44 points (11 wins, five losses), 117.3 per cent
Aliir Aliir's last-gasp match-winner, combined with Port Adelaide's loss, has opened up Sydney's chances of a top-four berth. The Swans will pencil in next week's home clash with Gold Coast before a Friday night date with Essendon off consecutive six-day breaks. Turning around their 4-4 record at home will be crucial in their hopes of the double chance ahead of difficult fixtures with Collingwood and Hawthorn. The round 22 clash with Greater Western Sydney looms as the most mouth-watering meeting yet between the cross-town rivals. - Mitch Cleary

The run home
R18: Gold Coast @ SCG
R19: Essendon @ Etihad Stadium
R20: Collingwood @ SCG
R21: Melbourne @ MCG
R22: Greater Western Sydney @ Spotless Stadium
R23: Hawthorn @ SCG 

Coach says
"It's not very often you have wins that stick in your mind. It's important for the younger players, and I said to them after the game, 'You've got to be able to use experiences like that to be able to become the players you need to become'. We lost over 1000 games of experience before the bounce and to lose your captain at quarter time, and to be able to rally like we did and (have) the kids all play a part was just fantastic to see. You've got to have a level of resilience and our younger players showed it, our older players were able to stand up."
- Coach John Longmire post match Round 17 against North Melbourne.