TOM MURPHY describes it as "the elephant in the room".

When Hawthorn's Grand Final team is named on Thursday night, captain Luke Hodge will be in, and someone will be out.

Murphy, the late replacement for his ill skipper in Saturday night's preliminary final win over Adelaide, may be that player.

The defender has already had to cope with the disappointment of being dropped for a final.

He was omitted last Thursday, before the late reprieve, and suffered the same fate before the preliminary final in 2008.

It's an emotional rollercoaster that must be hard to deal with, but the 26-year-old is handling the situation with admirable professionalism.

"It's the elephant in the room, in a way, but the thing is, there's not much I can control now," Murphy said on Sunday.

"It's up to the coaches to pick the team.

"There's probably 27 or 28 blokes who can legitimately make a claim to play, and there'll be 22 that play in the end.

"I played last night, all the boys had a crack, and eventually there'll be 22 picked to play this week.

"It is what it is, I suppose. There's not much I can do."

Murphy was eating breakfast when word came through that he would be required to pull on the boots against the Crows.

He had just hours to shake off the disappointment of missing out, and prepare to run on and do his bit to win the Hawks a spot in the Grand Final.

"I got a text at about 10 o'clock from 'Clarko' (coach Alastair Clarkson) saying I was playing," he said.

"And then I had a couple of hours to get ready, and I played.

"It was a bloody exciting game and I'm just glad that we won in the end.

"It was a bit of a surreal day, really."

Murphy has had to show patience and resilience this year.

After playing 19 or more games in each of the past three seasons, he has mostly been on the outer in 2012, making only six senior appearances.

He has done his best to remain upbeat and ready to go when called upon.

"Everyone wants to be playing AFL footy every week, and they want to be playing good AFL footy every week," he said.

"I've played a fair chunk of the year in the VFL, but I feel like I've applied myself as best I can.

"I feel like I'm as good a player [now] as I have been my whole career.

"When you're at a strong club, there's pressure for spots.

"All the guys that have been playing each week have been doing a good job.

"At the end of the day, it's our job. We're footballers, and we've just got to do our job.

"So you come to training, you train as hard as you can, play as hard as you can, and that's it.

"That's what I've tried to do."

If he is in Clarkson's 22 come Thursday night, there will be none more deserving of an opportunity to become a premiership player.

If he's not, he will know he has done his bit for the club's glory, and he'll be happy for his mates.

"This week I'll just prepare as if I'm playing, like I did yesterday morning," Murphy said.

"I'll be ready to go, and if you're playing you're playing, and if you're not, you're a well-prepared spectator.

"I was rapt for the boys in 2008.

"Personally I was a bit disappointed that I wasn't able to be in the 22, but I was over the moon.

"They're the guys you spend every day with; they're your best mates.

"It's important to the footy club that we won a premiership, and that's what we're trying to do this week."