Despite having dominated their opposition in large parts of the MIA Derby, Leeton Whitton fell to a 15-point defeat to Griffith on Saturday.
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The Crows pilled on the pressure in the opening stages and held the lead late, but a surge from the Swans saw them come away with a 13.17 (95) to 11.14 (80) win.
The home side had the ball pinned in the forward fifty but wasn't able to convert as they kicked six behinds before Taj Doyle was able to kick the first major in the dying stages of the first quarter.
The Swans found their feet in the second term as they held the Crows scoreless heading into the halftime break before the Crows clawed back to within 16 points heading into the final term.
The sides traded goals in the opening stages in the fourth quarter before the Crows got a roll on, with Tom Handsaker and Bryce O'Garey getting their side to within a kick before Doyle popped up for his fifth of the afternoon to give the Crows the lead for the first time since the first quarter.
Griffith's James Toscan kicked three straight goals to give the Swans the lead late in the final term, and they were able to hold on for a 15-point win.
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Crows coach Tom Groves was a little disappointed with the final result.
"We worked so hard to get it back, and we got back in front and worked so hard to get there," he said.
"I'm a bit disappointed in the result in the end, but I'm so proud of the boys, how they kept fighting and fighting to get into that position."
The Crows coach knows that had his side been able to be a little more accurate in the first term, it could have been a different result.
"I felt like we had control for most of the game it was just little lapses," he said.
"Especially towards the end of quarters, they'd slip a couple of goals and undo some of our hard work.
"If we could have kicked straighter in the first quarter, it could have been a different game."
There were a number of players making their first grade debut on Saturday, and he knows his side will be better for the run on Saturday.
The Crows will travel to Narrandera next weekend to take on the winless Eagles.
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