Ben McGlynn’s story of resilience dates back long before the 2012 AFL grand final and it’s one Hawthorn veteran Sam Mitchell knows well.

On Saturday McGlynn will play his first AFL grand final, having missed out two years ago due to a hamstring injury.

Prior to McGlynn’s move to Sydney, it was osteitis pubis that ruined any hope he had of being part of the Hawks’ 2008 premiership side.

The fact he managed to get on an AFL list was an achievement in itself, given talent scouts and recruiters had dismissed the diminutive dynamo’s draft hopes.

He followed the advice of mentor Richie Vandenberg, who hailed from the same town, Dareton, and the same club, Wentworth.

McGlynn moved to Melbourne and played with VFL outfit Box Hill, impressing enough to warrant a spot on Hawthorn’s rookie list.

“I was good mates with Richie Vandenberg and he always went on and on about this young bloke who would go alright,” Mitchell told AAP.

“He was right … nobody worked harder.

“It’s a great story. I’m really happy for him to make a grand final, although hopefully I won’t be too happy for him tomorrow.”

Mitchell remembers his first impression of McGlynn at training vividly.

“He just had a crack,” he said.

“Young guys come in and they are either quite timid … or they really go at everything tough and hard and you need to tell them to settle down.”

McGlynn downplayed his own path to an AFL career.

“It hasn’t been an easy road, but it never is to get to this level. There’s plenty of stories out there of guys who have come through the harder way,” he said.

Reflecting on the 2012 grand final, McGlynn agreed it was one of the hardest days of his life.

“I was back at the hotel watching on TV. I chose to sit it out,” he said of the grand final parade.

“But I was happy to be down here and supporting the boys and to be part of it as much as I could.”

Vandenberg will be in the stands on Saturday.

As a former Hawthorn captain, he wants his old side to win.

But as a good friend of McGlynn, he will be happy no matter what the result is.

“If the Hawks win, of course I’ll be pumped for Hawthorn,” Vandenberg said.

“But if Sydney win, I will be really happy for Benny to have achieved something he’s worked so hard on for so long.”

Vandenberg paid tribute to the fact McGlynn had played more minutes in the midfield this season.

“We had a really good chat at the end of last year. He identified that he pushes himself so hard that he puts his body at risk every time he plays,” Vandenberg said.

“What he really needed to do was to probably take a step back and just find another level of composure in his game.

“I think that is what he’s done this year, which has taken him to the next level.

“He still attacks the footy as hard, but he’s playing smarter football.”