And why not, since the teams most likely to walk away with the AFL premiership have endured several winters of discontent.

Even Geelong, the reigning premier, has many painful September memories, and it has been a while since Hawthorn, the Western Bulldogs and St Kilda have had a chance to shine at the business end of the season.

So, sure enough, some of the more dedicated fans who wear their colours on their sleeves, hair-styles and skin have been hitting the streets.

All top-four places are filled by Victorian teams, the first time since Essendon was the undisputed powerhouse in 2000 and Carlton and Melbourne were not only competitive but serious premiership contenders. Those were the good old days, when the AFL was simply the VFL plus a few extra teams.

That changed from 2001, with successive premierships to the Brisbane Lions (three-peat), Port Adelaide Power, Sydney and West Coast.

For most of those six years, there was a dearth of enthusiasm in Melbourne at finals time. It was hard for red-blooded Melbourne footy fans to get excited about Adelaide winning the minor premiership and Sydney taking out the flag.

But last year, it felt like Melbourne was having its first proper September in the century as finals fever took hold.

Geelong ended the post-2000 dominance and its own 44-year losing streak.

The mood in the small seaside city was explosive, and Cats fever even found footholds in Melbourne with one publican painting his hotel in the team's navy and white hoops.

This year, it is de{aac}ja vu with a difference. The Cats are the cream, but there are Melbourne-based hopefuls with strong followings.

Hawthorn supporters are again proud to wear the brown and yellow stripes that went out of fashion in the early 1990s when the Hawks won their last flag.

On the other side of town, working-class battlers the Western Bulldogs are the big hope. Admitting to being a ''Footscray'' supporter used to be embarrassing a bit like following the Demons these days. But otherwise intelligent men are now happy to shave their hair into a mohawk and dye it red, white and blue.

St Kilda has found itself in fourth spot, Steven Bradbury style. So long-suffering fans are guaranteed at least two finals appearances. North Melbourne is more likely to become the sentimental favourite this year, while Collingwood will be typically divisive.

When the Magpies are doing well, their million supporters are happy, but everyone else is miserable.