And as correct as it seems that the Hawks will enter the grand final as favourites, favouritism counts for little on a stage that has a habit of producing the unexpected. Of making the very hardened, anxious. Nervous, in fact.

In entering their fourth consecutive grand final – an almighty feat in itself – the Hawks would be acutely aware of the nerves that can play with one's mind and will undoubtedly be willing themselves to draw on their past experiences to battle those demons.

The problem is, when it comes to playing for a flag, it's impossible. The Hawks' experience may make the lead-up to the match easier to handle – even enjoyable – but when it comes to show time, those nerves always linger.

It's why experience can sometimes count for nothing in grand finals and it's why the Eagles stand as great a chance of walking away with the prize. After all, it's really just a two-horse race.

The question is, can West Coast survive 10 minutes of hell? That is what awaits them when the Hawks unleash the beast at tomorrow's opening bounce.

That first 10 minutes of any grand final is like nothing else in the season and will be like nothing this group of Eagles has ever experienced. It brought about Sydney's undoing last year and it's when Alastair Clarkson will want his men to strike again. To hit West Coast with all they've got. Set the pattern and then go on with it.

Should the Eagles withstand that early onslaught, anything is possible.

Their challenge will be to embrace that contest, rather than fear it. Get hit, get back up and then look for the next contest. Never surrender. If they can just stay within reach and stay in the contest after those opening salvos, I don't doubt that this naturally talented and determined West Coast team has the ability, firepower and sheer desire to go all the way.

Photo: Getty Images

This year, I've regularly written about the core ingredients that are needed to beat the Hawks and nothing changes on Saturday. If the Eagles want to win they'll need to apply enormous pressure right around the ground, whilst piling on the pressure on the scoreboard.

And there's no doubt that they are capable. They would have taken a great deal of confidence from the way they went about dismantling the Hawks in their qualifying final two week s ago.

It was all about pressuring the ball carrier, forcing the mistake and then counter-attacking. It is the very same football that the Hawks have built their success on and is why this grand final looms as one for the ages. Defence and attack. Defence and attack.

If the Eagles hold an advantage in one area, it's in their forward line. When they met in that preliminary final, the Hawks really struggled to contain West Coast's key forwards Josh Kennedy and Jack Darling.

 Photo: Getty Images

Kennedy had the better of Brian Lake, meaning the Hawks may look to James Frawley to do the job on him this time around. If that's the case, it would leave Lake to take the resting ruckman because I'm not sure he can go with the athletic and mobile Darling.

But as we all know, you have to get the ball into your forward line in the first place which is where the Hawks probably square the ledger with the best decision makers the game has. Luke Hodge, Sam Mitchell, Jordan Lewis, Shaun Burgoyne and Cyril Rioli. Get the ball into the hands of those players and they'll make any team pay.

Adam Simpson hasn't shown an inclination to go with heavy tags this year, but of all the Hawks he'll need to contain, he can't ignore Mitchell.

Photo: Getty Images

Mitchell has been accumulating a lot of his possessions behind the centre of the ground and if he's given time and space, he'll tear the Eagles to shreds. He's just so smart with the ball and one of the primary reasons why the Hawks are so damaging on the rebound. Leave him to his devices at your peril.

Simmo arguably faces the hardest job in coaching. To prepare for battle against a side that is easily the most versatile of the modern era. The Hawks' primary onballers could start anywhere on the ground. Jarryd Roughead is another of the Hawks' X-Men who is also finding form at the right time of the year, while Isaac Smith's battle against one of the Eagles' All-Australian rookies in Andrew Gaff looms as a mouth-watering contest. Those blokes are running machines. For footy's sake, let's hope they line up on one another on a wing.

And then there's Rioli and Mark LeCras at opposite ends of the ground. Should one of those guys have a day out in front of goal, it could be devastating for the opposition.

Likewise, look to Nic Naitanui to light up the MCG. Seriously, is there a more exciting player than Nic Nat when he's going at full throttle? Those fans lucky enough to get tickets to the match should watch closely at how influential he is without the ball. He really does exert an enormous amount of pressure at the contest, which is where the game will be won and lost.

There will be mistakes and there will be disappointment, but the team which is strong enough and brave enough to fight to the end will likely win this match, which is set to be played in unseasonly warm weather.

It's just the kind of weather that the Eagles are used to and when the one percenters count for a lot in grand finals, 'Mother Nature' may just be accused of being on the Eagles' side.