PRELIMINARY finals are nerve-racking at the best of times, given the massive stakes on offer. 

But when your combatant is the team you haven’t beaten in 11 attempts, the nerves are even more frayed.

This is how it was for Hawthorn 12 months ago, as it faced Geelong in the 2013 preliminary final and in this week's AFL Record, several Hawks recount parts of yet another epic clash with the Cats. Hawthorn trailed by 20 points at three-quarter time before storming home to win by five points.

"Funnily enough it was a calm huddle," midfielder Brad Sewell recalled. "No rash decisions and no panic. It didn't feel like a blow-out."

Added Sam Mitchell: "We weren't rattled. There's vision of the huddle and it was pretty composed with good discussion and not much ranting and raving. We came out with a plan and fortunately we got over the line."

The Hawks played a dominant last quarter to hit the front, but left enough time for some Geelong heroics, just as they had in so many of the previous 11 clashes.

Just as Jimmy Bartel and Tom Hawkins had broken Hawthorn hearts over the journey, Travis Varcoe threatened too as well as he wheeled on to his right foot and had a shot for goal from 40m on the run with 30 seconds remaining. But the kick faded to the right and the Hawks held on for a momentous win.

"I was thinking 'here we go again'," said defender Ben Stratton. "Varcoe would kick that nine times out of 10 and these things keep on happening to us against Geelong.

"It was the best feeling," he said of the atmosphere at the final siren. "That game was like a Grand Final. It was the biggest build-up to a game I could remember, but then we had to do it all again the next week."