The history

Next Saturday will be Sydney's fourth grand final appearance in the past 10 seasons, with victory meaning a third premiership over that period. That would make it six flags for the Swans overall, half of them in the past decade, more proof that this is the club's golden age.

Sydney and Hawthorn have played six finals, with the scoreline 4-2 Hawthorn's way, their last September clash last year in the qualifying final, when the Hawks had a comfortable 54-point victory. Hawthorn has beaten the Swans four times out of five since its loss in the 2012 grand final.

The teams 

SYDNEY 

Sydney's last two premierships have been won against the backdrop of the Swans being something of an outsider punching above its weight. That certainly can't be said in 2014. Indeed, the arrival of first Kurt Tippett and this season Lance Franklin to the fold has caused Sydney to lose much public sympathy as the Swans go about cashing in on their premiership window.

Not that that's much concern to a club poised to win a third flag in 10 seasons, one armed to the back teeth with on-field resources, an explosive forward set-up and a midfield more consistent and batting deeper than any other.

Sydney started this season poorly, winning just one of its first four games, but after Friday night's crushing preliminary final win over North Melbourne has now won 18 of its past 20, many in the same imperious manner with which it dismantled the Roos.

The Swans glitter with stars, exemplified by this week's All-Australian team announcement, in which four players – Franklin, Josh Kennedy, Nick Malceski and Nick Smith – earned selection. Sydney's side against the Roos contained no fewer than nine players who have now won an All-Australian gong, and that could easily have been 10 with Luke Parker desperately unlucky to miss out, his near best-on-ground display against North Melbourne with 26 disposals and three goals typical of his recent output.

There are no obvious chinks in the Sydney armour, the Swans this year ranking fourth for points scored and boasting the Coleman medallist in Franklin, and defensively, usurping even Fremantle as the AFL's stingiest team, conceding just 67.6 points per game.

The Swans' defence isn't overly tall but teams beautifully and has been incredibly efficient, Ted Richards and Heath Grundy taking the talls, Smith locking down on the small forwards, Malceski, Dane Rampe and Rhyce Shaw all capable and providing plenty of rebound.

But the defensive record is as much testimony to pressure all over the ground, Sydney not only close to the best at forcing scores from opposition turnovers, but also the hardest side to score against when it  turns the ball over.

It's a hugely successful combination of class and fierce commitment, and one that is going to take some toppling on Saturday.

HAWTHORN 

Back-to-back premierships for only the second time in the Hawks' history would be a huge achievement, but even more special given the catalogue of injuries which they've dealt with, particularly over the first half of the season.

Key Hawks Brian Lake, Cyril Rioli, Ben Stratton, Sam Mitchell, Josh Gibson and Brad Sewell have collectively missed nearly 70games this year. Yet such is Hawthorn's depth these days that Rioli's return on Saturday would be a bonus more than a necessity, while a fully fit Sewell couldn't crack a spot in the preliminary final side. Experienced ruckman Ben McEvoy, meanwhile, hasn't been able to fight his way in ahead of either David Hale or Jonathon Ceglar.

Like it does so often, Hawthorn has simply found a way this season, the likes of Will Langford and Matt Spangher holding the fort well enough to be on the cusp of first grand final appearances.

The big guns have all stood up when required, senior Hawk on-baller Jordan Lewis having a career-best season but having plenty of able midfield company, Mitchell, skipper Luke Hodge and Liam Shiels the hard-nosed core, Shaun Burgoyne providing plenty of silk, and outsiders Isaac Smith and Brad Hill plenty of run.

But the Hawks do it brilliantly all over the ground. The returns of two of that injury-plagued legion, Lake and Gibson, have been critical to a defence that rebounds as well through the run and kicking skills of Grant Birchall and Matt Suckling. And up forward, Hawthorn looks most formidable, with a long list of goalkicking options, the three most conspicuous, Jarryd Roughead, Jack Gunston and Luke Breust, having combined for more than 170 goals this season. Hawthorn gets its hands to the football more than any other side,  wins more uncontested ball, and generates scores from more than 51 per cent of its forward entries, the second-best strike rate.

It's a potent brew indeed, and if the Hawks get enough room to use their precise foot skills and spot up those forward targets, they'll be a long way to recording what would arguably be the most impressive flag of their storied history.

The coaches 

Sydney's John Longmire continues to build a coaching CV fit to stand with the very best in AFL history. In four seasons, he's taken his side to two grand finals, a fourth and a sixth. Longmire's 67 wins from 98starts give him an amazing strike rate of 68 per cent.

While handed a successful template by Paul Roos for the 2011 season, Longmire has continued to expand Sydney's repertoire, first adding a more attacking dimension through dash and flair, and  building the Swans' depth and flexibility to unprecedented levels.

Longmire has barely hit a wrong note, and a second premiership on Saturday from just four seasons at the helm would be an incredible return for a man still to coach 100senior games.

Hawthorn's Alastair Clarkson, meanwhile, has been tested this year like few of his 10 seasons in the position, not only dealing with a catalogue of injury, but his own serious illness, hospitalised and having to stand down for five matches.

Clarkson, however, picked up responsibility from assistant Brendon Bolton without missing a beat, continuing to cover the holes left by injured stars without fuss, the Hawks coming into the big day having dropped just one of their past nine games.

The dual premiership coach's record now stands at 143 wins from 232 starts (nearly 62 per cent).

Hawthorn has seen finals action in seven of the past eight seasons under Clarkson's watch, phenomenal consistency across a long period. A third premiership to cap that off would take the former feisty North Melbourne little man into rarefied coaching territory.

The venue

It wasn't all that long ago Sydney's record at the MCG was the cause of considerable head-scratching, the Swans prior to their grand final win over Hawthorn in 2012 having won just one of 15 games at the ground. But since then they've won five of eight, and two of three this season, the one reversal a 10-point loss to the Hawks in round 18.

Hawthorn plays well anywhere, but its record at the MCG, particularly in recent times, is even more imposing. The Hawks have won 15of their past 16 appearances at the "Colosseum" since late last season, the one loss at the hands of Geelong in round five, but even that having been twice avenged since.

The prediction 

The score stands 1-1 this season, the Swans prevailing by 19 points in round eight, the Hawks by 10 in a round-18 thriller at the MCG. Hawthorn took charge late in that game, but even with a few keys down, Sydney still led by 23 points during the third term. The Swans are in better nick now, and have the class and poise to best a side even as good as Hawthorn.

Sydney by 12 points