The best week of the AFL season was utter hell 12 months ago for Hawthorn defender Brent Guerra.

Missing out on the grand final team with a hamstring injury and then watching the Hawks lose an epic premiership defender to Sydney have given him ample motivation throughout this year.

It will take a lot more than the corked thigh that the 31-year-old suffered in Saturday night’s preliminary final win over Geelong to keep him out this time.

“You don’t want to have to go through that two years in a row,” he admitted.

“I wasn’t playing, but just to see the boys that night, we don’t want to go through that feeling again.”

Once Guerra realised Saturday night’s game was over, with Hawthorn winning by just five points, he was ecstatic.

“To be honest, I didn’t hear it (the final siren) – the crowd was so loud,” he said.

“The feeling once that siren went was unbelievable.

“But it will be even better (next) week if we can win again.”

Guerra tore his hamstring in round 23 last season and finally had to admit in grand final week that he would not recover in time.

“That last training session, when there was 8000 people out here, that was the toughest part of the week,” he said.

“I was probably a week or two away – I knew within myself I wasn’t 100 per cent.”

This time, as part of Hawthorn’s careful player management throughout the season, Guerra rested in round 23.

He knows this might be his last season and the 2008 premiership player is leaving nothing to chance.

“I’m no Dustin Fletcher, but you get to that age and I’ve just been playing these last three, four games like they’re my last,” he said.

Guerra also feels for teammate Brendan Whitecross, who suffered a serious knee injury against the Cats and will miss his second-straight grand final.

“Whitey, the good bloke he is, he was sitting down there this morning smiling, just happy we’re in a grand final,” Guerra said.

Guerra also impresses his teammates and captain Luke Hodge said there is no way the defender will miss the grand final.

“Good luck trying to keep him out of it,” Hodge said.

“I think he got here at six o’clock this morning, doing his recovery.

“He’ll do everything he needs to to make sure he’s playing next Saturday.”