IT’S 37 years since Carlton and Sydney last met in a final on the MCG. It happened in the 1986 qualifying final, and the Blues would emerge from that classic September encounter with a hard-fought 14-point victory – their first finals win since Grand Final day in 1982.

The former Sydney players and lifelong friends David Rhys-Jones and Bernie Evans turned out in Dark Navy for that particular contest, as did Bruce Doull and Mark Maclure who were just three games from retirement. Future Carlton footballers Greg Williams and Barry Mitchell also fronted for the Swans.

Prominent up front were Stephen Kernahan with five goals and Paul Meldrum and Ken Hunter with four each. But Hunter, the embodiment of all that was great about the game, recalled the match for all the wrong reasons.

“I remember it because I got reported by the goal umpire for hitting Rod Carter,” Hunter said this week.

“It was a hard game and I remember starting off okay [on Ian Roberts]. The Swans then made the switch with Carter and when that happened everyone knew he was going to be hanging on and getting in my face.

“He kept hanging on too and I lost my cool a little bit. I did hit him, but of course I didn’t (at Tribunal) and I think I was found not guilty – and thankfully we got the bikkies.”

Hunter, the universally revered three-time premiership player and club best and fairest, is as happy as the next Carlton supporter that the 2023 outfit has earned a September entry.

“From the bleak mid-season days to where we’ve got to has been remarkable,” he said. “I’m really happy for Michael Voss, the on-field leaders and the players who’ve come into the side and proved themselves up to standard. It’s been across the board, a really good team effort and you can see that they’re all playing for each other.”

Asked for his two bob’s worth on finals football and how the players should prepare, Hunter - Carlton’s 147-game player through nine season - offered the following:

“I was okay with finals football,” Hunter said. “I remember when I first came over, Wes Lofts (the then Carlton Chairman of Selectors) said: ‘We expect to play finals then we’ll see how good you are.’ In that era it was the right thing to say. There was no harm in aiming high.

“For today’s players I’d simply say it’s really important you get a good start. Get your head into the game as quick as you can. You’ve already proved yourselves as players, but now you and your teammates can take it to the next level.”