THE TWO best clubs of the modern era will meet in Saturday's Grand Final.
While certain teams – Brisbane's three-peat side of 2001-03, Hawthorn's of 2013-15 and Richmond's program that won three flags in four years – might boast more success within a smaller period, no sides have consistently challenged more than Geelong and Sydney.
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This season, the Cats will play in their sixth Grand Final in 16 years. The Swans will be taking part in their sixth Grand Final in 18 years. No other teams have managed as many Grand Final appearances since the turn of the century.
Both clubs were already celebrating the 18th season in which they had qualified for the finals since 2000, four more than any other sides – Collingwood and West Coast have each qualified for 14 finals – have managed in that time.
Geelong, should it claim the premiership on Saturday, will move to four flags since 2000 and would equal Hawthorn for the most in that period. Meanwhile, a premiership would be Sydney's third in that time.
It's testament to the Cats and the Swans' ability to consistently rejuvenate teams without ever bottoming out, and their ability to consistently produce sides capable of challenging for the ultimate glory.
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Geelong has been steadily building premiership-calibre teams since 2007, and this year qualified for its 13th top-four finish in 16 seasons to highlight its remarkable success over a sustained period.
Sydney made Grand Finals in 2005 and 2006, phased out one batch of stars for another to qualify for more Grand Finals in 2012, 2014 and 2016, and has now transitioned once more to make it back to another Grand Final in 2022.
Stability has been at the forefront of their success. John Longmire took the reins of Sydney in September 2010, with Chris Scott appointed Geelong coach just one month later in October 2010.
It makes the pair the second and third-longest serving current AFL coaches respectively, behind only Richmond's Damien Hardwick. He was appointed Tigers coach in August 2009, more than a full year prior to both Longmire and Scott.
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The Swans have had just three full-time coaches since the turn of the century in Rodney Eade (1996-2002), Paul Roos (2002-2010) and now Longmire (2010-current). The Cats have had only two in Mark Thompson (2000-2010) and Scott (2010-current).
For Geelong, a premiership victory on Saturday would come 11 years after its last. Joel Selwood, Tom Hawkins and Mitch Duncan are the only surviving members of the side that beat Collingwood more than a decade ago.
For Sydney, a flag would come 10 years after it beat Hawthorn to secure Grand Final glory in 2012. Sam Reid played, but is under an injury cloud this weekend, Luke Parker was the medical substitute, while injured veteran Josh Kennedy also featured.
So, while Saturday's Grand Final will undoubtedly decide which team will be the best from the 2022 season, it might also define which club has been the most successful of the modern era.
MOST FINALS SERIES APPEARANCES SINCE 2000
18 – Geelong, Sydney
14 – Collingwood, West Coast
12 – Adelaide, Hawthorn
11 – Essendon, Port Adelaide, Western Bulldogs
10 – Brisbane
9 – North Melbourne, Richmond
8 – Fremantle, Melbourne, St Kilda
6 – Carlton
5 – GWS Giants
0 – Gold Coast
MOST GRAND FINALS SINCE 2000
6 – Geelong, Sydney
5 – Collingwood, Hawthorn
4 – Brisbane, West Coast
3 – Richmond
2 – Essendon, Melbourne, Port Adelaide, St Kilda, Western Bulldogs
1 – Adelaide, Fremantle, GWS Giants
0 – Carlton, Gold Coast, North Melbourne
MOST PREMIERSHIPS SINCE 2000
4 – Hawthorn
3 – Brisbane, Geelong, Richmond
2 – Sydney, West Coast
1 – Collingwood, Essendon, Melbourne, Port Adelaide, Western Bulldogs
0 – Adelaide, Carlton, Fremantle, Gold Coast, GWS Giants, North Melbourne, St Kilda
