SYDNEY'S last-quarter fade out against Melbourne on Sunday continued a worrying trend for the Swans, who are the worst fourth-quarter team of the eight clubs remaining in the premiership race.
The Swans managed just 0.2 to Melbourne's 4.3 in the final term at the SCG, the 17th time this season the Demons have won a last quarter, giving them the best record in the competition after three-quarter time.
Sydney, conversely, has been the fifth worst fourth-quarter team all season, winning just eight of 23 last terms to be ahead of only battlers West Coast, North Melbourne, Gold Coast and Hawthorn.
Having led by as much as 17 points in the third quarter on Sunday, the Swans managed just three behinds for the rest of the game while the Demons slammed home six goals.
It's the sixth time this season the Swans have failed to win after leading at three-quarter time and the seventh time they have conceded a deficit of 20 or more points in the final quarter.
"You have to be (concerned), no doubt. It's just a constant theme," Essendon legend Matthew Lloyd told AFL.com.au's Access All Areas.
"They were terrible against Adelaide last week in a controversial game where they should have lost. And to be blown out of the water (against Melbourne) when everything was at stake for them ... it says to me that they won't win this year's premiership."
Speaking last month, coach John Longmire lamented his side's inability to close out games this year.
"We've been right in the hunt ... against the best teams in the competition, (but) the fact is, the games don't go for three quarters, they go for four," Longmire said after his side gave up a lead at three-quarter time in its loss to Richmond.
"We've got to play a bit longer than what we've been playing, regardless of personnel."
Of the eight finals teams, Brisbane is the only other club to lose more final quarters than they've won in 2023.
The Demons (17 last-quarter wins) and Giants (16) have been the best teams late in games, while Collingwood and St Kilda (both 13) have also come home strongly.
At the other end of the game, the Lions have been the fastest starters this season, losing just six of 23 opening quarters for the year.
Carlton is the only finalist to lose more opening terms than they've won in 2023.
Q1 ladder
| TEAM | WON | DRAW | LOST | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brisbane | 16 | 1 | 6 | 128.87 |
| Geelong | 16 | 0 | 7 | 147.51 |
| Collingwood | 14 | 2 | 7 | 138.36 |
| Western Bulldogs | 14 | 0 | 9 | 122.33 |
| Adelaide | 13 | 0 | 10 | 136.38 |
| Melbourne | 13 | 0 | 10 | 115.01 |
| Sydney | 13 | 0 | 10 | 122.07 |
| St Kilda | 12 | 1 | 10 | 118.38 |
| Gold Coast | 12 | 0 | 11 | 99.12 |
| Hawthorn | 12 | 0 | 11 | 83.27 |
| Port Adelaide | 12 | 0 | 11 | 103.36 |
| Essendon | 11 | 0 | 12 | 78.56 |
| Carlton | 10 | 1 | 12 | 101.32 |
| GWS | 9 | 0 | 14 | 90.47 |
| Richmond | 9 | 0 | 14 | 86.44 |
| North Melbourne | 6 | 1 | 16 | 64.83 |
| Fremantle | 6 | 0 | 17 | 71.15 |
| West Coast | 6 | 0 | 17 | 54.32 |
Q4 ladder
| TEAM | WON | DRAW | LOST | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Melbourne | 17 | 1 | 5 | 157.98 |
| GWS | 16 | 1 | 6 | 136.52 |
| Adelaide | 15 | 0 | 8 | 125.21 |
| Collingwood | 13 | 1 | 9 | 141.67 |
| St Kilda | 13 | 1 | 9 | 111.41 |
| Geelong | 13 | 0 | 10 | 103.23 |
| Western Bulldogs | 13 | 0 | 10 | 109.89 |
| Fremantle | 12 | 2 | 9 | 103.49 |
| Port Adelaide | 12 | 0 | 11 | 98.46 |
| Carlton | 11 | 1 | 11 | 114.16 |
| Brisbane | 11 | 0 | 12 | 95.41 |
| Essendon | 11 | 0 | 12 | 84.93 |
| Richmond | 11 | 0 | 12 | 99.78 |
| Sydney | 8 | 3 | 12 | 79.50 |
| Hawthorn | 8 | 0 | 15 | 83.24 |
| Gold Coast | 7 | 0 | 16 | 90.38 |
| North Melbourne | 6 | 0 | 17 | 81.59 |
| West Coast | 6 | 0 | 18 | 47.63 |