A WEEK after hosting one of the blockbusters of the season, the MCG will again be the scene of a Friday night match-up to savour, with the high-flying Hawks set to do battle with the Magpies.

Third-placed Hawthorn will be stung by the loss to the Cats in that much-hyped clash, while Mick Malthouse's men have shown an uncanny ability to get themselves up for the big occasion in recent times.

The Magpies' coach is optimistic ahead of the match, but admits the dual threat of Lance Franklin and Jarryd Roughead will be tough to counter.    

"When you look at those two blokes, one's leading the goal kicking and one's coming [sixth], so you can see that they're quality players. It doesn't matter which side they play, they are going to have their hands full," Malthouse said.

"They're great athletes; they can mark and they can kick and they're reasonably quick and they're very strong. So I don't think it's just a matter of whether Collingwood can match up on them, it's [whether] any side can.

"[But] we go into every game confident; I'm a coach who thinks we can win every game."

Hawks coach Alastair Clarkson will not be taking the Pies lightly, despite disappointing losses to North Melbourne and Essendon in the past fortnight.
  
"I haven't read much into Collingwood's form over the course of the year. All I can go by is the games that we've played against them, and they've always been a really fierce contest," Clarkson said.
 
"We don't expect anything different [on Friday] night against Collingwood.
 
"They'll obviously be disappointed with their last two performances and they know they need to get a win to get their season back on track.
 
"But we've lost our last two as well and we're in exactly the same boat, so I imagine both sides would be going pretty hard, just like they did in the contest last Friday night."

While acknowledging the quality of Hawthorn's forward line, Malthouse said reducing the supply would likely be the defining factor in the match.

"Hawthorn are a side that [will hurt you] if you give them the footy," he said.

"Luke Hodge is a very good ball-getting player, Sam Mitchell is an outstanding ball-getting player, Brad Sewell is in good form, their wingers are in good form and their ruckman are very adequate.
 
"So if they get the football they're going to give those players [Franklin and Roughead] the opportunity; we've just got to make sure we don't give them the opportunity."

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