The Cats have won the VFL competition and, through Jimmy Bartel, the Brownlow medal. All that now remains is the trifling matter of Geelong’s first premiership in 44 years.

Of course, the exclamation point on the Cat’s finest ever season looks set to be the retention of their coach — not a statement usually associated with grand finalists. Mark Thompson will remain with the Cats after Essendon offered Matthew Knights a three year contract. Well, the last ex-Tiger the Bombers appointed coach did a reasonable job so why abandon the formula?

Knights will face many challenges in the position but that is the stuff of manana. Today, we have a cracking grand final to look forward to, so let’s look forward to it.

The Power got there easily, thrashing a woebegone Kangaroos outfit that looked like a 1:00am Cinderella at the ball: they just didn’t belong. Much was made of the knees up celebrations of a couple of Port’s more experienced players, but perhaps these were nothing more than the relieved exaltations of men who know that, in many ways, preliminary finals are the hardest games to win.

This fact Geelong had already discovered on Friday night. The Cats went within a whisker of being eliminated from a competition most pundits believe is theirs to win. At the risk of repetition, it can be said that Collingwood were brave. But it’s a good team that can be below its best and still qualify for a grand final. And Geelong look a pretty fair mob to me.

None of this quite managed to drive Chris Judd from the sports news agenda. From the clubs he deemed worthy enough to woo him as suitors, Judd (and the Eagles) appear sweetest on the Magpies. There’s a surprise for you. Expect further shock revelations when Rebecca Twigley bobs (yes, that’s “bobs”) up on a Channel Nine lifestyle show near you. I wonder if Postcards has a presenter’s job going?

The club Judd is tipped to be heading to added even more names to the long list of 2007 retirees. Dean Laidley said after Glen Archer’s last game that a little piece of North Melbourne had died, and he was spot on. Retirements are like little deaths and just as inevitable. Take Judd himself. Two years ago his speed, agility and talent were breathtaking. Now, he can barely move and is a candidate for the next Advance Hair commercial. A lesson to ask not for whom the siren sounds. It sounds for thee.