Sydney has kept its finals prospects on track and delivered a crushing blow to Carlton's plans of September action, with an easy 39-point victory over the Blues at Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
The 16.11 (107) to 10.8 (68) win - the Swans' ninth for the season and first over a top-eight opponent for 2010 - has enabled them to leapfrog the Hawks back into sixth spot.
As well, it's opened up a four-point gap between themselves and the Blues whose hold on a place in the top eight is now under serious threat from Adelaide and North Melbourne.
Carlton's season is going down the gurgler fast.
Well-placed at 7-4 at the half-way mark of the season, the Blues have managed only one win since over the lowly Brisbane Lions.
With skipper Chris Judd kept under control by Kieren Jack, the Blues lacked intensity, leadership and the will to tough it out.
All of a sudden, their assignment against bottom side West Coast at Subiaco next Saturday night has an ominous look about it.
And there's every chance they'll be without Andrew Walker who will come under scrutiny for a high hip and shoulder on Sydney forward Ben McGlynn.
The Blues' victory over Sydney when these teams last met in this corresponding round last season was clearly an aberration.
This was a return to the form of the previous 12 encounters, all won by the Swans.
Sydney's triple-figure score was its first since the club's Round 6 win over the Lions.
Adam Goodes backed-up his return to form against North Melbourne last week with another best-afield performance, just ahead of Shane Mumford who was by far the most effective big man on the field.
Pinch-hitting up forward, Rhyce Shaw was the Swans' leading goalscorer with three while Shaun Hampson was the Blues' only multiple goalkicker.
There were worrying signs for the Blues when they failed to find the target with their first five inside-50s.
That wastefulness was inexcusable considering the club made improved service to its forwards a special focus during the week.
Carlton's only goal for the opening term was gifted to Judd when Kieren Jack kicked into the man on the mark.
Otherwise, the Blues never threatened.
The Swans, in contrast, scored nine times including six goals from 14 forward entries for the term, which was a fair reflection of their total dominance in general play.
The visitors racked up 117 disposals for the quarter to Carlton's 72 and won the contested ball decisively 41 times to 17.
Jarrad McVeigh landed two of the Swans' half-dozen including a long bomb from a dish-off by Ryan O'Keefe which made the difference 32-points at quarter-time.
Of the seven matches this season in which the Blues have trailed at the first change, only once - against the Lions in Round 14 - have they recovered that lost ground to win.
This never looked like being comeback No.2.
Sydney effectively made the result safe with a four-goal-to-two second-term which extended their lead to 47 points at half-time.
The Blues won the third-term by five points but never genuinely threatened and were resigned long before this stage to playing for pride.
There was more of the same in the final term as the Swans cruised to the line under a tight hold.
CARLTON: 1.0, 3.1, 8.3, 10.8 (68)
SYDNEY: 6.3, 10.6, 14.9, 16.11 (107)
GOALS: Carlton: Hampson 2, Judd, Scotland, Simpson, Betts, Yarran, Waite, Garlett, Murphy
Sydney: Shaw 3, McVeigh 2, Bolton 2, Moore 2, McGlynn 2, White 2, Meredith 2, Goodes
BEST: Carlton: Murphy, Gibbs, Russell, Scotland
Sydney: Goodes, Mumford, Jack, Hannebery, Grundy, O'Keefe, Bevan
INJURIES: Carlton: Lucas (hamstring)
Sydney: Smith (hamstring)
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Lewis Roberts-Thomson (hamstring) replaced in Sydney's selected line-up by Jesse White
UMPIRES: Donlon, Findlay. S.Ryan
CROWD: 31,915 at Etihad Stadium