The Sydney Swans have won their way through to a semi final date with the Western Bulldogs after outlasting a gallant Carlton by just five points in a thrilling elimination final at ANZ Stadium.
The Swans controlled the first half and managed to withstand a Chris Judd-inspired comeback from the Blues in the third quarter to get up 14.15 (99) to 13.16 (94).
Chasing their first win from three starts at ANZ Stadium and first in Sydney since 1993, Carlton will be ruing a string of missed opportunities early in the final term.
It's the second successive year the Blues have bowed out in the opening week of the finals.
The Swans had everything going for them - winning form, home advantage, the reigning Rising Star in their ranks, 13 wins from their past 14 outings against the Blues and a retiring veteran and coach whose careers they were determined to extend as far as possible.
It was just enough.
First-year forward Trent Dennis-Lane top-scored for the Swans with four goals including two when it mattered most in the final term.
Kicking with the aid of a swirling northerly that seemed to funnel directly down the corridor Sydney exploded from the blocks with four goals in the first 11 minutes.
They were winning all the key match-ups - Jack v Judd, Goodes v Gibbs, Kirk v Simpson - and Rhyce Shaw was proving effective in a run-with role on Marc Murphy.
The veteran Kirk was the dominant figure on the field in the opening term with 12 possessions and Goodes was not far behind with nine disposals and a goal.
Leading by 24 points midway through the quarter the hosts were poised to bust the game open before the Blues hit back with three quick goals, the best of them an opportunist snap off one step from Jarrad Waite to an unguarded goalsquare from 40 out.
The Swans added two more majors to quarter time to Carlton's one for a 15-point lead at the first change.
The general stats supported the scoreline.
Sydney dominated the disposals for the term 107-69, the handball receives 48-16 and the inside 50s 19-12.
Early second-term goals to Dennis-Lane and Lewis Jetta were cancelled out by Carlton giant Robbie Warnock who hauled in two towering grabs for two majors in three minutes.
The Blues would have been reasonably happy to go in at half-time coming off a break-even quarter, but the Swans reclaimed ownership of the contest with a pair of late goals to Shaw and the unassuming Paul Bevan.
Four goals down at half-time, the Blues needed a spark and Judd provided it with a 10-minute burst that had to be seen to be believed.
He won the first clearance for the term, then the next, then the next, then the next, not with scrubby kicks but inspirational, long surging runs.
There to finish off his great work was Andrew Walker, then Marc Murphy, then Walker again.
By this stage, Judd's magnificent example had proved infectious and the Blues were totally in sync with their captain.
A long set goal from Jeff Garlett at the 20-minute mark levelled the scores and a bomb from a similar distance four minutes later by Waite put the Blues in front for the first time.
What a turnaround! Five-four to three behinds; 20 inside 50s to seven; Judd 10 disposals, five of them contested and seven clearances for the quarter.
The Blues kept the momentum going early in the final term, but their finishing failed them.
Simpson missed from 45 in the opening minute and moments later, Waite, running into an open goal, missed from 20.
Four minutes on, Lachie Henderson dropped a sitter in the goalsquare.
Sensing the Blues' vulnerability, the Swans surged and, 13 minutes in, Dennis-Lane scored their first goal in almost 50 minutes of play when he ran into an open goal to level the scores, 86-apiece.
The stalemate continued for another agonising eight minutes during which the ball rebounded from end to end before Ryan O'Keefe curled one through from 35 to put the Swans back in front.
Deep in time-on, Dennis-Lane scored what proved the sealer after a desperate lunging tackle that caught Blues defender Dennis Armfield in possession on the goal-line.
SYDNEY: 6.6, 11.8, 11.11, 14.15 (99)
CARLTON: 4.3, 7.8, 12.12, 13.16 (94)
GOALS: Sydney: Dennis-Lane 4, Bevan 3, Shaw 2, Jack, White, Goodes, Jetta, O'Keefe
Carlton: Walker 3, Waite 3, Warnock 2, Garlett 2, Henderson, Murphy
BEST: Sydney: Goodes, Kirk, Kennedy, Dennis-Lane, Jack, McVeigh
Carlton: Judd, Murphy, Russell, Gibbs, Ellard, Scotland
INJURIES: Sydney: Kirk (hamstring)
Carlton: Nil
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Nil
UMPIRES: McBurney, Jeffery, McInerney
CROWD: 41,596 at ANZ Stadium