Spoiling Jarryd Roughead: There are few better buzzes than keeping Hawthorn away from the hive. Credit:Getty Images The dominant leader, the queen bee, is surrounded and protected by an army of selfless workers. Some hunt for nectar to be churned into honey, others safeguard the hive with ferocity and valour. Bees work incredibly hard in whatever role they play. The social chemistry of a bee colony is a pretty good blueprint for the success of any team within sport. Work hard, know what you need to do then go out and get it done. Saturday night's battle presents a great opportunity to play like bees. The nectar comes in the form of a Sherrin, the hive two tall white posts, the queen bee symbolises the team, while the honey is four valuable points. I am graced with the role of protecting the "hive" against enemy threat, and tonight that threat comes in the form of a flock of hungry birds - Hawks to be exact. Our colony is made up of "bees" of varying ages and experience. Some bear the scars of battles gone by, while others are fresh-faced and new to this peril of the powerful brown-and-gold bird. Diligence to the task by all will be necessary to keep the hive intact.

Our recent clashes with Hawthorn have been wonderful games to be involved in. Shifts in momentum and energy within these encounters enlighten your senses. The thud of your heart and tingle in your fingers colourise your reality. You could say you almost feel as though you're buzzing. There is no better place than standing toe-to-toe with an opponent at the entrance to the hive. The sounds of nature scream and shout from every direction. A wrong move could jeopardise the fruits of your labour. You just have to give it all of the "sting" you've got. Ross Lyon said recently that we are in "the business of entertaining". Cats versus Hawks - that's entertainment. I grew up on a farm where our income came from flowers, fruit and vegetables. Bees were vital to our way of life. I was stung on my fair share of occasions during failed attempts to thieve their sweet, golden honey, learning some valuable lessons in the process. Those bees knew how to protect their hive, and as the Cats run out on Saturday night I will reflect on those lessons of tenacity and persistence that the bees taught me and try to use the same traits to protect our hive against the Hawks.