• Grand Final preview: Hawthorn v West Coast
• What you need to know for the Grand Final
• Last time they met: Hawthorn v West Coast
RETIRED superstar Chris Judd believes Hawthorn's best half-dozen players have the edge over their West Coast counterparts and that will carry the Hawks to a third consecutive premiership.
Judd - who retired after suffering a serious knee injury in round 10 against Adelaide – is no stranger to Grand Final week festivities. He won the Norm Smith Medal in 2005 in the Eagles' loss to the Sydney Swans, before West Coast rebounded to reverse that result 12 months later.
Speaking at Greater Western Sydney's Grand Final lunch in the harbour city on Wednesday, the former Carlton and West Coast captain said the winning side would need contributions from all 22 players in Saturday's Grand Final, but ultimately it would be the stars that made the difference in such a big game.
"I think mostly teams live and die by their top six players," Judd said.
"Everyone has to play their role, but usually if your top six players rock up and play to the best of their ability, that has a pretty telling impact on the outcome of the game.
"My heart really says West Coast, obviously I'd be rapt to see them win, but every time I tip against Hawthorn I end up with egg on my face.
"I think their experience may be the difference in the end."
Despite being tagged in most of his 279 games for the Blues and Eagles, Judd still managed to win two Brownlow Medals, and says West Coast shouldn’t spend too much time worrying about stopping Hawks' gun Sam Mitchell, such is the spread of quality players throughout Alastair Clarkson's line-up.
"I think (West Coast coach) Adam Simpson will know them much better than any of us, and I'm sure he'll have a detailed plan that's a bit broader than targeting two or three players," Judd said.
"I think when you're playing against a side as good as Hawthorn, you can't just focus on an individual player because if you put all your energies into Sam Mitchell, Luke Hodge or Jordan Lewis will bob up.
"There's a whole raft of players that can be really damaging."
Judd nominated defender Josh Gibson as the man he thinks will win the Norm Smith Medal.
