Mark Thompson coached Geelong to AFL premiership wins in 2007 and 2009, but he still thinks about the grand-final loss to Hawthorn in between.

The Cats have claimed an 11-match winning streak against the Hawks since 2008.

The Kennett Curse, named after then-Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett who boasted in early 2009 that his side had a mental edge over the Cats in big games, has also been blamed for the Hawks’ losing streak.

Thompson says the Cats are still troubled by the one that got away.

“There’s a little bit of left-over unhappiness, anger, that Hawthorn beat them in the grand final,” Thompson told Fox Footy’s AFL360 program on Monday night.

“Chappy (Geelong forward Paul Chapman) said for as long as he plays, he’s not going to be beaten (again by Hawthorn).

“Well it might be true.”

The out-of-contract Chapman expressed a strong desire after the 2008 grand final to never play in a losing side against the Hawks again.

The 31-year-old forward has been offered a one-match ban on a rough-conduct charge from last week’s semi-final win over Port Adelaide and the Cats must decide on Tuesday morning if they plan to challenge the ban and risk a two-game suspension at Tuesday night’s tribunal hearing.

Minor premiers Hawthorn host the Cats in Friday night’s preliminary final at the MCG.

Thompson, an assistant coach at Essendon for the past three years, says he has no doubt the Cats’ players will have flashbacks of 2008.

“Do you know what? I think about it to this day,” Thompson revealed.

“I’ve got no doubt (the players do too).

“When you play in a losing one, when you’re involved in one, you don’t ever forget it.

“Even though they’ve won three (2007-09-11), they would still be dirty on themselves.”