TWO MINUTES into the last quarter, Essendon had scraped together just two goals and trailed the Sydney Swans by virtually eight goals. But in an astounding turn of events, the Bombers then piled on nine goals to the Swans' two, and almost completed the greatest comeback from three-quarter time in VFL/AFL history.

Almost.

After facing a 47-point deficit at the last change, the Bombers were within four points at the final siren. It is hard to imagine a more unpredictable and unlikely resurgence than Essendon's.

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And then, against an overwhelming tide, the Swans somehow managed to hold on for what might eventually be pinpointed as a season-defining victory.

The revival started with Alwyn Davey. Unfortunately, it will be remembered for ending with Courtenay Dempsey.

Davey's two quick goals at the beginning of the last quarter - his second and third majors - gave the Bombers faint hope. Then, mostly through the brilliant work of captain Jobe Watson - who produced an inspirational final term, in which he had 11 possessions (including eight contested), four centre clearances and two goals - they slammed home another seven for the quarter.

But with seconds to go, Dempsey marked on the 50-metre arc on the half-forward flank. With the crowd at fever-pitch, he turned off the line, played on, swung onto his right foot, and the siren rang. Dempsey let the ball go and fell in despair while Swans players stacked in their back half embraced like they had just won a final.

In the end it was a game of inches, and seconds. A few more of the latter and Dempsey might well have snuck up to the 50m line and drilled home the match-winner.

"That happens. He doesn't know the time," Essendon coach James Hird said on Dempsey's decision to play on.

But they did roughly.

"We knew at the last stoppage that we had about 40 seconds to go, so we knew time was running down," Bombers ruckman Paddy Ryder said.

Sydney Swans defender Heath Grundy revealed the under-siege Swans backline simply stuck to the basics.

"It was pretty hectic. (There was) a bit going on," he said.

"They had some really good momentum going and it's always hard to stop with the crowd as well. We just tried to stick tight, the back six, and control what we could control and that was trying to beat our opponents, make ground, and get it forward as quick as we could. The boys stayed pretty positive.

"I was just stoked the siren went in time, to be honest."

Swans coach John Longmire, when asked whether the last quarter was hard to watch, said: "That'd be a bit of an understatement."

Asked when he started to get nervous, he said: "I'm always nervous in the last quarter … Essendon can get on a roll, and obviously we don't want that roll happening again."

Longmire also felt a sense of deja vu, describing the emotions at the end of the match as being similar to those he experienced during the previous clash between the two teams at the same venue in round 20 last year - Goodes' missed an after-the-siren shot and the Swans lost by one point.

"Yeah, absolutely I was aware," he said when asked whether he was aware of the situation when Dempsey marked and played on. "I was all over it.

"I saw the countdown clock and there were two seconds (left) when he marked it.

"Those things happen in footy. We were on the other end of the stick here last year against the Bombers when 'Goodesy' played a ripping game and missed it.

"The last four games against the Bombers have been decided by a kick, so they've been ripping contests."

And long may they be.

COMEBACK KINGS - BIGGEST THREE-QUARTER TIME DEFICITS FACED BY WINNING TEAMS
45 - Brisbane Bears d Hawthorn, Gabba, Rd 16, 1995
44 - North Melbourne d Essendon, Arden Street, Rd 6, 1947
41 - North Melbourne d Footscray, Arden Street, Rd 7, 1936
41 - Essendon d Melbourne, MCG, Rd 6, 1992
40 - Western Bulldogs d Adelaide, MCG, Rd 16, 1999
40 - North Melbourne d Sydney Swans, Rd 19, 2004