It is by narrow margins that AFL campaigns are saved or lost.

Had Sydney lost to Essendon at the SCG on Sunday, a year that began so brilliantly at 5-1 would have slipped into the red.

But on a day where the team leading changed almost as often as the weather, the Swans found renewed vigour in midfield and composure up forward to notch a gripping victory.

The leadership changed 16 times across the afternoon and the Swans' 12.17 (89) to 12.8 (80) final advantage was the biggest either side had enjoyed.

Jude Bolton (36 touches, 26 contested, 12 tackles, 11 clearances) was prolific in the centre for the Swans, and had staunch support from Jarrad McVeigh, ruckman Shane Mumford and Ryan O'Keefe.

Gary Rohan and Jesse White kicked three goals each, while Paul Bevan and Adam Goodes (two apiece) made key contributions at the death to break a streak of four consecutive losses.

Swans coach Paul Roos lauded his senior men after a month in which they had frequently gone missing under pressure.

"That was the big difference for us today. If you look at our midfield group, certainly our senior players within that midfield," he said.

"Definitely our leaders stood up today, which makes a huge difference to your team."

Brent Prismall, Jason Winderlich, Andrew Welsh, Nathan Lovett-Murray and Leroy Jetta (three goals) all fought hard for Essendon.

The Bombers were set back too by hamstring injuries to David Hille and Angus Monfries, after Brent Stanton (ankle) withdrew on match eve.

"With 20 men we kept coming on strong, admiration for the guys who kept pushing hard and being resourceful," said Bombers coach Matthew Knights.

"It was certainly all elements today - on the plane up here we'd heard it had been drenched and the ground was under water, but I visited here at 7.30am and was pleasantly surprised."

Much of the early play was untidy, Sydney's turnovers out of defence handing the Bombers room before a pair of late goals on the break gave the home side a seven-point lead at the first change.

Essendon would lift in the second along with the standard of the contest, as successive flowing moves resulted in goals and served to make the SCG "shoebox" look capable of housing Ian Thorpe-sized footwear.

McVeigh and Bolton were running the Swans' engine room, while Winderlich and Welsh were among a handful of Bombers to have an influence in a game tied at halftime.

Rain arrived at the break and would return during the third, though by this point the teams' high tempo had been well established.

There were more lead changes, Jetta and Alwyn Davey doing plenty of damaging things for the Bombers, while Goodes was rewarded for persistence by finally slotting his first of the afternoon.

David Zaharakis responded with a calm finish from range, however, to ensure the teams remained locked up at the last change.

They stayed that way without addition for the first 10 minutes of the final term, as play degenerated in the wet.

It took until the 17th minute for Bevan to mark close to goal and notch the crucial score for the Swans.

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