Two epic battles during the home-and-away season have set the stage for a high-quality AFL grand final when Hawthorn meet Sydney.

The Hawks left a pile of shredded fingernails, but booked their place in next weekend’s premiership decider by beating Adelaide by five points in Saturday’s preliminary final thriller at the MCG.

It was fitting the Hawks-Crows clash swung in the balance until the death – a curtain-raiser for what is likely when Hawthorn take on the Swans.

Hawthorn and Sydney’s two meetings this year have been among the season’s best games – the clubs winning once apiece.

Both have been pulsating encounters, with each side having big leads chased down and overturned.

Sydney trailed their round five battle in Launceston by 25 points in the first half, but stormed home in the second to win by 37.

Then late in the home and away season, the situation was reversed at the SCG.

Hawthorn chased down the Swans after trailing by 38 points to win by seven – effectively securing the minor premiership as a result.

After their round five game, Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson earmarked the Swans as an “outstanding football side” and premiership threats.

Sydney coach John Longmire labelled the Hawks’ firepower scary at their round 22 clash.

What would Longmire have made of Lance Franklin, Luke Breust and Jack Gunston launching at the Crows early in the third term of the prelim with four unanswered goals after the Hawks trailed by five points at halftime.

And then Cyril Rioli and Franklin goalling in the fourth quarter to seal victory after Adelaide had stormed back to pinch a one-point lead and what seemed match-winning momentum.

Both grand final combatants have recently won premierships – Sydney in 2005 and the Hawks in 2008.

Hawthorn go into the match having won 12 of their 15 games at the MCG this season.

Sydney haven’t won in their past nine matches at the venue.