Cats supporters have filled the streets of Geelong and Melbourne to celebrate their team's thumping of the Sydney Swans to take out the 2022 AFL premiership.
Geelong trounced Sydney by 81 points to win 133 to 52 in front of 100,024 spectators.
Craig Watson was one of the Geelong fans celebrating with his family in the CBD, and said the premiership would invigorate the town.
"When Geelong win — and especially winning the flag — the town is up for 12 months, the sun comes up and the days are good," Craig said.
"Especially after the last couple of years with COVID … just to have something like this happen, it just lifts the whole town and the spirits of everyone."
Geelong fan Simone Newell said she has been present to celebrate every Geelong premiership for the past 15 years.
"I've seen 2007, 2009, 2011 and now I'm here for 2022," Simone said.
"As a Geelong local, I've never seen it this big in my life. It means a lot to everyone, it means a lot to Geelong, I'm glad to bring it home again.
"It's so important to Geelong because it's so ingrained in the culture, we love football … Geelong this week, I hope you've pre-booked because you're not going to get a spot."
About 75 kilometres south-west of the MCG, the Cats' home ground Kardinia Park erupted with cheers as the final siren sounded.
Hundreds of Geelong fans had packed the stadium to watch the game on the big screen and had plenty of opportunities to celebrate as their team left Sydney in the dust.
Victoria Police and the Geelong council had been planning for the event of a Cats win in a bid to keep any celebrations under control.
The team's 2011 win — their last premiership flag — saw the city heaving with crowds which at times got out of control.
An official street parade for the premiership will take place on Tuesday from 11am.
Married couple Michaela and Nathan made for an odd pairing in the Kardinia Park crowd, with Nathan one of the only Swans supporter in a sea of Cats fans.
"I thought they would be a lot stronger, Sydney, they played so well coming into the grand final," Michaela said.
"Someone shouted me a beer, they felt sorry for me," Nathan said.
"It's a bit of fun — not the result for Sydney — but it's been good."
As the final siren sounded to seal the Cats' premiership, devoted Geelong fan Tracey Harrison welled up with emotion.
"I think it kinda of hit me just before the siren went, it was amazing, I'm still out of breath," she said.
She said she couldn't wait to celebrate with the rest of the city.
"When we're all finished here we'll jump in the car and do a few laps around town, a bit of hooning for a 61-year-old," Tracy said.
From Frankston to Albury-Wodonga, the Geelong faithful came from every corner of the state to watch the Cats raise their first flag in 11 years.
Karen Thomas and her son Flynn said they were looking forward to coming to Geelong all week.
"I booked as soon as we won the prelim against Brisbane," Karen said.
"It's been a week of planning on making sure everything was on schedule so that we made it to the ground on time."
The decisive victory at the MCG marked the triumphant return of the grand final to the ground, and to Melbourne, after two years of lockdowns saw the big game move interstate.
The mood in Sydney was much more subdued, with Swans fans watching from the SCG commiserating as they went home.
Their last flag was in 2012.
