Hawthorn will carry enormous respect for Geelong, but no mental baggage, as they seek to reverse their sad recent AFL record against the Cats on Friday night.
The Hawks are clear premiership favourites, with no opposition side having got within seven goals of them in their past eight matches.
But they were also flag favourites before their last meeting with the Cats, in round two, when Geelong overcame a three-goal deficit at the last change to down them by two points.
It was Geelong’s eighth straight win over the Hawks since Hawthorn’s 2008 grand final victory, with Geelong having come from behind at three-quarter time in five of those.
But Hawks midfielder Brad Sewell insisted that record meant nothing this week.
Even if it became nine straight on Friday night he and his teammates would not be scarred mentally heading into the finals.
“Once you get to finals it’s a different ball game regardless of who you’re playing,” Sewell told reporters.
“Past results in matches and games gone by mean nothing.
“That’s the case for every game week on week regardless of what’s happened in the past.”
But after Hawthorn’s comfortable wins over the past two months, he expected the heat to go up a notch at the MCG on Friday night.
“You go into a Geelong game knowing it’s going to be a cracker,” Sewell said.
“The rivalry we’ve had over the past five or six years and then long before that as well, you know it’s going to be a good game.
“It’s going to be a lockdown contested game, there’s going to be lots of pressure on players on behalf of both sides.
“So from that point of view we’re certainly aware of it.
“But as I said before, in terms of past results it means nothing.”
Sewell said skipper Luke Hodge had pulled up well after returning from a long absence with a knee injury to kick five goals against Essendon last round.
But star forward Lance Franklin is no certainty to return from a hamstring injury.
Geelong will regain key forward James Podsiadly and key backman Matthew Scarlett, but lose Joel Corey (hamstring), while there is a slight doubt over Steve Johnson (concussion).
Podsiadly kicked five goals in their last meeting, including three in the last-term surge, while fellow key forward Tom Hawkins dominated with 12 marks and three goals.
But Sewell said Hawthorn’s defence had since improved, in particular young key backman Ryan Schoenmakers.
“We’ve seen huge progress in his game over the past month or two.”