Hawks were looking forward to Cats clash, says captain Sam Mitchell

HAWTHORN star Sam Mitchell admits he would have loved another crack at fierce rival Geelong this season.

HAWTHORN star Sam Mitchell admits he would have loved another crack at fierce rival Geelong this season.

But the top midfielder is quick to add that Adelaide or Fremantle will be formidable preliminary final opponents.

At the start of the AFL finals series, there was a lot of interest in a potential Hawthorn versus Geelong preliminary final epic.

That was until the Dockers ended Geelong's season last Saturday night with an outstanding elimination final win.

Hawthorn is favourite to win its first premiership since 2008 and that year's Grand Final was also the last time the Hawks tasted victory against the Cats.

Tom Hawkins kicked a booming goal after the final siren to give Geelong a two-point win over Hawthorn in Round 19 and extend the winning streak to nine games.

Mitchell noted that Geelong and Richmond are the only two teams that Hawthorn have not beaten this season.

"In 2008, we beat every side at some stage," Mitchell said.

"We won't play Richmond again and we won't play Geelong again.

"I would have liked to have played Geelong and get a win because it would have got all the talk about that stuff away.

"But like everyone else, you watch and Fremantle and go 'Gee, they're an impressive side, aren't they?'

"You just watch the game for what it is."

Tom Hawkins

Mitchell added that the Crows had been strong all season, while the Dockers had surged in the second half of hte year.

Adelaide will host Fremantle on Friday night in a knockout semi-final and the winner plays Hawthorn the following Saturday in a twilight preliminary final.

Hawthorn earnt a week's break by beating Collingwood last Friday night in a bruising qualifying final.

Brent Guerra is desperately trying to recover from a hamstring injury and Brendan Whitecross has had a season-ending knee reconstruction, but otherwise the Hawks are in good shape.

Mitchell said they had benefitted from three successive physical games against Sydney, West Coast and now Collingwood.

"We recovered fairly well, actually (from the Collingwood match) - we had a couple of guys with those muscle injuries, a few cuts and scratches," he said.

"We'd be able to field a fairly strong side for this Friday, because that's the way we're looking at it, as if we have to play on Friday, we're ready to go."