JUST AS the final siren was drowned out by the deafening roar of the Hawthorn faithful, the ear-splitting rendition of the club song in the Hawks’ rooms afterwards made it hard to think.
Moments after Hawthorn sealed a Grand Final berth and snapped the 'Kennett Curse' by beating its bogey side Geelong by a mere five points, the players burst into the rooms with a thunderous roar.
Sam Mitchell, who was outstanding in the second half with 25 touches after the main break and 38 for the game, sprayed the contents of his water bottle into the air as the group linked arms and prepared to belt out their song.
Radio crews swirled, broadcasters and photographers scrambled to get the best shots of pure joy, and journalists and other onlookers tried to dodge flying streams of Powerade.
But, as quickly as the post-match celebrations started, they were over.
The players were taken behind closed doors by coach Alastair Clarkson, and after a brief group cheer to commemorate the achievement of making next Saturday's decider, the room quietened and the planning for the last Saturday in September began.
One by one, the players emerged. Lance Franklin, the right elbow he hurt in the first quarter still strapped, bypassed the media and headed straight for the showers.
Jack Gunston limped out to do a radio interview and was joined by Brian Lake, Shaun Burgoyne, Luke Hodge and Grant Birchall, while Brad Sewell donned a jacket and took the broadcast television chat.
The hugging between club staff subsided, and it was clear the moments of elation developed into a sense of making sure the party wasn't being held a week early.
"Today's not the scalp – next week's the scalp," club president Andrew Newbold said.
"As a club, obviously, [there's] a lot of emotion winning a close game like that.
"But it's quickly refocusing on the job that has to be done next week.
"There's no use getting too excited this week."
Former club president Jeff Kennett, who was in attendance at the game after a week of declining to comment on the so-called 'curse' he put on the club in early 2009, wasn't in the rooms.
Before Friday night, Hawthorn had not beaten Geelong since Kennett – ahead of the round one clash between the sides in 2009 after the Hawks' premiership win the year before, questioned the Cats' mental drive to beat them.
But it wasn't something Newbold – president since 2011 – had ever concerned himself with.
"I never acknowledged the curse," he said.
"That's you blokes, so you'd better call him, not me."
As for the psychological hurdle of beating a team that had prevailed over them in their past 11 meetings, Newbold acknowledged the fact the Hawks came back from a 20-point deficit at three quarter-time as being most valuable.
He also said the gutsy win was "right up there" with the best he'd seen.
"You win games sometimes when you play pretty football – we didn't play pretty football today," he said.
"But it was outstanding just in terms of our endeavour and basically just not giving up.
"Eventually Geelong succumbed and we put our noses in front."
It will be a brown and gold week in Victoria, with the Hawks' opponents for next Saturday's decider either Fremantle or the Sydney Swans.
Newbold said the club was thrilled for its supporters, who now had another opportunity to watch their team play for the premiership cup.
"The emotion of winning a close one like that is fantastic and they should enjoy the week," he said.
"But it's what we play for, to play in Grand Finals."
