'DEFEND to the death'.

It's the mantra that is fast becoming synonymous with this stunning Sydney season that now has the Swans just two wins away from a sixth premiership.

It's long been a theme of 12-year coach John Longmire, but it's sprung to prominence in the second half of this campaign with three jaw-dropping defensive acts that have summed up the desperation that permeates his team.

It's a standard set higher up the ground of course, firstly by a forward line hell-bent on harassing and then by the tackling beasts in Callum Mills, James Rowbottom and Luke Parker in the midfield.

But it's the perfectly synchronised backline of the McCartin brothers Paddy and Tom, Dane Rampe, Nick Blakey, Oliver Florent, Jake Lloyd and Robbie Fox that has elevated the premise of defensive desperation to the fore.

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Speaking to AFL.com.au, Swans backs coach Ben Mathews said the principle had been raised to a new level this year.

"Certainly as a club, we pride ourselves on our defensive aspects and our defensive actions. And I'd love to say we've always had that. But there's certainly been a few moments of real desperation over the course of the season," the 2005 premiership player said.

"The ones that stand out are right on the opposition goal line, but some of our forwards' defensive intent and midfielders' defensive intent has been unbelievable."

"We've had 80-odd tackles a couple of times recently and the pressure we're putting on the opposition as a team and defensively has been great," he added.

The Fox smother on Melbourne's Charlie Spargo in last Friday's qualifying final may be the moment fresh in the minds of Swans appreciators but there were indicators earlier in the season that this would become a common occurrence.

Round 19: Nick Blakey v Adelaide
A home game against the lowly Crows loomed as a fait accompli for Sydney but amid a form lift late in the season, Matthew Nicks' side stuck with the Swans for most of the contest at the SCG. So much so that late in the third quarter Ned McHenry looked a guarantee to peg the margin back to 15 points with a goal on the run from seven metres out. But from a two on one situation against him, Nick Blakey, who is better known for his attacking exploits out of defence, threw himself at McHenry and stripped the ball free to stop a certain goal. The act completely altered the momentum of the game and sparked the Swans, who went on to win by 33 points.

Mathews: "I'm pleased for him that he contributed in a moment like that. I'm pleased with the desire to not let his teammates down. That effort was incredible, but that's the moment where he can really show his teammates how much it means to him to play in the team and that's what he did."

Round 22: Dane Rampe v Collingwood
It was a monster clash that had a huge bearing on a top-four spot and while the Swans were in full control for most of the game, Collingwood has proven this season that it cannot be discounted from any situation – even 28 points down midway through the last quarter. That was the margin at the SCG when Brody Mihocek was strolling in on goal and set to kick a major that would have given the Magpies serious hope of hauling the Swans in. But defensive warrior Rampe came from the clouds with a stunning chase and bump to knock Mihocek off his line, save a goal and lock away the four points for the Swans.

Mathews: "I would say the leader of our backline, Dane Rampe, really epitomises that defend to the death and fight to the death mentality. He's almost the champion of it. That's probably why some of these other guys are producing those efforts, because Ramps does it week in, week out, quarter in, quarter out. In that moment he was able to save a goal, which is absolutely incredible, but it's certainly not anything new for his teammates. And he just takes unbelievable pride in never letting them down."

Qualifying final: Robbie Fox v Melbourne
He's come from nowhere to be a shining light in the second half of the Swans' season and he came from nowhere with a superb double act to stop a certain Melbourne goal that would have brought the margin back to just 13 points with more than 11 minutes to play at the MCG. The fantastic Robbie Fox first closed on Jake Melksham to affect his snap on goal and then maintained the desperation as the ball spilled free to Spargo to smother his effort on goal with his arms fully outstretched. The inspirational play sapped whatever life the Demons had left in them and ensured the Swans would lock away a home preliminary final.

Mathews: "It's his dogged determination to get the very best out of himself. And again, not letting his teammates down, that's the overriding thing. He has great pride in his position in the team and just doesn't want to let his fellow teammates down across the board. He was drafted as a mature player and he's been in and out of the team over different periods but he's taken his game to another level in the back half of the season."