THE BATTLE between All Australians Buddy Franklin and Ted Richards has rightly earned plenty of attention leading into Saturday's Grand Final, but another key position contest could prove just as telling.

Hawthorn's Jarryd Roughead and Sydney Swans defender Heath Grundy have become well acquainted across the teams' two meetings in 2012.

Roughead was on fire in the round five match between the sides in Launceston, kicking three first-quarter goals and five for the half as the Hawks built a 20-point lead.

"He had a good day that day," Grundy told AFL.com.au.

"I try to put that behind me."

Grundy is underselling his performance, however, as he kept Roughead goalless the rest of the way as the Swans slammed through 11 goals to two after half-time for a 37-point victory.

The pair was then back at it at the SCG in round 22, when the Hawks overturned a 38-point second-quarter deficit to eke out a seven-point triumph that led them to the minor premiership.

Grundy was named among the Swans' best that day as he kept Roughead to just two behinds, but he is expecting a massive challenge at the MCG.

"'Roughie' is a great player," he said. "He's a key member of the forward line and he can take a really strong mark.

"He's very strong, very solid and quite quick on the lead as well.

"I'll have my work cut out if I'm on him. Every game is different and he'll be ready to rock and roll this weekend.

"It'll be a good contest."

Similarly, Roughead has great respect for Grundy and Richards.

The 25-year-old Hawk admits he will take some confidence from his round-five haul, but knows Launceston in April is a very different beast from the MCG on the last Saturday in September.

"I've played on both of them this year, Bud and I have played on both of them," Roughead said of the Swans' key defenders.

"We'll have to confront them again, which will be another hard test.

"You take confidence from any time you kick a few, but the big thing is the conditions aren't going to be like dry weather footy, so we'll have to take it all in and do our best."

Despite some recent success in their personal battles with the two Hawks, Grundy and Richards still have some licence to alternate the match-ups as they see fit.

"Myself and Teddy will probably switch around during the game depending on how we're feeling and match-ups and whereabouts they are," Grundy said.

"Hopefully we can stop them kicking too many.

"We're all about the team at Sydney and everyone will be playing their part to help out."

James Dampney is a reporter for AFL.com.au. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_JD