But the Kennedy clan has faced such quandaries before. Josh, of course, helped the Swans defeat the Hawks in the 2012 Grand Final.
Almost three decades before that, however, John Kennedy snr was coach at North Melbourne.
During that time, his son, John jnr, was one of Hawthorn's most valuable and durable players who often flew under the radar, so the pair were on opposite sides in a number of matches.
The men involved like to joke about the fact Kennedy jnr always seemed to find another gear when playing against his father's North teams.
"I thought he was a great player," Kennedy snr says in the third instalment of AFL Media's four-part documentary on Kennedys. Part one focuses on Josh Kennedy’s decision to leave Hawthorn for the Sydney Swans; the second instalment looks at John snr’s impact on shaping the Hawks, and part four (published Friday) provides an insight into the Kennedy family bonds.
"It wasn't my job to tell him that, but I thought he was great. His record of games proves it, really.”
John jnr played 241 matches for the Hawks from 1978-91, featuring in the 1983, 1986, 1988 and 1989 premierships.
He kicked two goals the day his father first coached against Hawthorn, a match that ended in a dramatic draw.
