THE concentration of Geelong’s complete dominance of the AFL between 2007-2011 rubberstamps the Cats as the best team of the past decade.

For all the talk that Hawthorn has overtaken Geelong following Saturday’s grand final win over Sydney, the evidence still points to Geelong as having the superior dynasty.

RELIVE THE CATS’ GLORY YEARS IN OUR SPECIAL PREMIERSHIP FEATURE

Both Geelong and Hawthorn’s “eras” boast three premierships from four grand final appearances.

The telling part is Geelong took only five years to complete the feat, Hawthorn took seven.

media_camera A dejected Lance Franklin after the siren in the 2010 elimination final.

The Cats’ lowest finish during that record-breaking masterclass between 2007-2011 was a preliminary final exit to the eventual premier in 2010.

Hawthorn’s era has fluctuated far more aggressively, so much so they missed the finals in 2009 and crashed out in the 2010 elimination final.

The Cats have 12 triple-premiership players, Hawthorn has six. That points to a more concentrated era of elite dominance.

Geelong had two Brownlow medallists, Hawthorn none. Geelong had three AFL MVPs, Hawthorn none.

The only major award Hawthorn trumps Geelong in is the Coleman Medal.

media_camera Jimmy Bartel with the 2007 Brownlow Medal. media_camera Gary Ablett Jr won the 2009 Brownlow Medal.

Where does Sydney rank? If the Swans won the flag on Saturday, they too would have three flags over a so-called era if you stretch it back to 2005.

But where does an era start and finish?

If you want to keep rolling back through the years you could point to the fact Geelong made a preliminary final in 2004 and were five seconds away from a preliminary final in 2005.

What was Hawthorn doing during this time? Languishing in the depths of the AFL ladder (they finished 15th and 14th), which allowed them to collect and trade for the high draft picks that paved the way to elite talent that eventually delivered premierships.

For what it’s worth, since 2007 Geelong’s winning record is a touch under 80 per cent; Hawthorn’s is a tick under 70 per cent.

media_camera Hawthorn captain Luke Hodge holds the back-to-back premiership cups at Glenferrie Oval. PIC: Michael Klein

What Hawthorn has done in recent years is remarkable.

Alastair Clarkson’s three premierships were won with three different game plans — he is ahead of the curve and the rest of the competition follows.

Their recruiting and list management has been both shrewd, aggressive and targeted for many years — think Stuart Dew, Shaun Burgoyne, David Hale, Josh Gibson and Jack Gunston.

To win back-to-back premierships is a feat hard to achieve in the modern game, not even the mighty Cats team could do that.

They lost Lance Franklin at the end of last year, were without their coach for a month but seamlessly did not break stride on route to the premiership.

media_camera 2011 Grand Final. Geelong v Collingwood. MCG. Tom Lonergan, Andrew Mackie, Joel Selwood and Steve Johnson with the premiership cup.

To do so in an era of equalisation puts the Hawks in elite company.

Geelong, too, overcame adversity and upheaval.

Two-time premiership coach Mark Thompson, star player Gary Ablett and long-standing president Frank Costa all departed at the end of 2010, yet the Cats rebounded to win the premiership the next year.

There is no doubt both Geelong and Hawthorn stand clear as the two most dominant teams of recent years.

What happens over the coming years could very well elevate the Hawks above the Cats’ deeds of the past, but right now the team from Simonds Stadium still holds the upper hand in this battle.

Relive the Cats’ glory years in our special premiership feature here.