Carlton coach Brett Ratten conceded on Sunday night there was not much more his side could have done to end its eight year losing streak against Sydney at Telstra Dome.

While the two point loss to the Swans all but ended the Blues' finals chances in 2008, Ratten was proud of his players despite watching his team suffer its 11th successive loss to the Swans dating back to 2000.

"They are a great team Sydney in the way that they never say die and they just claw away," he said.

"No margin is nearly too far for them to conquer and to their credit they just keep coming and coming but I can't question our boys' commitment."

"Sometimes you go to battle and you fight and fight and it's an arm wrestle and you just don't get over the line and that is the disappointing part about it when you give that much of an effort and you just come up a fraction short."

Ratten said the Blues performed far better than most teams against the hard-nosed Swans yet still lost.

Not only did the Blues kick the highest score this season against the league's best defence (before this round) but they also beat the Swans in contested possessions and trailed by just one in clearances.

But Ratten said his team paid the price for not making more of its early dominance when it allowed the Swans to be within 16 points at half-time after two late second quarter goals from Jarrad McVeigh.

"We didn't hit the scoreboard enough early (when the Blues were on top) and they kicked a couple of goals with just two minutes to play (in the first half) and that was a little bit frustrating when you have worked pretty hard."

"But we didn't really have a hollow part through the game - both teams were at each other the whole time and today was just a real street fight between two teams."

The Blues also lost despite Bryce Gibbs keeping dual Brownlow Medalist Adam Goodes to just seven possessions but they also missed the impact of their own superstar midfielders in Chris Judd and Nick Stevens, who were kept to just 14 and 11 touches respectively by Brett Kirk and Luke Ablett.

"Those two boys were down on their usual output but we knew Sydney would play man for man and really suffocate but we had some outstanding performances individually and Gibbs was close to best man on the ground for his job on Goodes."

Another sour note for the Blues was a fresh shoulder injury to Andrew Walker, who had earlier starred in his first game back following shoulder surgery in the pre-season.

Luckily this latest injury is to his 'good' shoulder and the Blues are hoping it is not serious.