As we analysed with The Herald's Conor McKeon recently, the Dublin footballers are ahead of the curve tactically and in terms of preparation.
It's been a process under Jim Gavin, building on the successful period under Pat Gilroy which had yielded the 2011 All Ireland title.
Cleanmarine Tested Sports Safe ambassador and ex-Dublin centre forward Alan Brogan played under both managers and he touched on how Gilroy began sparking a change in fortunes for a Dublin side that had begun the domination of Leinster but had not won an All Ireland since 1995.
"Pat came in 2009 and we'd won four Leinsters on the trot but hadn't managed to get to a final," Brogan recalled as he chatted to Joe.
"But I think Pat thought we were closer to winning an All Ireland playing that way than we were. So he decided to stick with a similar style of football and we got destroyed by Kerry in '09.
"Then we started to play with more men behind the ball and got destroyed by Meath in a Leinster final again, so I'm not quite sure what happened in that game.
Manager Pat Gilroy celebrates the final whistle with Alan Brogan ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy
"But after that he just drew a line in the sand and he identified four or five of the older guys of which I was one. He showed us a few clips back and he said 'You five guys are the leaders of this team, what's going on here?' There was stuff where guys had mouthed at the referee, maybe hadn't chased back and let a man go. Small, little things that the naked eye would never notice. But when you add up those things, they led to five goals for Meath."
He added a greater emphasis on details was highlighted which ultimately had a benefit and also described Jim Gavin's "attention to detail is like nothing I've ever seen before".
On the prospect of writing an autobiography one day, he admitted that it's not for him.
"It's horses for courses. If someone wants to write a book, I've no problem with it but I spent a lot of my career trying to keep things private in the dressing room, and to me I played for 13 or 14 years. There are some things that are in there that are just sacrosanct. I don't think they should go out back into public ground," he said.
"Like, it ended so well for me. I'd hate to maybe do something that might jeopardize any of those great relationships. I'm not saying I would say anything controversial but it ended so well. I was so privileged and happy with how my Dublin career went."
Cora Staunton and Alan Brogan were here for the launch of the Cleanmarine Tested Sports Safe campaign. Naturalife Health produce health food supplements like Cleanmarine for Men and Cleanmarine for Women which feature the official Tested Sports Safe® logo on pack, meaning they contain no prohibited substances and reassuring athletes that they are taking Sports Safe supplements. Available in all health stores and pharmacies.
