Hawthorn are sweating on the availability of Luke Hodge as their credentials as a genuine premiership contender go on the line the AFL blockbuster clash against Geelong.
The star midfielder's partner, Lauren Kirkman, is due to give birth to their first child and the Hawks' vice-captain has stated his intention to attend the birth ahead of playing in the match widely tipped to be a pre-cursor to this year's grand final.
Hawthorn will have a player on standby in case Hodge is absent.
"Like all pregnancies, there's probably a two-to-three week window when Lauren will have the baby and if it happens to come tomorrow afternoon or late evening then Hodge will miss the game," coach Alastair Clarkson said.
"So we'll just have a contingency in place which will be an emergency player waiting there to get the call just before game time."
With reigning premier Geelong's status firmly established, the game will give Hawthorn a clearer picture of whether they belong in the same company.
The second-placed Western Bulldogs' standing took a hit when they failed a similar test last weekend. The Cats thumped them by 61 points.
Such is the anticipation surrounding tomorrow night's clash - the Hawks and Cats have not met since round four last year - a crowd of more than 90,000 is expected at the MCG.
Geelong are entitled to be clear favourites given their rich vein of form, having lost just two of their past 36 matches.
But Hawthorn have won the past three head-to-head encounters.
Clarkson said while that showed the Cats were not "indestructible," he would not be drawing too much from that record.
He said a better gauge of the Cats' formline would be to focus on their previous three weeks, particularly their formidable showing against the `Dogs.
"We have the confidence knowing they can be defeated because we beat them (last) year and twice the year before," Clarkson said.
"But it's such a long period of time ago. Their side has changed quite a bit and obviously their confidence levels are a lot greater than what they were 18 months or two years ago.
"Our side has changed a bit in terms of personnel and the way we go about things."
Clarkson said the Hawks would hold nothing back ahead of a potential finals re-match.
While he admitted the Cats held an edge in big-game experience, he hoped the youthful exuberance of his team would make up for it.
But he said irrespective of the result, the expected finals-like atmosphere would only benefit his young team heading into September.
"Whether we win or lose isn't the greatest priority for us," Clarkson said.
"It's getting the exposure, it's trying to play our game and measure ourselves against one of the best clubs in the competition.
"We're a little bit behind them in terms of development, age and experience of our group but we respect them enormously as a club and a group of players.
"Sometimes you get that unbridled enthusiasm with youth that can be an enormous assistance for you.
"I'm sure the injection of (Harry) Taylor, (Joel) Selwood and (Ryan) Gamble into their mix over the last 18 months has been really good for their footy club just as someone like a Cyril Rioli and Jarryd Morton in our group."
