ALASTAIR Clarkson said before the preliminary final against Geelong that his side needed to take its chances - prophetic words that would have haunted him at three-quarter time.

At the last change, Hawthorn trailed Geelong by 20 points having kicked 6.7 from set shots to the Cats 5.1, but fortunately for the Hawks, unlike in the 2012 Grand Final against the Sydney Swans it didn't cost them the game.

Fremantle fans must have feared the worst when the Dockers kicked 2.6 from set shots in the opening term against the Swans to lead by just eight points after having 10 more inside 50 entries for the quarter.

Coach Ross Lyon was asked whether he thought his players had suffered from nerves in front of goal in the opening term.

"I haven't asked them," he said.

"But I can tell you in the review eight of them missed to the right. They certainly didn't go to school on the wind.

"We're a pretty good goalkicking team. It was incredibly blustery conditions on the weekend, although they all did miss to the right so they all needed to go to school on the first kick."

For all of the prophecy on match-ups, structures, pressure and game styles, the premiership could be simply decided by the team that takes its chances.

The Hawks had 26 scoring shots to 21 in the 2012 decider only to lose by 10 points. Collingwood had five more scores than St Kilda in the drawn 2010 Grand Final, and Geelong kicked nine consecutive behinds, excluding two rushed, in the 2008 decider to contribute to Hawthorn's win.

Lyon knows how costly missed opportunities can be after his St Kilda didn't grasp its chances against the Cats in the 2009 Grand Final.

The Dockers coach isn't sure if he will discuss goalkicking with his players in the lead-up to Saturday's Grand Final.

"I actually thought about that today.

"I never talk to them about goalkicking. Maybe that's a weakness.

"The MCG … teams often kick 7.22 there, and I hope it's not us.

"Malcolm Blight talks about the first shot [at the] MCG - kick it dead straight, see where it goes and everyone goes to school on it."

One thing is for certain. All eyes will be on that first set shot on Saturday afternoon.