The rush to fall in love over the pre-season with the Western Bulldogs, Collingwood, St Kilda and Adelaide (looks pretty silly now doesn't it?) must have come as a surprise to Geelong, the team that actually did walk away with the silverware at the end of last year.

But the Cats are best team in the competition for one key reason - they bat deepest through the midfield - and it was this midfield depth that helped them run down and finally overcome Hawthorn by nine points in a fabulous Easter Monday clash at the MCG.

Mark Thompson was able to rotate top-shelf players through the midfield, particularly when it mattered late. Gary Ablett, Joel Selwood, Jimmy Bartel, Cameron Ling, Joel Corey..the usual suspects, while the Hawks were left with Luke Hodge, Sam Mitchell and not much else once Jordan Lewis was benched with an ankle injury in the final term.

There was a sense of inevitability about the result once the Cats found their kicking boots. They took 19 contested marks, with all their talls - Brad Ottens, Cameron Mooney, Steve Johnson and Tom Hawkins - getting in on the act. After half-time, once Mitchell's influence waned, the Cats kept pumping the ball long and getting the desired results.

It must be a joy to follow the Cats, to know that whatever the stage or the shape of the match, that their side can never be counted out. Four goals down at half-time to a red-hot Hawthorn, just like four goals behind Essendon at a similar stage last week, the Cats can be counted upon to come home with a wet sail.

Unbeaten Fremantle versus unbeaten Geelong at Subiaco next Sunday. Who'd have thought that would be one of the matches of the round?

As for the Hawks, there was lots of wailing on the airwaves and in cyberspace from the brown-and-gold masses that the umpires may have played their part in getting the Cats over the line. The Cats did get a reasonable run from the men in red in the third term and Lance Franklin must look at some of the good fortune Nick Riewoldt receives from the umpires and shake his head in disbelief.

But the Hawks didn't help their cause with some poor disposal in the backline and a forward line that with the exception of a much straighter Jarryd Roughead, never really clicked into gear.

But Alastair Clarkson's men will be better this year and probably significantly so. They face a really tough fortnight ahead with the Western Bulldogs and then Collingwood, but when you add Brad Sewell, Shaun Burgoyne and Clinton Young to the side, their midfield will bat nearly as deep as that of Geelong. And a second ruckman of any description would also help considerably.

Hawthorn should be aiming for a top-four finish come the start of the finals. But the Hawks, like every other side, has much work to do to make up ground on the best team in the AFL - Geelong.