WESTERN Bulldogs defender Jason Johannisen has capped off a remarkable comeback, booting a goal in the dying seconds to give his side a thrilling four-point win over the Sydney Swans at the SCG on Saturday.

Johannisen, playing his first game since round four after suffering a severe hamstring injury, kicked a set shot from 45 metres out straight in front to give the visitors a memorable victory 13.5 (83) to 11.13 (79).

Full match coverage and stats

Matthew Boyd (32 disposals), Lachie Hunter (31), Marcus Bontempelli (29), Liam Picken (28) and Mitch Wallis (25) were fantastic for the Bulldogs, while forward Jake Stringer finished with three goals.

Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge it was a "brilliant victory" after the match.

"It's been a happy hunting ground the last two years, a couple of incredible wins and tonight is worth about 10 I think," he said.

"We gave the momentum back to them in the last quarter, they had the upper hand in the first half, but we managed to just grind our way back into it on a couple of occasions.

"They showed a lot of grit our boys."

GAMEBREAKER: Determined Dog hunts the hard ball

Gun forward Lance Franklin was outstanding with five goals for the Swans, while their star onballers Luke Parker, Josh Kennedy, Dan Hannebery were also very good in one of the best games of the season.

Swans coach John Longmire said after the match that his side paid the price for a quiet third quarter and not making the most of their chances in front of goal.

“We still had an opportunity to win it and probably should have won it, but to their credit they kept on going,” he said.

“(Jason) Johannisen has come back, round four I think he was injured, so it was an extraordinary effort from him to play nearly 100 minutes and kick the goal in the end.”

The Bulldogs kicked the opening goal of the game when defender Shane Biggs floated forward, but it the visitors failed to capitalise on their positive start, and goals to Franklin and co-captain Jarrad McVeigh gave the Swans a nine-point break at quarter-time. 

WATCH: Last two minutes between Swans and Bulldogs

Dogs’ stars Stringer and Bontempelli had just four touches between them in the first term but sparked their side early in the second, with Stringer booting two quick goals and Bontempelli one in the space of four minutes to put their side in front.

The Swans’ band of midfield stars lifted again with Parker, Hannebery and Kennedy all prolific, and twin goals to Franklin - the second of which gave him 50 for the season - again put the home side on top and they took a 10-point lead into the main break.

A sensational effort off the ground from Parker 90 seconds into the second half that came straight from the Euro 2016 finals had the crowd on their feet and handed the Swans their biggest advantage of the game, but from there it was the Bulldogs who produced some inspired footy.

TALKING POINTS: Sydney Swans v Western Bulldogs

Stringer’s third after a strong mark in the goalsquare was the first of five unanswered goals to the visitors, and Tom Liberatore’s second for the night, a brilliant snap in heavy traffic helped the Bulldogs to a handy 13-point advantage with a quarter to play.

A quick goal to ruckman Will Minson after a costly 50-metre penalty against Hannebery silenced the Sydney crowd early in the last term but the home side’s biggest names then took control of the game, with Parker and Franklin the stars of the show.

First-year defender Marcus Adams was no match for Franklin who kicked another two goals, the second of which gave the Swans the lead, but they couldn’t finish off the Dogs who rallied from nowhere to snatch the four points.

MEDICAL ROOM
Both teams came through the match without any injury concerns.

NEXT UP
The Bulldogs head back to Melbourne for a clash with Richmond at Etihad Stadium next Saturday night, while the Swans will have to bounce back for a massive Friday night game against Geelong at Skilled Stadium.

SYDNEY SWANS            2.5     6.7     8.9      11.13 (79)
WESTERN BULLDOGS   1.2     5.3     11.4    13.5  (83)

GOALS
Sydney Swans: Franklin 5, Parker 3, Sinclair, McVeigh, Hewett
Western Bulldogs: Stringer 3, Liberatore 2, Bontempelli, Roughead, Redpath, Minson, Jong, Jonannisen, Hunter, Biggs

BEST
Sydney Swans: Parker, Franklin, Kennedy, Hannebery, Jack, McVeigh 
Western Bulldogs: Hunter, Bontempelli, Roughead, Johannisen, Picken, Daniel 

INJURIES
Sydney Swans: Nil
Western Bulldogs: Nil

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Fisher, Stevic, Schmitt, Findlay

Official crowd: 33,386 at SCG