Hodge suffered a rib injury during the Hawks' elimination final victory over St Kilda last weekend but played on despite coughing blood while still on the field.
"Every grand final is physical," he said during the 2008 Toyota AFL Grand Final Parade through Melbourne on Friday.
"But I think it's all going to be aimed at the ball. We're two hard teams so it should be a good contest."
With speculation rife all week about the severity of his injury, the 24-year-old admitted that he was sick of talking about his ribs.
"They're fine. I just can't wait to get out there tomorrow," he laughed.
Hodge's teammate, midfielder Jordan Lewis was also keen to play down the prospects of an especially physical encounter.
"I think you get double weeks for something (indiscretions) in a grand final," Lewis said.
"It's going to be like any grand final; the heat's going to be on early. The team that really concentrates on winning the ball and playing their game will probably be the team that gets the advantage at the start."
Lewis said he was acutely aware of how lucky the younger members of the playing list were to experience a grand final in the infancy of their careers.
"We came to the club in 2004 when they were rebuilding and to actually be a part of that at the club and see some success four years later… it's great for us kids to experience that so early in our career."
