STABILITY. It's critical for success.

In football, it's paramount. Just ask Geelong.

Off-field, had the Cats made drastic personnel changes at the end of the 2006 season – instead of just tinkering – would they have claimed last year's premiership? Unlikely.

On-field, had Geelong not had 16 players feature in 20 matches or more for the season (and several who came very close), would they have celebrated their first flag since 1963? Again, unlikely.

Geelong's remarkable achievements only reinforce how integral the stabilisation of the club – on and off the field – is to premiership success. The old adage of "keeping your players on the paddock", is particularly pertinent and is shaping up that way again in 2008.

Not surprisingly, the three teams to "emerge" as premiership contenders this season – Sydney (currently fourth on the ladder), Western Bulldogs (third) and Adelaide (fifth) – are the top trio in the competition, in terms of team continuity.

By this definition, it means the Swans and Bulldogs have had the most stable lineups in the opening 12 rounds, as 16 players have featured in every match for their respective sides.

Fourteen players have represented the Crows in every match so far, with Collingwood also among the best in the competition in this area, having 13 men don the black and white every round.

Yet for the Swans and the Dogs, their ability to keep their players on the park is almost equivalent to having the same starting 18 every round – a key reason why they have fared so well so far.

It is not only those players’ good form, guided by their coaches, but also a massive tick for the club's medical/fitness staff.

Although not in the same order, the top 12 teams on the "continuity ladder" are the same sides taking up the first dozen spots on the AFL table.

West Coast (15th on the AFL ladder), Melbourne (16th), Fremantle (14th) and Essendon (13th) round-out the bottom four on the continuity ladder, with injuries and poor form attributing to their lowly position.

The Bombers have had just four players – David Hille, Jay Nash, Paddy Ryder and Brent Stanton – feature in every match this year, which is the worst in the competition.

Overall, there is little difference for 12 teams when comparing the continuity ladder and AFL table, although greater variance exists for Geelong (first on the AFL ladder), Hawthorn (second), Richmond (11th) and Port Adelaide (12th).

Interestingly, on the continuity ladder, the order is reversed with the Power (fifth), Tigers (sixth), Hawks (seventh) and Cats (10th).

Could it be Geelong and Hawthorn are maximising their talent pool and Richmond and Port Adelaide are not? That debate is for another day.

Either way, the statistics are pointing towards one thing: have stability, have success.

THE CONTINUTY LADDER (AFL ladder position next in brackets)

- Players mentioned have featured in every match after 12 rounds

1 (4) – Sydney – 16 players have featured in 12 rounds, 3 players in 11 rounds
Barry, Bevan, C.Bolton, J.Bolton, Buchanan, Goodes, Jack, Jolly, Kirk, Mattner, McVeigh, Moore, R.O'Keefe, O'Loughlin, Richards, Roberts-Thomson

2 (3) – Western Bulldogs – 16 (12 rounds), 1 (11 rounds)
Addison, Akermanis, Boyd, Cooney, Cross, Giansiracusa, Gilbee, Hahn, Hargrave, Hudson, Johnson, Lake, Minson, Morris, Welsh

3 (5) – Adelaide – 14
Bassett, Bock, Doughty, Edwards, Goodwin, Johncock, Mackay, McLeod, Porplyzia, Stevens, Thompson, Tippett, van Berlo, Vince

4 (6) – Collingwood – 13
Brown, Cloke, Davis, Didak, Lockyer, Medhurst, O'Bree, O'Brien, H.Shaw, R.Shaw, Swan, Thomas, Wakelin

5 (12) – Port Adelaide – 12
Boak, Brogan, P.Burgoyne, Carlile, K.Cornes, Lade, D.Motlop, Pettigrew, Rodan, Salopek, Tredrea, J.Westhoff

6 (11) – Richmond – 10 (12 rounds), 4 (11 rounds), 1 (10 rounds), 3 (9 rounds)
Brown, Deledio, Foley, McMahon, Moore, Newman, Richardson, Simmonds, Tambling, Tuck

7 (2) – Hawthorn – 10 (12 rounds), 4 (11 rounds), 1 (10 rounds), 1 (9 rounds)
Birchall, Campbell, Ellis, Franklin, Gilham, Ladson, Osborne, Rioli, Roughead, Young

8 (9) – North Melbourne – 10 (12 rounds), 3 (11 rounds)
Campbell, Firrito, Harris, Harvey, McIntosh, Petrie, Power, Rawlings, Simpson, Thomas

9 (7) – Brisbane Lions – 9 (12 rounds), 7 (11 rounds)
Adcock, Brennan, Corrie, Hooper, Macdonald, Merrett, Notting, Patfull, Power

10 (1) – Geelong – 9 (12 rounds), 5 (11 rounds)
Bartel, Blake, Corey, Enright, Harley, S.Johnson, Kelly, Ling, Milburn

11 (8) – Carlton – 8
Betts, Carrazzo, Fevola, Judd, Murphy, Scotland, Simpson, Stevens

12 (10) – St Kilda – 7
Ball, Dal Santo, S.Fisher, Gram, Hayes, Milne, Montagna

13 (15) – West Coast – 6
Cox, Glass, B.Jones, Lynch, A.Selwood, Stenglein

14 (16) – Melbourne – 5 (12 rounds), 5 (11 rounds), 4 (10 rounds)
Bruce, Green, Jones, McDonald, McLean

15 (14) – Fremantle – 5 (12 rounds), 5 (11 rounds), 2 (10 rounds)
Crowley, Farmer, Mundy, Pavlich, Sandilands

16 (13) – Essendon – 4
Hille, Nash, Ryder, Stanton