressive around the stoppages and smacking their opposition with their dare through the middle of the ground, the Swans looked set to steamroll their opposition, courtesy of their continual racking up of uncontested ball and damaging run.
Despite the prolific efforts of Higgins, who finished the half with 21 touches, the Sydney midfield stood head and shoulders above that of the Roos, allowing to end the term with a 13-point advantage.
But North turned the tables in the third, slamming home a whopping six goals against the Swans' two, at last placing themselves back in the lead following their explosive run.
While the talls in Daw, Brown and Lance Franklin all fired throughout the term, it was the smalls who came to the fore, with Ziebell and Ronke finishing the term with four goals for their respective sides.
The Roos jagged two majors within as many minutes through Nathan Hrovat and Daw, with the latter's duel with Aliir reaching epic proportions as the game heated up.
Despite the Swans' notable tackling pressure, the class of Higgins and Anderson shrugged off their aggressive intentions, with the duo driving the ball inside 50, with a combined 13 entries at three-quarter time.
Ziebell made it three in a row for North while simultaneously putting through his third - the home side rediscovering their blistering run and putting their foot on the Swans' throat as they continued to gather momentum.
Ronke eased the pressure with his fourth of the afternoon, before Franklin, after a quiet first half, rose to the occasion to secure his 900th career goal.
With the Sydney star joining the elite company of Leigh Matthews, Matthew Lloyd and Jack Titus, the celebrations were quickly soured after North Melbourne piled on another three consecutive majors.
As the forward triumvirate of Ziebell, Brown and Daw continued to be a handful for the under siege Sydney defence - despite exceptional efforts from Dane Rampe and Aliir - the home side took an 11-point lead at the final change, with one top-eight defining quarter to play.
But the Swans' blistering six-goal final quarter - in which they kicked the first four majors of the term - proved to be too much for the Roos, who despite kicking three of their own, weren't able to secure the victory.
The Swans' dynamic centre work from the opening minute looked ready to blow the game wide open, with Heeney hammering home is second within the opening minute of play.
As Robbie Fox levelled the scores, Franklin showed his game-breaking tendencies from long-range, before making it four straight Sydney goals with a bit of classic Buddy magic from the left pocket.
But the Roos still had plenty to give, with Higgins, Anderson and Ben Cunnington wrestling their way in front in the centre bounces,
Brown once again played spoiler, snapping the Swans' streak and putting through his fourth to put the Roos within one straight kick, before a potentially match-winning tackle from Daw on Rampe in the pocket levelled the scores once more with six minutes left to play.
As Ziebell utilised his exceptional crumbing skills to put home his fifth for the day, North held on to a slender seven-point advantage for a tantalising three minutes, before Ronke too put home his fifth.
An opportunity for his sixth had North fans with their hearts in their mouths, but his narrow miss tied the scores up again, before Aliir worked his way forward to put the Swans a goal clear with two minutes remaining on the clock.
With the atmosphere tense and every play crucial, Sydney managed to hold on in the final passages of play, moving into fifth position as a result, while leaving North in a perilous position in ninth spot on the ladder.
North Melbourne's tough draw will carry on to next week when they take on Collingwood at the MCG on Saturday afternoon, while Sydney will be back on their home turf in six days' time to do battle with the struggling Gold Coast.
NORTH MELBOURNE 5.1 6.2 12.5 15.8 (98)
SYDNEY 3.1 8.3 10.6 16.8 (104)
GOALS
North Melbourne: Ziebell 5, Brown 4, Daw 4, Macmillan, Hrovat
Sydney: Ronke 5, Franklin 3, Hayward 2, Heeney 2, Papley, Cunningham, Fox, Aliir
BEST
North Melbourne: Ziebell, Higgins, Daw, Brown, Anderson, Goldstein
Sydney: Ronke, Heeney, Franklin, Lloyd, Allir, Rampe
INJURIES
North Melbourne: Jacobs (concussion symptoms and neck soreness) replaced in the selected side by Luke Davies-Uniacke, Turner (concussion)
Sydney: Grundy (managed) replaced in the selected side by Harry Marsh, Kennedy (back)
TALKING POINTS
1. SWANS BACK ON TRACK, NORTH CLOSE TO THE EDGE
Revenge was firmly on the agenda for the Swans, who went down to the Roos by just two points in round seven, courtesy of a last-gasp goal from Mason Wood.
And revenge was certainly delivered, with Aliir Aliir slotting the match-winning goal in eerily similar circumstances, and solidifying Sydney's position in the top-eight for at least another week.
Sydney can head home tonight with a top-four finish firmly in their sights, despite talk of their form last week against Geelong and key injuries to star players in Jarrad McVeigh, Kieren Jack, Sam Reid, Dan Hannebery and Josh Kennedy, with the latter's occurring in the second quarter.
North Melbourne conversely has their season hanging on by a thread, and are at risk of missing out on the finals as the season reaches its climax.
Now sitting in the much-dreaded ninth position on the ladder, North will need to overcome their next two matches against top-four aspirants West Coast and Collingwood if they are to squeeze into the eight.
A win next week will steady the ship - a loss, and we dare not think about what it will do to the morale of the young side.
2. BUDDY BAGS 900 CAREER GOALS
Lance Franklin was always going to be remembered as one of the greats to ever play the game, but now he has become immortalised in VFL/AFL history, becoming the ninth player to kick 900 goals.
Booting 322 majors for the Swans since his move from Hawthorn after 2012, Franklin has been arguably the most impressive player of the modern era, with his penetrating left-foot shots and pinpoint accuracy from long-range making him a sight to behold week after week.
His 113-goal season in 2008 was just one of Franklin's many highlights, with the superstar forward also being a four Coleman medallist, seven-time All Australian, six-time winner of Hawthorn's goal-kicking, four-time winner of Sydney's goal-kicking and a two-time premiership player.
That's quite the trophy cabinet.
Joining the likes of Leigh Matthews, Matthew Lloyd and Jack Titus, Franklin will have his eyes set on notching up 1000 career goals.
And there's no doubt he certainly will.
3. A BIG DAY FOR FORWARDS, SMALL AND TALL
It was raining goals at Etihad Stadium, with players from both sides of different size, stature and experience putting through crucial majors in the thrilling contest.
For the Roos, it was Jack Ziebell who led the charge, equalling his career-best with five goals, while big men Ben Brown and Majak Daw were prolific with four goals each.
With Mason Wood and Jarrad Waite out of the side through injury, the Roos' forward line has looked even more ominous with Ziebell coming to the fore to accompany Brown, while Daw's throw up forward was a Brad Scott masterstroke.
Sydney's smalls also had massive impact, with Ronke snapping five miraculous majors to steer the Swans to victory, while Lance Franklin secured three second half majors, taking his career tally to 902.
Not a bad day for a bag.
4. DAW VS ALIIR
While Ben Jacobs and Josh Kennedy was poised to be a massive contest, the former's late withdrawal and an injury to the Swans' skipper in the second term prevented such a spectacle from ever occurring.
But fans were given another epic duel, with Majak Daw and Aliir Aliir battling it out for most of the game in what was a battle of sheer power, athleticism and strength.
Both were just as damaging, with Aliir's rebound off half-back laying the groundwork for several Sydney majors, while Daw finished his afternoon with an impressive four majors in just his first full game up forward for the year.
While Aliir moved to Brown in the final stages of the game, the young Swan had the last laugh after putting through his first ever league goal, gifting Sydney the win in the process.
With the crowd roaring whenever the ball neared the two, the stage has now been set for when the two sides clash again.
Possibly - if all goes to plan for the Roos - in an elimination final.
5. A BRUISING DAY, EVEN BEFORE PLAY
Players from both sides will be exceptionally sore after their gut-busting performances, but both sides were dealt massive blows before the opening bounce.
Ben Jacobs a late withdrawal with concussion symptoms and neck stiffness - it being the third time he has been absent with the same conditions in the space of a month - while Sydney stalwart, Heath Grundy, was managed.
On the field however, Kayne Turner was rubbed out in the first quarter after receiving a head knock and failing to pass the concussion test, while Josh Kennedy was plagued by back spasms which cut his day short.
The latter should be expected to return next week, with the skipper lucky to avert the fate of fellow veterans in Jarrad McVeigh, Dan Hannebery and Kieren Jack who all sit on the sidelines.
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