Adam Goodes kicked a career-best eight goals to lead Sydney to a stunning four-point win over Fremantle in their AFL round 19 clash at the SCG on Saturday night.

Sydney came from behind to win 17.10 (112) to the plucky Fremantle's 15.18 (108).

The win gives the Swans some much-needed breathing space in fourth spot after four losses in their previous five games.

Barry Hall kicked four goals for the Swans, sealing the result in the 28th minute of the final term.

The Swans held a 13-point advantage at three-quarter time but Fremantle powered home with five last-quarter goals to Sydney's four.

Fremantle captain Matthew Pavlich had a brilliant game with 27 possessions and one goal, but his miss at the 22-minute mark, which left Fremantle 14 points ahead, proved crucial.

Two more goals to Goodes and another to Hall put the Swans amazingly back in front and they held on thanks to a tremendous saving mark in defence by Paul Bevan.

Essendon reject Kepler Bradley kicked three first-half goals for Fremantle who led by eight points at halftime, 8.8 (56) to Sydney's 7.6 (48).

Goodes, with four goals in the first half, was a clear winner for the Swans, moving to a forward role after missing last week's game against the Western Bulldogs with a groin injury.

Trailing by seven points at quarter-time, the Swans snatched the lead in the second term before Fremantle hit back with five goals of their own in the second quarter.

Pavlich was in brilliant touch around the ground with 16 first-half possessions while Marty Mattner had 19 in defence for the Swans.

Goodes added another two goals to his tally in the third quarter as the Swans regained the advantage with a six-goal quarter sparked by the courageous Jude Bolton who won plenty of ball in midfield and kicked two goals in the term.

Sydney's Leo Barry had been due to return after two weeks out with a hamstring strain but the premiership fullback was a late withdrawal, replaced by Luke Ablett.

Defender Antoni Grover was replaced in Fremantle's selected side by Marcus Drum.

The Swans host premiership favourites Geelong at ANZ Stadium next Saturday night while the Dockers are at home to St Kilda the following day.

Swans coach Paul Roos said with regular full forward Michael O'Loughlin out with an ankle injury, he had turned to Goodes to fill the void.

"Mick has been really providing a lot of goals and goal assists. I said to him during the week can you kick five and he gave me another three so that was handy," Roos said.

"Medically he is fine to play but obviously just a little bit sore. We thought we will try playing him in that role and see how he goes.

"He hasn't played down there at all really.

"Goodesy is an outside running midfielder and all of a sudden he is catching every ball that comes down there.

"We really tried to tell our players all night, you've got Hally and you've got Goodesy, let's get it in deep."

Roos joked of the career-best haul by Goodes: "Once he learns how to play that role he might do okay."

Roos said O'Loughlin was unlikely to return for next week's ANZ Stadium clash with the Cats.

Fremantle coach Mark Harvey made a strong defence of Pavlich whose miss from a 35-metre set shot proved costly at the 23-minute mark of the last quarter.

"Where football is heading with players and how much we tend to criticise what they do, and there were a lot of comments that were made about Matthew earlier this year, but he is one of the best players that I have ever seen," Harvey said.

"He brings it upon himself to do everything that you would want a leader and a captain to do.

"There's a couple of areas where late in games he has missed shots on goal but that's because of how he has worked to try to rally the team."

Harvey said it was the best performance the Dockers had given on the road this year but a lack of poise had hurt.

"There's a couple of areas where we turned the ball over that made it too easy for Sydney to have an easy passage towards goal. And of course they had Goodes and Hall up the other end who were finishing off," Harvey said.

"It was a couple of poise things and we made the wrong decisions when we got the ball and we paid the penalty."

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