During the ebb and flow of each quarter in a game, trends emerge. A look into how Sydney’s clearance and turnover work paints an intriguing picture of how its season has unfolded so far.

With an 8-2 record approaching the halfway mark of 2015, the Swans are once again a legitimate premiership contender. Their defence has been the main reason for this, conceding the least points per game in the league at only 64.4.

Sides mainly score through one of two ways – clearances and opposition turnovers. For the latter, it would be assumed that as the game wears on, scoring would increase as fatigue sets in.

For Sydney this is more or less the case – it scores the most points from turnovers in the final term. However the real story is what it does defending its own mistakes.

As the numbers show, the Swans concede at a phenomenally low rate in the final term even while turning the ball over at a similar degree to the previous three.

This is a large part of why Sydney is an excellent last quarter team. Right from the start of the season, when it kicked the last eight goals in a remarkable comeback against Essendon, it was evident that John Longmire’s team would be an elite side once again in 2015.

Transitioning from turnovers to clearances, defence remains the focus. Often when teams get a significant run of momentum, a feature is how they win first use of the ball and stream away from a stoppage.

Another reason to add to the catalogue of why Sydney is the team that it is lies in how it can restrict a side from starting a run-on from doing this.

A look at the Swans’ points conceded via clearances reveals a remarkably consistent side.

Sydney has consistently been able to defend both turnovers and clearances at a high rate. Normally from game to game, if a side can execute just one of the two areas well, it’s enough to head home with a victory.

This was exactly what happened in last year’s preliminary final. While the 71-point margin may make it tough to believe, North actually outscored Sydney from clearances at ANZ Stadium.

However, its deficit from turnovers? 71 points.

All statistics courtesy of Champion Data