The only weather that will matter in Saturday’s AFL grand final is whether or not players do the important things correctly.

So says Hawthorn midfielder Sam Mitchell, who believes ark-launching conditions predicted for the MCG will be less of a deciding factor than hard work and desperation.

“I don’t think the weather will play too much of a part,” Mitchell said on Friday.

“Grand finals come down to desire, workrate, physicality and good decision-making.

“All those things are imperative regardless of the weather.”

With rain, hail and low temperatures forecast for Saturday after a strong, steady downpour throughout Friday, conditions should favour in-and-under types like Mitchell.

But the Swans’ reputation as demons for the contested ball brings them into much closer calculations than if they had played Hawthorn on a hard, fast track.

Hawks coach Alastair Clarkson said both clubs had played in vastly different conditions during the season and would handle whatever they faced on Saturday.

“I can probably speak on behalf of both sides,” Clarkson said.

“You play in this game, you play in hot weather, you play in cold weather, you play all sorts of different shaped grounds.

“As long as they’ve got goalposts and you’ve got 22 blokes each, you just prepare to have a crack at each other.

“We know Sydney are tough and hard whether they play in dry conditions or whether in the wet and they know that we’re the same.”