As Grand Final fever sweeps over the nation attention is firmly focused on which team will take home the flag for the 2014 season.

While not in contention for this year’s premiership, St Kilda midfielder Leigh Montagna gave his insights into how the players will be feeling ahead of the 2014 Toyota AFL Grand Final.

“Today is the most exciting day for a player in Grand Final week because you know you’ve got the Grand Final parade, you’re still not quite as nervous as you will be tomorrow so you’re a little bit relaxed,” Montagna told Melbourne radio on Friday morning.

“It’s a very exciting day because tomorrow you wake up and struggle to eat breakfast and it’s always tougher.”

Montagna, who played in three Grand Finals over 2009 and 2010, said he will be watching closely with envy.

“I love footy and I’ll be watching the Grand Final as close as anyone but as soon as the team that wins get the trophy presented and the confetti goes off, I still get tingles, a few goose bumps and get a bit jealous.”

Former St Kilda teammate Ben McEvoy will run out in the brown and gold on Saturday after being recalled to play his first senior game since round 21 for the Hawks.

Montagna said it was important players remember to make every moment count in the fast-paced decider.

“Because the intensity is so high, you don’t actually ever recover from your breath.  The first 15 minutes is mayhem and your trying to catch your breath for the rest of the game so it’s really important for guys to have a bit of composure and relax into the game,” he said.

“That’s why these two teams are so good, they’re both mature enough that they’ll ease into the game and the key during the game is to take the opportunities.

“We can talk about forward lines, midfields, who has the better form but at the end of the day it’s going to come down to kicking goals at the right time, a contest here and there, a contest one-on-one and that’s what makes Grand Final day so good, it’s just going to come down to little moments throughout the game that add up to being the best day of their lives so that’s why players are on edge because every moment counts.”

Retired St Kilda great Lenny Hayes will take part in a pre-game motorcade before Sydney and Hawthorn face off in the Grand Final at 2.30pm.