Lance Franklin has one hand on a fourth Coleman medal after booting 10 goals at the SCG, where Sydney warmed up for AFL finals with a crushing 81-point win over Carlton.
Franklin's most productive game in the red and white lifted his season tally to 69 goals, also ensuring the Swans made it 14 wins from their past 16 games.
The Buddy blitz included bombs, a couple of belters from deep in the pocket and even a back-heel in the goal square.
Franklin became the 10th player in VFL/AFL history to kick 850 goals, helping Sydney prevail 21.12 (138) to 8.9 (57).
Franklin outscored the opposition and ruthlessly dominated Liam Jones on Saturday.
The 30-year-old's bid for a fourth Coleman medal will be decided on Sunday, when Essendon young gun Joe Daniher (60 goals) and West Coast's Josh Kennedy (64 goals) have a chance to overhaul him.
"It was nice to hit them well tonight. It's always nice to kick a bag," Franklin told Fox Footy.
"We got off to a terrible start to the season ... we've got a lot of work to do."
Sydney had already made history before the opening bounce, becoming the first club in VFL/AFL history to start a season with six straight losses then qualify for finals.
They climbed into the top four after belting Carlton but won't hold onto a double chance in September unless both Port Adelaide and Richmond flounder this weekend.
Richmond need only defeat St Kilda to break back into the top four, while percentage will be all that separates Port and Sydney presuming the Power defeat Gold Coast.
"It has to be acknowledged that the players have done a fantastic job to fight back from the start we had," Swans coach John Longmire said.
Longmire praised Franklin for finishing "the game off".
"When he's got his tail up he's hard to stop," he said.
Ruckmen Kurt Tippett and Callum Sinclair threw a major scare into the Swans' camp on Saturday, when they limped off during the first half with ankle injuries.
Tippett and Sinclair both spent a long time in the rooms but returned to the fray late in the second quarter.
The Blues lifted in the absence of the big men, reducing the hosts' lead to five points late in the second term, but were blown away as Franklin put on a clinic.
"Buddy was in great form and kicking them from everywhere, unfortunately," Blues coach Brendon Bolton said.
BUDDY'S BIGGEST BAGS
*13.4 v North Melbourne, Round 10 of 2012
*10.2 v Carlton, Round 23 of 2017
* 9.5 v Essendon, Round 11 of 2008
* 9.4 v St Kilda, Round 21 of 2014
* 9.2 v Essendon, Round 6 of 2007.