"It's super-important," Goodes said of the win. "A lot of teams are at our heels at the moment so it keeps that little buffer with a few of the teams below.
"Tonight when we review the game and analyse it and have a really good crack against Geelong next week, we'll look back on this game as being a month out from the finals as the one that turned it for us."
The win leaves the Swans on 46 points, with North Melbourne (42 points) and Adelaide (40 points) still to play this round.
St Kilda's loss to Collingwood leaves those sides level on 40 points.
Goodes kicked 8.1 against Freo, belying the groin complaint that kept him out of last week's loss to the Bulldogs.
"I think mentally [the injury] was really getting on top of me and I really wasn't dealing with it at all very well," he said.
"I think having the week off definitely helped mentally and physically. But I feel really confident going into the next three weeks."
Those next three weeks begin with an appointment at ANZ Stadium next Saturday night against the Cats. Goodes said the Swans are a side that rises to the big occasion.
"I think guys will be steeling themselves for it and it could really set our season alight for the younger and older players," he said.
As for playing in the forward line again, Goodes was non-committal.
"It's a week to week thing. If I can play there until Michael (O'Loughlin) comes back then if they want me to push up the ground then that'll be the way to go."
Goodes said he sought advice from the injured O'Loughlin.
"He said just to focus on the things you can do, not on the things you can't. And be positive about that. During the week I really worked on my marking."
Coach Paul Roos approached Goodes about the forward role mid-week, and asked him to kick five goals.
"I was pretty happy with myself at half time when I was four goals in, so I only needed one in the second half," Goodes said.
"I thought I played my role and got lucky … they were playing a zone defence out of their kick-ins so I think we really exploited that well."
