Where and when: MCG, Saturday September 27, 2.30pm AEST
Head to head: Geelong 73 wins, Hawthorn 66 wins, one draw
Last time: Geelong 12.12 (88) d Hawthorn 11.11 (77), round 17, 2008 at the MCG
Last finals meeting: Hawthorn 14.8 (92) d Geelong 12.11 (83), first elimination final, 2000 at Telstra Dome

SUMMARY

Footy is an unpredictable game, full of surprise twists and turns. But one thing seemed probable with every week of the season - that Geelong and Hawthorn would play off in the grand final.

The Cats have dominated 2008 and we can expect another solid performance from their galaxy of stars. Everywhere you look in the Geelong line-up, you find proven players. Quality ones. Ablett, Bartel, Scarlett, Corey, Johnson, Selwood, Ling and Mooney have all become household names and are expected to match their 2007 premiership medallions with another one this Saturday.

We can say there are no challengers to a Geelong side that has lost just two games in the last 18 months, but maybe this is a game where things won't go to plan.

Dismiss Hawthorn at your peril. Geelong's midfield is star-studded, but it's difficult to win a hard ball when skipper Sam Mitchell and Brad Sewell are burrowing to the bottom of the pack. Similar difficulties present when tough nut Luke Hodge is cutting off supply to his opposition's forward line.

And it is close to impossible to quell a rampaging Lance Franklin when he is on song.

Geelong is no certainty here and we can expect another cracking contest that, dare we say, could even rival the epic meeting of 1989.

MEDICAL ROOM
Geelong
Paul Chapman (hamstring) – test
Matthew Egan (foot) – unavailable
Brent Prismall (knee) – unavailable

Hawthorn
Trent Croad (foot) – available
Luke Hodge (ribs) – available
Cameron Stokes (hamstring tightness) – test
Tom Murphy (back) – test
Max Bailey (knee) – unavailable
Ben McGlynn (knee) – unavailable
Luke McEntee (hamstring) – unavailable
Garry Moss (groin) – unavailable
Beau Muston (knee) – unavailable

STRENGTHS
Geelong
The Geelong team is strong in every position, but particularly in the middle. While the umpires' votes didn’t necessarily agree, pre-Brownlow favourites Gary Ablett, Jimmy Bartel, Joel Selwood and Joel Corey show that the Cats' engine room is without peer. Corey led the competition in disposals for 2008, while Bartel wasn't far behind him.

The midfield has been central to the side's dominance of the home and away rounds, which conceded just one loss, and has maintained that influence in the finals wins over St Kilda and the Western Bulldogs.

Hawthorn
The Hawks proved against the Saints last week that their powerful forward line does not begin and end with Lance Franklin, who finished that game with one goal. There are many layers to their attack and, if Buddy doesn’t fire, rest assured that Mark Williams, Jarryd Roughead and Cyril Rioli will lift their contributions.

Williams finished the preliminary final with five goals, reminiscent of the two seasons he led the club's goalkicking (2005 and 2006), while Roughead added four.

Franklin kicked 4.5 against the Cats in round 17.

WEAKNESSES
Geelong
These two sides are playing this weekend for a reason – it's difficult to pinpoint their shortcomings. If anything, Geelong's inexperienced backman Harry Taylor has looked out of his depth at times this season. Therefore, if Hawthorn can play through his opponent, just as it did with Saint Sam Gilbert last week, there might be a new set of hands on this year's cup. The Western Bulldogs had some success against the Cats by making Darren Milburn that man in the first quarter of their preliminary final.

Hawthorn
He says he’s good to go but doubts linger over Luke Hodge's ribs. Not that we're tipping Geelong players to target him, but in his role as a loose defender he's sure to find himself sitting under the occasional high ball with Cameron Mooney or Brad Ottens coming out on a hard lead. Hodge is tough, but there is only so much battering a man's body can take.

GAMEBREAKER
Geelong – Steve Johnson
He showed last year that he was made for the big occasion, winning the Norm Smith Medal, and will be seeking to bounce back from a reasonably quiet night against the Bulldogs. The 25-year-old had 26 touches and three goals the last time these two sides met, and will also carry the emphasis of that performance.

Hawthorn – Lance Franklin
Yes, Alastair Clarkson, we know that there is more to your side than Buddy. But even the coach would concede that he needs a big game from his star forward if the Hawks are to have any chance of knocking off the Cats.

X-FACTOR
Luke Hodge. You get the feeling that if he stands the test, his bravery and courage will inspire his teammates. Add to that the impact of his delivery from the back half, and Geelong will have to consider the unfamiliar territory of a negating role in its forward line. That said, he could just as easily cop a knock in the opening minutes of the game and be rattled from there.

PREDICTION:
Geelong by 22 points

The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.