Richmond’s Kamdyn McIntosh (left) and Geelong’s Tom Hawkins fired up by their sides’ semi-final wins. Photo: AFL MEDIA

And then there were four.

It’s fitting, really, that the top four teams from the home-and-away season have reached the preliminary final stage.

It makes perfect sense, too, that they would be the last ones left standing, yet it’s just the second time a season has played out that way in the last six years. Trust 2020 to buck a trend.

Geelong and Richmond rebounded from tough week one losses to post convincing semi-final wins and set up a pair of tantalising preliminary finals against Brisbane and Port Adelaide respectively.

On Saturday night, the Cats destroyed Collingwood in a manner that few expected out of a game that was billed as a genuine 50-50 contest.

Some fixtures have produced bigger margins this season, but few have been so one-sided as Geelong’s 15.10 (100) to 5.2 (32) win.

The Cats dominated all manner of statistics, including contested possession (+21), uncontested possession (+140), marks (+88), clearances (+13) and inside-50s (+16). Collingwood managed just two scoring shots to three-quarter time, leaving plenty of journalists and social media hounds scrambling for the record books.

On reflection, the easy conclusion to draw is that the Magpies had played their “grand final” in the shock upset of West Coast a week earlier, but that’s probably a little bit simplistic.

“The only way I can comprehend a result like tonight is that we had nothing more to give,” stunned Pies coach Nathan Buckley said after Geelong landed a knockout blow.

The Cats’ midfield dominance was even more astounding given Patrick Dangerfield played almost exclusively as a forward.

The superstar kicked four goals, including two ridiculous checkside kicks from the same spot in The Gabba’s north-western pocket that followed very different trajectories.

He crashed packs like key forwards used to, clean-bowling opponents and setting up teammates, and terrorised the Pies’ defence throughout.

Tom Hawkins bounced back from his wayward qualifying final display with four goals, and Joel Selwood showed few major effects of the finger surgery he underwent eight days earlier – like there was ever really any doubt he’d play (and play well).

Cam Guthrie, Tom Stewart, Mitch Duncan and Sam Menegola racked up touches at will. Collingwood looked spent.

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St Kilda put up more of a fight against Richmond, but was ultimately outclassed by a side that stoked its own fire with a fast, fierce and contested brand of football that resulted in a 12.8 (80) to 6.13 (49).

Tom Lynch made a welcome return from a hamstring injury and kicked two important goals, causing a Saints defence minus the absent Jake Carlisle (family reasons) all sorts of problems.

He constantly made life difficult for Dougal Howard, not least when he dropped a knee into the prone defender’s neck and shoulder region.

Social media went nuts, as it does, and Richmond defended their star forward, as it does. In reality, Lynch caused no damage at all and suspension was never a serious consideration, but it was a bad look.

In this day and age, optics are paramount. A bad look is enough for a misconduct fine. It was Lynch’s second of the year on top of two fines for striking, and a tribunal appearance in which he was cleared of striking.

It’s a fine line Lynch is treading, so to speak. But if the key forward keeps playing and kicking goals, and Richmond keeps winning, then the Tiger Army won’t care one iota.

“Listen, great teams always play on the edge,” coach Damien Hardwick said. “The fact of the matter is it’s a big boys game. Things happen. You play hard and tough and there is a reason we are into our (fourth) prelim in a row. We play a hard and tough brand of footy.”

It is the finals, after all. What sort of fan doesn’t want to see hard and tough footy at this stage of the season?

If you don’t, then maybe AFLX actually is the way forward. Sorry, too far, I know.

And so, we move on to the penultimate week of the season and all manner of storylines.

Richmond is attempting to create a genuine dynasty as it aims for a third flag in four seasons that would place it alongside the great teams of the modern era.

The Cats are trying to claw their way past a fourth preliminary final in five seasons, Brisbane hopes to emerge as a new power, and Port Adelaide wants to celebrate its 150th year in the best way possible.

We’ve got four worthy teams and two spots in the grand final. It’s all up for grabs this week.

After a difficult year on all manner of fronts, footy has been some sort of escape. Here’s hoping we get an uplifting climax to the season.