ACCURACY in front of goal has been a major issue for the Sydney Swans in 2011 and it threatened to again cruel their efforts against St Kilda at ANZ Stadium on Sunday.

Their final score still made for horrendous reading, kicking a dismal 23 behinds from their 33 scoring shots, but it didn't prevent them taking a much needed 15-point win.

Swans coach John Longmire admitted after the match that the constant misses - including 10 consecutive behinds across the first and second quarters - were extremely frustrating.

It was the 14th time from 20 games this season they have failed to kick more goals than behinds.

However, Longmire couldn't reprimand his players because the effort levels he had demanded all week were on display.

Following a dismal effort in the 43-point loss to Richmond last week, the Swans responded on Sunday by winning the contested possessions 168-137, taking 22 contested marks to 12 and dominating the inside 50s 68-52.

"Obviously our scoreboard pressure wasn't there, but we thought the effort was and that's what we asked for during the week," Longmire said.

"So there wasn't any point in getting too frustrated about it, in terms of talking to the players, even though it would've been better if we'd kicked straight.

"But the important thing from my point of view was just our intensity.

"I had to stay true to what I said during the week and that was no matter what, we had to focus on our pressure, our defence, our work without the ball, our tackle and our chase - just basic defensive work of the game.

"That's what we brought and when we started to kick straighter obviously we were able to pull away."

Longmire also had plenty of praise for ruckman Shane Mumford, who is finding his best form at the business end of the season.

Opposed to St Kilda's Ben McEvoy, Mumford finished with 54 hit-outs to McEvoy's 25 and adding 16 disposals, six marks, six tackles and a goal.

"I thought he was enormous today," Longmire said of Mumford, who has been limited by injuries and a suspension in 2011.

"I thought he was good all game, but in the last quarter I just thought he was enormous and he seemed to be everywhere.

"His ability to lift under pressure and be a big presence when the game was at its hottest was outstanding."

Longmire also singled out his co-captain Jarrad McVeigh, who was one of his side's best players under enormous strain.

McVeigh's infant daughter Luella has been battling a serious illness, which kept the midfielder out of the round 20 clash with Essendon at Etihad Stadium.

Under trying circumstances, McVeigh has continued to train and was one of his side's best against the Saints, finishing with 27 possessions, five inside 50s and a goal.

"I just think it's all heart what Jarrad's been able to do for us," Longmire said.

"He's turning up at the footy club and still training hard and still committing himself as a captain of the footy club.

"We know there's some significant challenges he's got with his family and his ability to be able to do what he did today was incredible.

"He showed a lot of heart today."

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