A five-goal performance from Lance Franklin has steered Sydney to its ninth consecutive finals appearance following a stunning 20-point win over Greater Western Sydney in the 15th Sydney Derby.
The Giants led for three quarters at their home deck, before the efforts of Luke Parker (33 disposals), Jake Lloyd (30) and Franklin clamped down on their opposition, booting five goals in the last term before moving into the top-four as a result.
Franklin was rewarded with the Brett Kirk Medal for his efforts, while also replacing Leigh Matthews (915) in eighth position on the all-time goalkickers list.
Despite Stephen Coniglio and Jeremy Cameron getting off to impressive starts, their influence fizzled out, while Dylan Shiel lifted to finish with 33 touches.
With the White Ribbon Cup resting in their possession, the Swans will hope to lock in their ladder position next week against Hawthorn, who too will be vying for a top-four finish should they defeat St Kilda tonight.
It was a tight battle between the Giants and Swans to begin the crosstown affair, with the home side outscoring their rivals three goals to one in the swirling conditions.
Jeremy Cameron started the match like a house on fire, with his presence around the stoppages and up forward affording him two chances to kick a major score.
But his fast-moving teammates refused to halt the play for so much as a second, with Dylan Shiel and Daniel Lloyd each taking the advantage and subsequently putting the Giants on the board.
The two majors ended up being some of the only fluent passages of play for the quarter, with the tight nature of the contest and exceptional pressure exerted by both sides resulting in a 22-27 tackle count.
Nevertheless, racking up the ball proved to be no difficulty for either side, with Shiel and Stephen Coniglio racking up a combined 25 touches in the opening term, while Luke Parker was best afield with 12 disposals, three clearances and four tackles.
Parker's solid quarter did hit a sour note after a high bump on Matt Buntine, yet the GWS defender bounced back and played out the rest of the game.
Kieren Jack at last found same rare space for the Swans to kick their only goal for the term, but the Giants' ability to gain repeat entries inside 50 (17-8) resulted in Cameron finally being rewarded for his hard work.
Cameron's major put the Giants in the lead by a sound 13 points at quarter-time, albeit with a massive battle still on their hands
While the Swans worked their way into the contest with three goals in the second term, they failed to gain any ground as their opposition piled on three of their own.
The Giants loomed ominous from the get-go, with Aiden Bonar slotting another goal in his very short career following a strong contested mark up forward.
GWS' marking prowess up forward stood marked against the Swans, with the marks inside 50 tally sitting at 7-1 at the end of the half.
Lance Franklin however hit the scoreboard mere moments later, pushing through a desperate Nick Haynes tackle and outworking his direct opponent in Phil Davis to keep the Swans within the hunt.
With the Swans' and Giants' characteristic speed from half-back stifled by their opposition - with the likes of Lachie Whitfield and Zak Jones unable to burst free - both sides opted to chip the ball around, find targets and work through each defensive wall.
Harry Himmelberg converted from such play, before Tom McCartin and Coniglio exchanged goals to continue the deadlock.
Despite GWS looking to be well in control of the contest, an injury scare to Davis sent a scare through the Giants' camp, with the co-captain left exceptionally ginger after a collision with Rory Lobb in a marking contest.
As Davis' condition worsened as the contest wore on, Jeremy Finlayson was thrown down back to man Franklin one-on-one, yet within the first few moments of the match-up, the Sydney superstar slotted his second.
Another miss to Franklin brought the Swans within 15 points of their opposition at the major break, yet despite the small margin, scoring would ultimately be hard to come by,
Sydney weren't starved on chances in the third term, yet only managed to put through 1.6 against their opposition's 1.3.
Despite Davis returning to the field, his mobility was nowhere near the level required, with the All Australian defender plonked up forward in an attempt to squeeze through an unlikely goal, which he nearly did.
It was instead Himmelerg who put through GWS' one and only major of the term, as the Giants continued to win the territory battle and lock the ball in the forward line to great effect.
But it ended up being one of the only third quarter highlights for the term, with Lloyd, Finlayson, Davis and Ryan Griffen all hounded by injury, the latter of whom was ruled out of the match with yet another hamstring injury.
With the GWS injury curse gripping Leon Cameron's men, the Swans took full advantage with their ball movement - spreading far easier due to their opposition's limited rotation - yet failed to punish them on the scoreboard.
As Sydney gained the ascendancy in the clearances and inside 50s, Franklin at last slotted his third - and the only Swans goal for the term - to enter three-quarter time with just a 12-point deficit.
The Swans kept their momentum rolling going into the fourth term, who effectively guaranteed yet another finals appearance with a blistering six-goal term over the hapless Giants.
Franklin slotted his fourth within the opening minutes of the term to overtake Leigh Matthews on the all-time goalkickers list; his career tally moving to 916 goals and placing him in eighth position on the prestigious leaderboard.
With Parker's goal putting the Swans just one point down, a flurry of behinds catapulted the Swans in front the first time in the match.
As Sydney dominated the contested possession count and won the next eight clearances with little opposition from the Giants, another three goals from Jack, Franklin and Parker put the game well out of GWS' reach.
The GWS midfield stifled, lacking speed and appearing stagnant of the field, Sydney only continued to trample over their opposition as the clock ran down, with Lloyd offering the only positive for the Giants with a last-minute major.
As Will Hayward soccered through the last goal of the game with less than a second left, the Swans ran out as 20-point victors to secure their spot in September.
Sydney will be set for a pivotal match against Hawthorn next Saturday at the SCG, while Greater Western Sydney will head interstate to face Melbourne at the MCG in eight days.
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY 3.3 6.6 7.9 8.12 (60)
SYDNEY 1.2 4.3 5.9 11.14 (80)
GOALS
Greater Western Sydney: Lloyd 2, Himmelberg 2, Bonar, Shiel, Cameron, Coniglio, Davis Sydney: Franklin 5, Jack 2, Parker 2, Hayward. McCartin
BEST Greater Western Sydney: Shiel, Taranto, Ward, Tomlinson, Lloyd
Sydney: Franklin, Parker, Lloyd, Kennedy, Rampe, McVeigh
INJURIES
Greater Western Sydney: Griffen (hamstring), Davis (back), Lloyd (eye), Finlayson (ankle) Sydney: Nil
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