Sydney are a game clear on top of the AFL ladder after a tumultuous weekend of upset results and drama.
The Swans broke clear of West Coast in the last term on Sunday for a hard-fought 28-point win in Perth.
Geelong then survived a big scare from the Western Bulldogs, with the 13-point win leaving them outside the top four only on percentage.
Sydney extended their winning streak to 11, one short of the club record that has stood since 1935.
They improved from third to top after Hawthorn and Port Adelaide suffered surprise losses.
West Coast trailed by only six points late in the third term before the Swans won 10.19 (79) to 7.9 (51).
Adam Goodes kicked three goals in his 341st game, breaking the record of Adelaide great Andrew McLeod for the most matches by an indigenous player.
"Today was a really good test for us over here in Perth," Goodes told Channel Seven.
"It was a real slug out here with the conditions ... it's good to win like that, it's fantastic."
The Cats' 10.9 (69) to 7.14 (56) win also opened up a two-game gap to sixth-placed Collingwood, who are in trouble after their one-goal loss to Gold Coast.
Collingwood have lost three of their last four games.
Just as Geelong (fifth) are on the same number of wins as second-placed Hawthorn, so only one win and percentage separate the Magpies from 10th placed Essendon.
Gold Coast's fighting win featured one of the biggest moments of the season, when their captain Gary Ablett suffered a dislocated shoulder in a tackle from opponent Brent Macaffer.
Brownlow Medal betting was suspended ahead of Monday, when scans are expected to reveal how long Ablett will be out of action.
Ablett has been the outright favourite to win his third Brownlow, but no player has won the award after missing four games that season.
At best, the Suns star will be sidelined for three to four games.
It will also be a big Monday for Hawthorn defender Brian Lake, who had one of his notorious brain snaps in Friday night's upset loss to North Melbourne.
The worst moment was when Lake wrestled opponent Drew Petrie to the ground and put a choke hold on him.
The match review panel will decide on Monday whether to refer the incident straight to the tribunal.
The Hawks have also made it clear over the weekend that they were unimpressed with Lake's behaviour.
In Sunday's other match, Carlton broke their five-game losing streak to extended St Kilda's horror run to 10 with an 85-point belting, 24.7 (151) to 10.6 (66).
Port Adelaide, like Collingwood, have lost three of their last four and have dropped from outright top to third in the process.
The Bombers' two-point upset of the Power at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night was their best win of the season.
Likewise, North Melbourne restored their credentials for one week at least with Friday night's 20-point win over the Hawks.
Adelaide's 68-point belting of Greater Western Sydney kept them in ninth spot, while Fremantle are stuck on fourth despite their 63-point belting of Melbourne and Richmond took care of Brisbane by 25 points.
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