Hawthorn is planning to make minimal changes to the side that survived a dramatic final-quarter challenge to beat Port Adelaide by three points and make its third grand final in a row.
The Hawks will play Sydney on Saturday in a rematch of the 2012 decider, in the most dramatic possible reunion with former Hawk star Lance Franklin, following his defection last year.
Brad Sewell and Ben McEvoy are among the senior-listed players who will line up for Box Hill against Footscray in the VFL grand final on Sunday hoping to force their way back into the senior line-up, while Cyril Rioli will return from a three-month hamstring injury.
While Jordan Lewis was subbed out of the game and must be monitored during the week, he is unlikely to miss out on the grand final because of the corked quad he suffered early in the second half.
Coach Alastair Clarkson said the Hawks needed to see how Rioli got through Sunday's game and recovered in the days afterwards before it could know how strongly he could be considered for a spot in the AFL decider.
"He hasn't played for a long, long period of time so we went through a tough process throughout the course of this week in terms of working out which game he'd play in, whether it was going to be in the senior side for Hawthorn or at Box Hill," Clarkson said.
"We thought having missed so much footy he's better off trying to get some game time at Box Hill and we'll just see how he recovers from that.
"If he plays well and his body's fine then he'll be in consideration for selection next week, but a lot of things have to go right over the next couple of days for that to happen.
"It's unlikely we'll make significant changes to our side, but we'll address that throughout the course of the week."
Jarryd Roughead kicked six goals for Hawthorn in what became a nailbiting win, after Port Adelaide cut the margin from almost five goals to three points with just over a minute left to play.
After trailing by 29 points, the Power moved to within 10 points after the video umpire correctly determined that a Jared Polec set shot had been touched over the goal line.
Angus Monfries' mark and goal reduced the margin to four points, before Andrew Moore's set shot from the boundary with 1.22 on the clock drifted across the face of goal and was rushed through for a point.
Brian Lake had just brought the ball to ground after a one-on-one contest with Monfries on the Powers' 50-metre when the siren sounded, with a late Luke Hodge smother and tackle crucial to the win.
The Swans are optimistic Sam Reid will take his place in next week's game despite a knee problem, with Nick Malceski's sore hamstring surviving the club's Friday night demolition of North Melbourne.
Ben McGlynn is set to play after missing the 2012 grand final because of a horribly timed hamstring injury, with Gary Rohan, Harry Cunningham, Jake Lloyd and Dane Rampe the other likely additions to the 2012 side.
Matt Suckling's successful return means the team that beat Fremantle for last year's flag could differ by up to five players, with Franklin, Brent Guerra, Max Bailey, Rioli and Sewell all missing from that side.
Suckling, Will Langford, Taylor Duryea, Matt Spangher and ruckman Jon Ceglar were all part of the side that beat the persistent Power, one of just four sides in 14 years to have reached preliminary final weekend from the bottom half of the eight.
Sydney won the 2012 grand final by just 10 points, and the club's line-up has changed significantly in that time given the recruitment of Kurt Tippett and Franklin.
Tippett kicked four goals against North Melbourne, with Franklin scored five goals almost 12 months after his stunning decision to sign with the Swans as a free agent after nine years at Hawthorn.
"I'm sure you guys will make a bit of spice out of it. We're just a side that will run out with 22 brown and gold jumpers against 22 red and white ones," said Clarkson of the "Buddy" reunion.
"As mundane as that may seem, that's the way we have to approach it. He's been a really good football player for our club for a long, long period of time and he's obviously playing some really good footy for Sydney at the present time.
"What's happened beforehand doesn't really matter now, it's all about 22 guys from each side doing what they need to do to win and secure their club a premiership next week."
