NO OTHER team has played keepings off better than the Geelong outfit of 2021 over the past decade. 

As the Cats prepare for Friday night's clash with Greater Western Sydney, they rank first in the competition for disposals and have conceded the fewest turnovers. 

Should that record continue until season's end, Champion Data numbers show it will be just the second time it's been achieved since 1999 – Hawthorn's preliminary final side of 2011. 

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The Cats' methodical approach was on full display last weekend in the win against North Melbourne, collecting 53 more disposals but registering 11 fewer turnovers than the Roos. 

Chris Scott's side went at an astonishing 7.29 disposals per turnover in Hobart to increase their overall season ratio to 6.16. 

Since 2010, only nine sides have produced a better outcome over the space of a season. Three were premiers, three were runners-up and two others made a preliminary final. 

The Cats have increased from the fifth-ranked side in this department in 2019 to second in 2020 and now sit first in the competition. 

But interestingly, it has been built off quicker ball movement. Last year's Cats outfit that fell in the Toyota AFL Grand Final was ranked 16th in the competition for play on from marks percentage. Their 23.5 per cent came after back-to-back years of being 18th in the AFL with 20.6 and 26.7 per respectively per season. 

However, this year they have jumped to No.7 in the League, playing on from 30.5 per cent of marks. 

More specifically, their kicking efficiency has gone through the roof in 2021. Going at 69.4 per cent by foot, it is the second-best ranking since the Hawthorn side of 2017 in the past eight years.  

The precision style the Cats are displaying this season hasn't always proven to be the best approach to win a flag. Richmond's run-and-gun attack has earned rich rewards over recent seasons with the Tigers committing the third-most turnovers in 2017 and still tasting victory. 

In 2018 West Coast touched the ball less than 15 other sides en route to the flag but coughed up the second-fewest turnovers.  

Geelong's numbers are instead more comparable to the Western Bulldogs flag of 2016 and the Hawthorn win in 2015. 

It has the Cats holding premiership favouritism after 20 rounds but as the record suggests, a flag is far from guaranteed just because they can keep the ball off the opposition better than anyone else.