Swans explode to life to shatter Blues in season opener

Anna Harrington | March 5, 2026

Sydney coach Dean Cox has praised how the Swans handled an emotionally-charged match against Carlton to surge to a spiteful, but scintillating 63-point win in the AFL season-opener.

Facing former spearhead Charlie Curnow for the first time, Carlton dominated out of the blocks early against a listless Sydney on Thursday night.

But an extraordinary 12-goal, 75-point third quarter featuring a run of six unanswered majors delivered Dean Cox’s Sydney a 20.12 (132) to 10.9 (69) win in front of 40,372 fans at the SCG.

“The intensity Carlton played at, I don’t think you can take anything away from that. They got their hands dirty and we didn’t,” Cox said.

“And from the outset, the first two and probably the start of the third when they got going a little bit from some stoppage goals, the response after that was very pleasing.

“But it came from some of our good players standing up and taking it to some of their players.”

Sydney paid a king’s ransom to secure Curnow in last year’s trade period, and Will Hayward and Florent were both forced out of the club.

There was no love lost between Curnow and his ex-teammates, nor Hayward and Florent and theirs, with spot fires throughout – and a huge melee after Curnow’s first goal in his 150th game.

“We knew it was gonna boil at some stage and something was gonna happen,” Cox said.

“It was just credit to our guys we didn’t overreact or give away free kicks or do anything – it was the other way.”

Carlton Voss was adamant the Blues hadn’t talked about Curnow pre-game.

“There’s more at stake for us than that. Do you make it about one person or do you want to make it about our team and our club?” he said.

Voss was unfazed by the melees.

“We’ll defend ourselves and we’ll protect our own,” he said.

Florent appeared to snub a handshake from Sydney captain Callum Mills and the pair were photographed tensely exchanging words after the game.

Cox was taken aback when told and was adamant Florent and Mills were “good mates”, but said he would speak to his captain.

Florent could face scrutiny over a stray knee to the head of Isaac Heeney as he leapt over the Swan in the second term.

Heeney was assessed for concussion but returned and was dominant with two goals and 20 touches.

Curnow was well held by Jacob Weitering, before snagging three second-half goals.

An inspired third-quarter burst from Justin McInerney (three goals, 29 disposals) helped turn the tide.

Errol Gulden (27 touches) and Chad Warner (20) grew into the game and Joel Amartey (three goals) was among 12 individual Sydney goal kickers.

Tom McCartin kept Blues spearhead Harry McKay goalless.

Carlton midfielders Sam Walsh (32 disposals), debutant Jagga Smith (27 disposals) and Cooper Lord (26) impressed while ruckman Marc Pittonet snagged three goals and recruit Ben Ainsworth jagged two.

A nervy Sydney trailed by 11 at quarter-time, 10 at half-time, then 16 early in the third term.

Then Sydney put the foot down.

Heeney put Sydney in front before Curnow finally nabbed his first goal – and a melee broke out.

The goals flowed from there for Sydney who turned the third quarter into a 40-minute affair and led by 39 at three-quarter time.

The fourth quarter proved merely damage limitation for Carlton, who conceded another six goals.

The nature of the fadeout puts early pressure on Carlton and Voss.

“Our intensity just dropped significantly,” Voss said.

“They absolutely dialled up their pressure around the ball, probably across the whole ground.

“… Their best players got going and had a significant influence on the game in the second half.”

Carlton’s Adam Saad (hamstring tightness) was pulled in the fourth term and will be assessed. 

The Blues have a quick turnaround to play Richmond on Thursday and Sydney next face reigning premiers Brisbane at the SCG next Saturday night.