DEFENDER Harry O'Brien says Collingwood can draw upon its insatiable will to win as the club chases its first back-to-back premierships in 75 years.
The Magpies have not won consecutive flags since 1935-36 and for a time looked to have squandered their chance to book a second straight Grand Final berth in Friday's epic preliminary final against Hawthorn.
But as O'Brien acknowledged after the three-point come-from-behind victory, belief is often the most important ingredient in finals.
"A Grand Final is a Grand Final and we know that in elite sport, anything can happen," he said.
"But if we can just cultivate the heart that we showed in that last quarter, and bring it for four quarters, we will give ourselves the best shot at it.
"We know that the guys can improve on that (performance). Maybe it was a little like last year's Grand Final (draw) when we had so many guys down, but we still found a way.
"We have cemented a spot in the Grand Final now, that's all that matters."
Hawthorn's swarm of pressure and precision around the ground - but less so in front of goal - for three and a half quarters pushed Collingwood to the limit.
The Magpies seemed to play with less flow than normal. As a result, they were often left fumbling, second-guessing and lacking their trademark polish.
In front at every change, the Hawks pushed their lead to 21 points early in the third term before the Pies rallied.
Still, when Lance Franklin kicked an extraordinary goal at the 23-minute-mark of the last term to reclaim the lead for Hawthorn, only a massive collective effort was going to get it back.
A goal to Luke Ball - left inexplicably on his own at a stoppage two minutes later - proved the match-winner.
O'Brien said credit needed to go to Hawthorn for the manner in which they applied pressure for the majority of the night.
But he insisted several efforts from his teammates in the pulsating final term had significant impact on the result, which could so easily have gone the other way but for some inaccuracy and some late-game Hawk tiredness.
"Chris Tarrant was outstanding," O'Brien said. "You could tell what his focus was. He wants to win a premiership. Playing down back with those blokes ... I trust them with my life."
He said the move of All-Australian defender Leon Davis to attack, where he booted a critical last-term goal, also worked well.
"(Leon) has had so many critics about his finals performances and his last two finals have been outstanding," O'Brien said.
"He really did give us some essential ingredients to help us win the match."
He praised Ball's capacity to just keep giving: "I am so grateful for Luke Ball ... he is extraordinary. He is another person who some people wrote off and he epitomised what we needed to do in the last quarter."
And after a first half restricted to only six touches, and a rare below-par performance, Dale Thomas turned in what could have been the game-saving tackle in the dying seconds when Cyril Rioli looked set to stream forward.
"We know how much heart Dale has," O'Brien said. "That (effort) epitomised our final quarter, in just finding a way."
O'Brien said he could understand Mick Malthouse's emotion at the end of a draining contest, ensuring that
Malthouse will bow out as Collingwood senior coach in a Grand Final, and with possibly a fourth premiership as coach.
"He is human - everyone shows emotion," he said.
"It is not about one individual, and Mick is the first one to say that.
"(Winning the Grand Final) means so much to us all collectively because we have all worked so bloody hard during the year."
DALE "Daisy" Thomas shapes as the X-factor in terms of match-ups at the MCG tonight, with Hawthorn first-year find Isaac Smith shaping as the potential wildcard.
The question of who to play on Thomas would have occupied plenty of Hawthorn's planning at selection this week, given Thomas has rare athletic and playing gifts.
Former Western Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade acknowledges Thomas (185cm) as the nightmare match-up and nominated an unlikely candidate for consideration.
"The player with the physical attributes to play on him is Smith. He's tall (188cm) and quick, but is he defensively experienced enough?" Eade said.
"You need someone who can really run because Thomas works so hard. Smith can obviously run. We played Dylan Addison on Thomas who matched up with him athletically.
"Chance Bateman can also run, but Thomas would very quickly take him deep into Collingwood's forward line, which would cause Bateman (175cm) problems in the air.
"Paul Puopolo (173cm) is a good defender, but not strong enough in the air for Thomas.
"Grant Birchall (193cm) is the other obvious candidate.
"He has played on a wing before and done well but they may not want to move him out of defence.
"So you would look seriously at Smith, who could also hurt Thomas the other way as he showed early in the first final against Geelong."
Thomas is part of arguably the best midfield trio in the game, along with Dane Swan and Scott Pendlebury.
So what happens with the other two?
Eade believes Swan won't attract a run-with player.
"Hawthorn will most likely rely on the team defence mentality for Swan," Eade said. "In fact, they may even allow Swan and Thomas to get their possessions in the back half and midfield.
"Pendlebury is different because of his elite work around stoppages. Expect a double team of Brad Sewell and Jordan Lewis to rotate off him."
Sewell and Lewis were employed in that role in Round 22 on Chris Judd when Hawthorn beat Carlton. Judd had two disposals on Lewis in 35 minutes and five on Sewell in 28 minutes.
WHEN Collingwood's succession plan to replace Mick Malthouse with Nathan Buckley was hatched two years ago, the question, then whimsical, was asked: How would be if the Pies won back-to-back premierships?
