Knowing your opposition is one thing, knowing them better than they know themselves is another.

That’s the situation Nathan Grima might face if former team-mate, former housemate and best friend Hamish McIntosh plays forward on Friday night for Geelong.

The key defender acknowledges ‘Big Hank’ is a handy forward, but claims to know exactly how to get inside his head.

“I’ll probably just stir him up a little bit,” Grima joked.

“I’ve known him for a long time now so I’ve got a fair bit of dirt on him that I know I can get under his skin with, but he’s got the same on me. I might have to get into him about that goal he missed after the siren a couple of years ago, I know that one still sits pretty uneasy with him.”

Grima will make his return from injury in the Roos’ final practice match and McIntosh will be playing his second game in two years since leaving Arden Street at the end of 2012.

“He was over at my place on Wednesday night having a feed and we were having a laugh at how I might play on him,” Grima explained.

“We have both had a few injury concerns over recent times so the chance of it happening looked pretty slim in the past but hopefully now we can cross paths and I can get stuck into the big boy.

“Personally, I’m just happy to see him back playing, but once we’re on the field I would obviously love to get the bragging rights over the big fella.”
Despite their respective injury concerns, neither will be taking it easy.

“I know he’s a little underdone, so he’s probably one bloke I could run off,” Grima said laughing.

“Yeah, I might try and expose the big fella the other way but he’ll understand why. If the ball comes in long and high he would obviously have the advantage in the end since he’s such a big man.

“All jokes aside, you never want a see an opposition player go too well, but he’s one guy who deserves a bit of luck. When we play on each other, we’ll be 100 per cent at each other, there’s no doubt about that.

“I’d love to see him go well, but not at the expense of North Melbourne or me.”

The significance of the situation not lost on the 28-year-old.

“I guess, you do play on guys you know in the league quite often, but not very often do you play on your best mate. Him and I are both pressing hard to try make ourselves available for Round 1…so someone will be pretty happy strutting around post-game on Friday night, whereas the other one might feel a bit sick in the tummy I think.

“Hopefully he spends most of his time in the ruck and we get a good win over the Cats.”