RYAN Schoenmakers faces a nervous wait this week to know if he'll be selected for Hawthorn in the Grand Final for a chance to win his first premiership medallion.
The tall forward has played the past two games as a replacement for injured goalkicker Jack Gunston and insists the pair can play alongside each other effectively.
All eyes will be on Waverley Park on Monday morning to see if Gunston trains in the first step towards returning for the Grand Final against West Coast.
The Hawks' leading goalkicker in 2015 suffered an ankle injury against West Coast in the qualifying final loss to West Coast and hasn't played since.
He was, however, close to selection against Fremantle in Friday night's preliminary final and is a strong chance to return for the premiership decider.
Coach Alastair Clarkson has said he would need to get moving early in the week to return, while Gunston himself on Sunday said he was "more than confident" he would be right.
Schoenmakers said he and Gunston could combine well against West Coast if selected together, as they have been 15 times this season.
"I think we could play together … I definitely think that's a possibility," Schoenmakers told Fairfax Media.
If Schoenmakers is overlooked, it would be a heartbreaking chapter in a career of near misses for the 24-year-old.
Having played in the losing 2012 Grand Final, he missed the 2013 decider because of a serious knee injury.
The versatile tall returned in 2014, but after 15 games in 16 rounds he was dropped going into the finals and couldn't work his way back into the team.
Schoenmakers has played another 15 games this season and made serviceable contributions.
He said he was looking forward to the build up to Saturday's decider.
"I just want to enjoy the week," he said.
"For the last two years I haven't been a part of it, I just know what it was like in 2012 when we weren't able to win.
"I just want to take everything in, because what I've found out is the opportunity doesn't come along all that often. That's something I've seen in the last couple of years."