Having nailed what everyone at Geelong called "the last piece of the puzzle", the Cats are now among AFL royalty.

Saturday's 119-point demolition of Port Adelaide in the grand final not only ended a 44-year premiership drought but the club, derided known as the "Handbaggers" for past September sins, produced one of the all-time great teams.

Geelong did not so much have a season as an accumulation - Jimmy Bartel's Brownlow Medal, Steve Johnson's Norm Smith Medal, Joel Selwood's Rising Star, a record nine All-Australian selections, the AFL minor premiership and the VFL premiership before the main prize.

The Cats also won 15 games in a row until the Power upset them in round 21.

To borrow two popular cliches about Geelong this season, they just kept ticking each box as they kept a lid on it.

Everyone - Port included - knew if the Cats turned up on Saturday with their heads in the right place, they must win.

By definition, you can only compare teams to a point, especially when they are from different eras.

But Geelong have definitely enjoyed the sort of season that elevates a premiership from great to immortal.

This is the first "super team" since Essendon lost just one game on the way to the 2000 premiership.

Of the intervening six premiers, four were not top at the end of the regular season.

Brisbane never finished first on the way to their three-straight flags between 2001-03.

Port were top in 2004, but only by one game and their triumphant finals campaign was more about shedding their September "chokers" reputation.

The Eagles finished top and then beat Sydney last year in their second-straight grand final clash.

In this age of equalisation, only three games separated the top four last season.

This year, Geelong made a mockery of anything "equal" when they finished the regular season three games clear of the second-placed Power.

Other notable single-season dominations include Carlton's 1995, when they belted the Cats in the grand final after losing only two games for the year.

As Hawthorn racked up five premierships between 1983-91, their most imposing season was 1988.

The Hawks were 2.5 games clear on top and then took Melbourne apart by 96 points in the grand final - until Saturday, the record margin for the premiership decider.

The Hawks and Essendon had a white-hot rivalry through the 1980s and played in three-straight grand finals.

After Hawthorn slaughtered the Bombers in 1983 by 83 points, Essendon broke their premiership drought in 1984 and then crunched the Hawks by 78 points in `85.

The Bombers won the minor premiership by three games that year and were hailed as one of the best teams in the game's history.

Geelong's mission now is to turn a near-perfect season into a Lions-like dynasty.

Before Brisbane this decade and the ruthless Hawks machine of the `80s, Melbourne won five out of six premierships between 1955-60, including three in a row from 55-57.

The Cats won the 1951-52 flags and had 23-straight wins over the 52-53 seasons, an AFL record, but lost the `53 grand final to Collingwood after winning the minor premiership.

Collingwood remain the only club to have won four-straight flags, with their awesome combination of the 1920s.

Featuring legendary coach Jock McHale and Syd and Gordon Coventry - one end at Telstra Dome is named after Gordon - the Magpies were premiers from 1927-30.

© 2009 AAP
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