MERELY winning every week is becoming a bit ho-hum for Geelong these days. So the Cats continue to drive themselves with their own internal challenges. Like simply getting a game in this powerhouse of a side. Or the contest to see who can provide the most score assists. All the while notching little pieces of history along the way.

There was another achieved in Friday night's 116-point demolition of Melbourne, the Cats becoming the first league team in 112 seasons to complete three consecutive winning streaks of 10 games or more. The only comparable feat is Hawthorn's effort in 1988-89 of four streaks of eight or more wins.

They're sneaking up on longer-term milestones as well, like the most wins over 50 games. The Cats are 37 from their past 39. And you'd get reasonably short odds on that having progressed to 43 from 45 come 5pm on grand final day. If it's not quite a case of handing over the premiership cup right now, the AFL's official engraver might as well drag out last year's template.

Yes, great teams are recognised ultimately by the numbers of flags they clock up. But even if something unforseen happens to the Cats between now and 27 September, they'll get my vote as one of the best couple of outfits football history has seen. Back-to-back premierships, and only a fool would quibble.

And Geelong will get them all right. Hawthorn's done little wrong, the Western Bulldogs are faltering, North Melbourne would be at least a worthy top four team, and Collingwood, as it did on Saturday night, can pull out a "special" now and again. But seriously, the Cats are simply on another plain.

You could argue Friday night's effort added little to the debate about Geelong's place in the pantheon of football greatness. I'd argue the opposite. Top against bottom. A miserable, cold and wet night with only the fundamentals to be adhered to to guarantee another routine victory. But the Cats aren't satisfied with just the basics anymore. Every game is an expression not only of strength, but incredible skill and teamwork. No wonder coach Mark Thompson enjoys watching his team with the same sort of delight as the most rabid fan.

Injured star Paul Chapman gave 3AW football an insight into the mentality at Geelong before Friday night's game. "We want to try to keep the momentum we've got going," he said. "If we drop off 5% and Melbourne come out and play 5% better again, that's 10% behind the ball." Admirable sentiment. But, to be honest, that would still give the Cats 20 or 30% to play with.

The much-chronicled round-nine thrashing at the hands of Collingwood has proved in hindsight perhaps the most valuable loss of recent times. Look at Geelong's winning margins since. Two of more than 100 points. And all but two of the 10 straight victories by 56 points or more. That's not just domination, but brutality.

The challengers continue to line up, and are promptly put back in their box. The Bulldogs by 61 points, without Gary Ablett or Cameron Ling. Hawthorn by 11, with no Ablett, Ling, nor defensive general Darren Milburn. David Wocjinski is struggling to return from injury. But will it really matter?

Wocjinski is a small defensive runner, but so much run do even the Cats' key defenders such as Matthew Scarlett provide that he could almost be redundant. Andrew Mackie did his usual job on Friday night as well as creeping forward for a couple of goals. And so on.

Even the very best teams have their depth tested by injury. Geelong's hasn't at any stage these past couple of seasons, no matter who's out. How many sides have lost an All-Australian key defender, as the Cats have with Matthew Egan, and not only been unaffected, but dominant to the point that the unlucky tall back is virtually a forgotten man.

Speaking of which, remember the crucial part Tom Hawkins was going to play in Geelong's 2008, particularly once Nathan Ablett decided to give AFL away for a while? The "Tomahawk" still can't get a look in, with another Tom, Lonergan, having grabbed on to the key forward post and playing great football.

Then there's Brent Prismall, the best player outside senior ranks not to get a regular game of AFL. The smart midfielder got another go on Friday, and marched straight into Geelong's best and votewinners.

The next fortnight for Geelong brings two more challenges of sorts in the two sides most likely to grab the final spot in the top four, Sydney next week, and North Melbourne the week after. They could test the Cats, as the Roos in particular did back in round 11.

"Could" being the operative word. Far more likely is that the Swans and Kangaroos, like everyone else, will emerge licking their wounds, with the hardly comforting knowledge that should they still make it to fourth, they'll face up to the Cats again on qualifying final weekend.

Geelong will win the 2008 flag. It might win one or two more after that as well. And God knows how many records this footballing colossus will have established by then.