It is a sign of the times that this win was forecast by whoever is responsible for the club's Twitter feed.

An hour or so before the game, a picture from the Carlton rooms emerged on Twitter with words to the effect of, "It's silent in here, the boys really want this one".

The Blues lost a heartbreaker to the Swans in an elimination final last year, despite the best endeavours of skipper Chris Judd who nearly lifted them over the line.

Seven months later Judd was again outstanding and this time a few moer of his mates came long for the rise. The result was a 16-point win for the Blues, their first in Sydney for 18 years and for now, they sit in outright third on the ladder.

It was a win that borrowed much from Sydney's recipe book from recent years. The wet conditions made it a game of contested footy and the Blues were much harder at it.

And they had a bit more silk close to goal with four goals from Eddie Betts, who after a tinker against Essendon a fortnight ago, was lucky to still be in the side.

The Swans kicked five goals to three in the first term and had the better of the second term, when no goals were scored by either side. Had they kicked a bit straighter they may have put enough distance between them the Blues to get the result.

But then Judd went to work after half-time. 15 clearances was the highlight of his body of work and it may well have been his finest half since joining the Blues. It was certainly among his best games and three more Brownlow votes appear certain to go his way.

With Betts busy close to goal and Michael Jamison marshalling the backline, the Blues had the better structure all around the ground and were clearly the better side and deserving winners.

You could tell it was a great win by the Blues just by watching Judd. He appeared more excited after this win than he did in 2006 when he captained West Coast to a premiership.

The result was just large enough so that the bungled interchange by the Swans in the third term, which gifted Setanta o'hAilpin a 50-metre penalty and goal from a centre bounce, did not come to play. The Swans interchange bench protested furiously and the AFL match official was on the phone, but with the final margin more than a goal, not much more will come of it.

The Swans will be disappointed. Playing at home and in conditions that suited, they didn't show much after half-time. They're 0-2 at the SCG in 2010 and after a trip to Canberra next weekend to face the Western Bulldogs, they return to Sydney for further home engagements with Port Adelaide and Hawthorn. They need to start winning at home before the fixture starts taking them to the rest of the country with a bit more regularity.

As for the Blues, they now have to be taken into consideration for a top four berth. If they can get over St Kilda at Etihad in 10 days - in the only Monday night clash for the year - that strut and swagger - which so many detest about the Blues - will be back.