IT'S AN old football rivalry with a new W flavour.
Geelong and Hawthorn will once again meet on the Thursday night before the Grand Final eve public holiday at GMHBA Stadium.
It marks the fifth consecutive time the Cats' W side hosted a game on that evening, and the third straight time the fixture has been against the Hawks.
The two clubs hold a deep rivalry in the men's competition, particularly since the 2008 Grand Final. Having been upset by Hawthorn that day, Geelong players made a private vow not to lose to the Hawks again.
Then-club president Jeff Kennett also said Hawthorn held a "psychological edge" over Geelong – the Cats went on to win 11 straight over their nemesis, a period which went down in footy folklore as the Kennett Curse.
The two men's teams now meet annually on Easter Monday, with most matches going right down to the wire regardless of the form of both at the time.
On the women's side of the equation, Hawthorn has won its past two meetings against Geelong, securing an 18-point victory in 2024 and just seven points last year.
The 2024 match was widely regarded as one of the best exhibitions of the women's game to that point, with 21 majors kicked between the two sides in a free-flowing affair, and the Hawks only pulling away late to record the three-goal win.
Last year's edition was a fiercely fought affair, with high pressure and plenty of crunching tackles from both sides, and the Hawks overhauling a 16-point deficit in a lower-scoring match.
This year, Hawthorn comes into the game off an outrageous upset, breaking North Melbourne's 32-match winning streak with a gutsy effort in Cairns.
Geelong has a five-day turnaround, but is simply purring, sitting at 5-1 after being demolished by the Kangaroos back in round one.
While the Cats have had some straightforward assignments against St Kilda, Essendon and Collingwood, they showed their mettle with an 11-point win on the road over Adelaide.
Georgie Prespakis is in career-best form through the midfield for Geelong, averaging 29 disposals and eight clearances, while Mikayla Bowen (averaging 26.5 touches) is thriving with her new inside role, having trained at half-forward all pre-season.
Geelong has finally reunited its triple-pronged attack, with a fully fit Chloe Scheer (13 goals) joining Jackie Parry (12) and Aishling Moloney (10).
The trio currently take up three of the top seven goalkicking spots in the competition, a chart that's led by Hawthorn's Áine McDonagh (16).
McDonagh’s new partner in crime is former Sun Jac Dupuy, and the duo are building in confidence as a pairing, visibly working together in a more seamless fashion as the season progresses.
The Hawks suffered a big blow last fortnight, losing skipper Emily Bates to an ACL injury, but rising star Jasmine Fleming is hitting her straps, polling nine AFL Coaches Association votes for 25 touches and four clearances against the might of North Melbourne.
Geelong will have to be wary of Fleming's linking disposal and hit-up kicks inside 50, which have become her forte over the past few years, while Eliza West is the engine room operator and is likely to be locked in a fierce battle with fellow hard nut Bowen.
Hawthorn key back Jenna Richardson leads the league in marks, while Lucy Wales is fast coming for the shared ruck crown of Mim Strom and Matilda Scholz, and should be far too powerful for inexperienced Cat Piper Dunlop.
Then there's Geelong co-captain Nina Morrison who binds the Cats together in an all-encompassing midfield role, the crucial link in the chain.
Geelong is a different prospect this year under new coach Mick Stinear, but the Hawks are coming off the biggest win in their AFLW history.
We're set for another enthralling chapter in a great football rivalry that extends across both elite competitions.