That's it!

No more looking for weaknesses, no more searching for a legitimate challenger elsewhere, no more false illusions that this AFL season is anything other than a two team competition.

Because Round 17 proved beyond doubt that barring some unforeseen event of monumental proportions - St Kilda and Geelong are going to meet in this year's grand final.

Ironically the team probably most capable of challenging two of the most dominant teams we have ever seen in the AFL at the one time is now struggling to even make the finals - reigning premier Hawthorn.

The Hawks' one point loss to Geelong at the MCG on Saturday has left Alastair Clarkson's team with a mountain to climb just to make the eight, even though they have now finally found form after a premiership defence beset by injuries to key players and inconsistency.

Due to their poor percentage the Hawks will now have to win at least four, but possibly all five of their remaining games and they face Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium, the unbeaten Saints in Tasmania and sixth-placed Adelaide at the MCG in the next three weeks alone.

But even if they fall into the eight, the Hawks would finish seventh or eighth at best and history shows it's impossible for teams to mount a genuine premiership challenge from that position.

And as for the other teams fighting it out to finish seventh and eighth on the ladder - the inconsistent pair of Carlton and Port Adelaide and an improving but still inexperienced Essendon team which suffered a shock loss to lowly Richmond at the MCG on Sunday - all three would be merely making up the numbers in September.

The race for the other two positions in the top four, which carry the double chance, is now between four clubs - Collingwood, Adelaide, Brisbane and the Dogs - but it's increasingly difficult to see any of those teams challenging the Cats and the Saints come September.

The AFL ladder doesn't lie and the facts are that with FIVE rounds still remaining, the top two positions are all but settled.

The Saints are already assured of a top two finish given they are six games clear of the chasing pack with five rounds left while the Cats are four games and percentage clear.

These are the same top two positions that have supplied every premiership team bar Brisbane in 2003 and Sydney in 2005 this decade and which