PETER Knights knows all about the heartbreak of missing a Grand Final.
The Hawthorn champion had to watch the 1971 decider, in which the Hawks defeated St Kilda by seven points, from the stands after injuring his knee during the second semi-final.
"I missed out after playing every game that year," Knights said on Wednesday.
"No matter how many times people say, 'Knightsy, you were a part of it. You helped them get there,' deep down you're not a part of it.
"That's what you play for: to play in Grand Finals and play in premierships."
That experience means Knights has great empathy with the situation faced by Hawthorn defender Brent Guerra, who will be kept on the sidelines this weekend by the hamstring strain he suffered against West Coast in round 23.
Although he was expected to try to prove his fitness for the big game, Guerra ruled himself out of Grand Final calculations on Monday.
"He's put his hand up and it takes a lot of courage to do that," Knights added.
"He's going to be deep down really, really, really sad. He'll support all of the players - he's such a great team man.
"He'll do that outwardly, but inwardly he'll be hurting."
Graham Arthur, who captained Hawthorn to the 1961 premiership, also empathised with Guerra's situation.
"Back in my day, in '61, we left Roy Simmonds out. 'Simmo' was a 200-game player and just wanted to play in a Grand Final and play in a premiership side," Arthur recalled.
"It seems to pop up every year that there is somebody very disappointed."
Champion midfielder Shane Crawford, who overcame a knee problem in time to play in the 2008 finals series, has praised Guerra's decision to rule himself out of contention early in the week.
"The players need to know that they can get out and perform really well and consistently right throughout four quarters," Crawford said.
"If you can’t you're going to let the side down and you're thinking about yourself too much.
"It's a tough week for selection and it's a tough week for players.
"It breaks a lot of players' hearts, not being a part of it, but that's the way footy works."
Adam McNicol is an AFL Media reporter. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_AdamMcNicol
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