THE Sydney Swans knew just how important their match against Fremantle was on Sunday for their AFL finals hopes.

Sitting two points above Fremantle in sixth place, a win could have put the Swans well on their way towards September, while a loss would put them back in the pack struggling for top-eight survival.

So the Swans were a highly dejected group following their 11-point loss at the SCG, 15.8 (98) to 13.9 (87).

They did battle back from 39 points down in the final term to get within six points, but it was too little too late, according to co-captain Jarrad McVeigh.

"We probably weren't up to it. You can say what a comeback, but where were we when it really counted in the second and third quarters," he said.

"With our season on the line, where were we?

"That's what we've got to get back to and this week is an even bigger game against the Bulldogs, who are in really good form themselves."

That game against the Western Bulldogs is again at the SCG and, with the Swans now just four points in front of Melbourne and St Kilda, the game is taking on must-win proportions.

The Swans were competitive in the first and final terms against Freo, but fell away when the game was there to be won.

"If you can't play four quarters you're wasting your time and you may as well not even be here," McVeigh said.

"It's something we speak about every week, but it's just not getting through.

"We'll watch the review tomorrow and come back and train hard and prepare to face the Bulldogs.

"The boys are pretty flat but you can't walk around all week with your heads down, we've got a huge game this week and we'll bounce back."

McVeigh, Dan Hannebery and Josh Kennedy led the Swans with 24 disposals each, while Lewis Roberts-Thomson stood tall in the forward line, kicking an equal-career-high three goals.

Hannebery, Adam Goodes and Luke Parker all finished with two goals, but Fremantle's seven goals to two in the third term decided the contest.

"They were just a lot harder than us in that quarter and some ill-discipline cost us some crucial goals," McVeigh said.

"They kicked seven goals in that quarter and you can't allow that in this level of footy."

The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily of the club or the AFL.