That winning feeling: History on Geelong's side, but there's a cat-ch

ONLY the nightmares of 2008 can haunt Geelong as it bids for a slice of history in its premiership tilt this year.

The Cats enter the 2022 Toyota AFL Finals Series as favourites after finishing the home and away season with an 18-4 win-loss record and two games clear at the top.

Chris Scott's side, eyeing a first flag since 2011, was 5-4 before winning 13 consecutive games, a streak it carries into September.

The Cats are just the sixth team in VFL/AFL history to carry a winning run of at least 13 games into the finals – and it is the second time in the club's history.

Geelong would prefer to forget the previous occasion, in 2008, a home and away season it finished at 21-1 before winning two finals, only to be upset by Hawthorn in the Grand Final.

That is the only occasion a team has entered the finals with a winning streak of at least 13 games and not gone on to be crowned premier.

The Collingwood team of 1929 had won 20 straight games heading into finals, including a perfect 18-0 in that year, and claimed the premiership after its streak was broken in the semi-finals.

If the Cats can avoid a defeat and secure the 10th premiership in the club's history, they will equal another record.

Only two teams have won 16 straight games culminating in the ultimate success in a Grand Final – Carlton in 1995 and Brisbane in 2001.

Geelong, which faces Collingwood in a qualifying final, is three straight wins away from making it 16 to end the season, which would see it join the Blues and Lions with that record.

A record awaits the Cats with plenty on the line after a formidable season. History is on their side, if they can forget the nightmare of 2008.