GEELONG swept to the 2007 AFL premiership with a side many judged to be one of the finest in years. A clever and hardened midfield, a swag of goalkickers, and a relentless, direct style of football – it seems the Cats had it all.

What was remarkable – at least to those of us who never tipped such a rise – was the way Mark Thompson’s team seemed to coalesce into a side perfectly primed for the flag.

It seemed the classic embodiment of the idea that clubs develop their lists over a number of years for a tilt at one, two or – in truly exceptional circumstances – three flags, before beginning to rebuild.

Whatever happens this year, the Cats are unlikely to have things their own way, as other clubs develop their lists, a few approach their peak, and many attempt to copy Geelong’s winning style.

So, as we approach round one, how far is your club from a realistic tilt at the premiership?

In the next two weeks we’ll examine each club's premiership readiness, taking Geelong’s 2007 list as the benchmark.

The four key factors we’ll consider in assessing each team’s list are:

Age: What mix does your club have of young and older players? Last year, the average Geelong premiership player was 25. This has been the norm in flag-winning sides for much of this decade, although Port Adelaide's premiership side in 2004 was slightly older; around 27.

Matches played: Do your club’s players, whether young or old, boast the right amount of experience? The total games played by premiership sides has varied since 2000, and has in fact dropped in recent years, perhaps because of players tending to retire earlier. Geelong's triumphant 22 in 2007 averaged 117.18 games per head.

Height: Does your club have the ‘right’-sized players for the right positions? The average height of premiership teams has increased from 186cm at the start of the decade to 188cm last year.

Playing positions: How well does your club line up across the park? Today's versatile players might be able to play in several positions, but clubs still must have enough depth in four key areas: defence, midfield, the forward line and in the ruck.

It’s true that other, less tangible factors play their part in a side’s success or failure, such as injuries, suspensions, team stability, perhaps team spirit, and certainly the small matter of skill.

But, as tipsters across the land will be aware, few of these can be reasonably assessed at the beginning of a year. What can be assessed, we’ll take a look at – beginning with Adelaide this afternoon, with the Brisbane Lions and Carlton to follow on Friday.

Click here to view Adelaide's form.

The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.