HAWTHORN fans with high blood pressure might not appreciate it, but coach Alastair Clarkson has warned of another nail-biter preliminary final when the Hawks play Fremantle on Friday night.
The Hawks have triumphed on the second-last weekend of the season for three years straight by less than a goal, and in 2011 found themselves on the wrong side of a close one with Collingwood.
For whatever reason, it seems Hawthorn can't escape drama on preliminary final weekend.
Last year, the Hawks survived a tense battle with bolters Port Adelaide to win by three points scrape.
In 2013, they got the Geelong monkey off their back in a come-from-behind five-point win over the Cats.
The year before that, Adelaide's Graham Johncock almost brought about Hawthorn's demise before Lance Franklin's last-minute heroics ensured another five-point triumph.
And in 2011, the Hawks were denied by Collingwood by three points after leading the minor premiers for most of the night.
To Clarkson, they are games that bring the team together to fight on the biggest day in September.
"Our last four prelim finals have all been decided by less than a goal - as you'd expect with two fierce sides going at it, big prize to get into a Grand Final," he said.
"I don't expect tomorrow to be any different really and I probably wouldn't want it any other way leading into a Grand Final."
Friday night's contest has been widely tipped to be the closer of the two Domain Stadium finals.
Sportsbet has set the line at 9.5 points, with the Hawks starting favourites despite playing against the minor premiers on their own deck.
The same bookmakers have set West Coast's line at 30.5 points for Saturday night's second preliminary final against North Melbourne.
Four years of Hawk nail-biters: Hawthorn's tense preliminary finals
2014 - Hawthorn (2nd) 15.7 (97) d Port Adelaide (5th) 13.16 (94)
The Hawks led by 29 points mid-way through the last term but looked to have thrown it away against finals bolters Port Adelaide. A four-goal spree to the Power, including two to Angus Monfries, had Ken Hinkley's side on the brink of a stunning upset but the Hawks held on.
2013 - Hawthorn (1st) 14.18 (102) d Geelong (2nd) 15.7 (97)
A stunning seven-goal third term had the Cats 20 points up at three-quarter time and looking set to continue the Kennett Curse with a 12th-straight win over the Hawks. But Hawthorn laid siege to the Cats goal and got over the line - helped by a last-minute miss to Travis Varcoe from in front of goal.
2012 - Hawthorn (1st) 13.19 (97) d Adelaide (2nd) 14.8 (92)
Hawthorn wrested back control late in the second half but a string of final quarter misses allowed Adelaide to take a late lead through Graham Johncock. Up stepped Cyril Rioli and Lance Franklin to win it at the last.
2011 - Collingwood (1st) 10.8 (68) d Hawthorn (3rd) 9.11 (65)
The Hawks stole a march on Mick Malthouse's Magpies, who were then gunning for back-to-back flags. Clarkson's side led by 17 at three-quarter time but it was all Collingwood in the last term, kicking 5.2 to 2.0 to defeat a gallant Hawthorn.
