This was the weekend when reality really hit home in the AFL.

For months now there has been genuine excitement that there were not one but two teams ready to not only challenge but even conquer reigning premiers Geelong.

After all, Hawthorn and the Western Bulldogs had kept pace with the all-conquering Cats through the first 15 rounds of the season - despite the fact the Cats had only lost one game during that time.

But in round 16 we finally found out the truth - Geelong is still a mile in front of the rest of the competition and the Hawks and the Bulldogs, while much improved, have not bridged the gap on the mighty Cats nowhere near as much as first thought.

The Cats' 61 point demolition of the second-placed Bulldogs - combined with third-placed Hawthorn's shock second half capitulation to St Kilda on Saturday night - are the most significant results of the season and have effectively separated the Cats from the chasing pack.

And the fact the Cats did it without injured Brownlow Medal favourite Gary Ablett as well as number one tagger Cameron Ling and late withdrawal David Wojcinski is even more ominous for those teams eyeing off the Cats' crown in September.

After this weekend's round the Cats will be unbackable to win back-to-back flags for the first time since 1952 as Saturday's game - while admittedly played at Geelong - raises the question that if the Bulldogs can't get near the Cats without Ling, Ablett and Wojcinski, what hope have they got when all three return come finals time.

The Cats' brutal demolition of the Bulldogs again raised question marks as to whether the Dogs' unconventional forward set-up - which lacks the traditional key forwards possessed by the Cats and the Hawks - is good enough to win finals in September.

Geelong's magnificent defensive pairing of Matthew Scarlett and Darren Milburn - whose 19 possessions in the first term set a new league record - simply feasted on a Dogs' attack that was exposed as lacking height and class against the league's best side.

The Cats' frightening depth was again on display as James Kelly and Brent Prismall - who would be stars in any other side but are fringe midfielders in the Cats' line-up - came in for Ling and Ablett and had 41 possessions between them as reigning Brownlow Medalist Jimmy Bartel and Joel Corey also took up the slack