In the latest of his Classic Matches series, Jim Main looks back at a shock defeat of Carlton.

Sydney Swans v Carlton
Round 8, May 19, 1995
SCG

The media gave the Sydney Swans no hope of defeating high-flying Carlton in that memorable match at the SCG in 1995.

The Swans had won just two of their first seven matches – against Fitzroy and Adelaide – while the Blues were undefeated and tipped to win the premiership.

However, the Swans had a trump card to play, with players fired up to help the popular Ron Barassi celebrate his 500th VFL/AFL game as a coach.

The Swans went into the game with two first-year players in Michael O’Loughlin and Anthony Rocca.

It was O’Loughlin’s fourth senior game (after making his debut from the interchange bench against Adelaide in round five) while Rocca was making his debut. O’Loughlin was 18 years of age, while Rocca was three months shy of his 18th birthday.

The Swans also fielded two other teenagers in 19-year-olds Wade Chapman and Adam Heuskes.

The first quarter was a free-flowing battle of defences, with O’Loughlin and former St Kilda full-forward Tony Lockett able to slip their leashes.

Although the Swans led by 10 points at the first change, even diehard Sydney fans believed this was an aberration and the Blues eventually would take control.

However, the Swans then produced their best football for years in kicking nine goals straight to Carlton 1.1 in the second quarter.

The Swan blitz was remarkable and the vastly more experienced Blues could do nothing to stop the onslaught, even though Carlton controlled the ruck duels.

Carlton had no answer to the Swans’ quick ball movement and was unable to restrict the flow of chances to the Swan forwards in the third quarter.

Paul Roos was brilliant at centre half-back, while Dale Lewis appeared to win the ball almost at will in midfield and up forward.

Jason Mooney provided a wonderful foil for Lockett and Paul Kelly, as usual, provided the grunt at the fall of the ball.

The Swans, after leading by 57 points at half-time, extended that lead to 77 points by the final change.

Although Carlton had the better of the Swans in the final quarter, the home side cruised to a remarkable 72-point victory.

Lockett finished with eight goals, while O’Loughlin’s four goals and dazzling play earned him that round’s Rising Star nomination.

Unfortunately, the Swans could not hold the brilliant form they produced against Carlton and went down to Richmond by 26 points at the SCG the following week.

Carlton crashed to St Kilda by 56 points at Waverley Park to prompt Blues’ coach David Parkin to suggest tongue-in-cheek that his side was the worst in the competition.  

Remarkably, Carlton did not taste defeat again that season and went on to thrash Geelong by 61 points in the Grand Final.

The Swans won eight games in 1995 to finish twelfth, a vast improvement on the four wins and the wooden spoon of the previous season.

Sydney Swans     4.1     13.1     18.3     21.6 (132)
Carlton                2.3      3.4      4.10       8.12 (60)

Goals: Lockett 8, O’Loughlin 4, Mooney 3, Chapman, Gray, Kelly, Kickett, Lewis, Roos