THE NEW-LOOK ladder is a sign that the Victorian teams have at last matched the professionalism of their elite interstate rivals, says Hawthorn skipper Sam Mitchell.

All six non-Victorian sides lost in each of the last two rounds – something that had not occurred even once in the preceding seven years.

And Port Adelaide, Fremantle and West Coast currently occupy three of the bottom four spots on the ladder, which is led by Geelong, the Western Bulldogs and Hawthorn.

Mitchell said the turnaround had been achieved only after reversing years of under-funding by Victorian clubs, which languished behind their lavishly-financed rivals.

"I think the interstate clubs got the jump in the early '90s because they took professionalism to a whole new level," Mitchell said.

"It's probably taken the Victorian clubs 10 years to catch up.

"Three or four years ago the Hawks thought, if we're going to compete with opposition clubs we're going to need to change a few things.

"We actually moved out to Waverley and the Bulldogs have done something similar with their facility.

"I think we've finally been able to catch up with facilities and personnel and coaching staff.

"When I got to Hawthorn there were probably five or six footy department staff and now there's probably 15.

"When you're throwing that much resources into your footy club in the footy department in particular, you are put on a little bit more of an even playing field.

"Eventually you do find an equilibrium and we're found that now between Melbourne clubs and the interstate clubs."