GEELONG ruckman Hamish McIntosh says Saturday night's blockbuster clash with Hawthorn looms as the biggest game of his career.
The Cats and the Hawks will add another chapter to their storied rivalry when they do battle for the second time this season.
Both teams are locked in the top four and there's a very real possibility they could be duking it out again in a fortnight's time in a qualifying final.
McIntosh said he had been amazed by the build-up to the game.
"I played in the Easter Monday game and that was probably the biggest game of my career," McIntosh said at Simonds Stadium on Friday morning.
"On Saturday night it'll probably nearly top that, so these are the games you look forward to and at Geelong you get them quite regularly."
As a Kangaroos player, McIntosh looked at the rivalry with great jealously.
"I was pretty envious about the games they got to play," McIntosh said.
"They're the ones you play footy for and as an outsider, looking in, they're the games you just admire."
Following his Easter Monday initiation when his side prevailed by 19 points, McIntosh is getting set to play his second clash against the Hawks as a Cat.
McIntosh was a key contributor when the sides met earlier this year, playing perhaps his best game in the blue and white hoops, gathering 17 touches, six marks and 14 hit-outs.
On the day he went toe-to-toe with David Hale and Ben McEvoy, although only one of that pairing will meet him on Saturday night.
In a surprise selection move, the Hawks have decided to drop McEvoy and opted to go with Hale and young backup Jon Ceglar.
But the Cats big man said McEvoy's axing won't have too much of an effect on his preparation.
"It didn't throw me out too much. I had a look during the week at all three of them, so I knew Jon had been playing pretty well in the reserves," he said.
Despite the massive build-up surrounding Saturday night's clash, McIntosh is fully aware of what awaits him in the Cats' finals campaign.
"This is my 12th year of football and I've only played in one finals series," McIntosh said.
"You never know when it's going to be your last one, so I'm really looking forward to attacking this next six weeks and playing some good footy.
"To get some ultimate success at the end of it would be unbelievable."
In further good news for the Cats, Steve Johnson is off the crutches and moving around freely. The Cats are hopeful he may be available for next week's round 23 clash with the Brisbane Lions.
