THE GIANTS would have broken a unique V/AFL record this year. If it wasn't for the Blues.

Their remarkable hot streaks heading towards September, and then into this year's preliminary finals, are highlighted by the fact that both teams have snapped a 78-year record in the same season.

After starting 4-8, the Giants found themselves entrenched in the League's bottom-four after round 12. According to Champion Data, it's the latest any V/AFL team has been in the competition's bottom-four before then making a preliminary final.

Extraordinary, right? Well, it would be if Carlton didn't go a few better in the same year. After falling to 5-1-8 earlier this season, the Blues sat in the bottom-four after round 15. Their turnaround to reach this point is now the greatest comeback in a single year ever.

Before this season, you would have to go back to 1945 – when there were only 12 teams in the League – to find the next latest. That would be the Blues, who were ninth – and subsequently in the bottom-four – at round 11, before winning the flag.

The Giants broke that record by one round. The Blues have now broken it by four rounds.

Essendon's 1959 team was in the bottom-four at round 10, before advancing to this stage of the season, while North Melbourne's 1975 outfit and Melbourne's 1946 side were in the bottom-four at round nine before both progressing this far.

Hitting such form late in the season also bodes well for success. Of those previous four teams, Carlton's 1945 side and North Melbourne's 1975 team won the flag while Essendon's 1959 side and Melbourne's 1946 team lost in Grand Finals.

The incredible nature of both the Giants' and Carlton's comebacks this year are further underlined by more Champion Data statistics, which highlight the lowest a side has been on the ladder at round 10 or later before then making a preliminary final.

Previously, North Melbourne's 2015 team was 12th at round 10 and then made a preliminary final. Geelong's 1994 side was 11th at round 17, then made a Grand Final. North Melbourne's 1997 side was also 11th at round 15 and made a preliminary final, while Melbourne's 1994 team was 11th at round 17 and made a preliminary final.

But the Giants have done so having been 15th at round 12, while Carlton has made it to the preliminary final having sat 15th at round 15. Both are each three ladder positions lower than anyone else before them.

The Giants won seven straight games, and have claimed victory in 11 of their last 13 matches, to get this far. The Blues won nine consecutive matches, and have won 11 of their last 12, to do so.

Latest to be in the bottom four, then make prelim