COLLINGWOOD coach Craig McRae expects a far stronger response from Nick Daicos' teammates if the star midfielder is tagged in the high-stakes clash with Melbourne.
The Magpies can lock in a top-four spot with a win at the MCG on Friday night, but are wary of a Demons outfit that pushed them all the way in their previous encounter.
Ed Langdon, the Demons' premiership wingman, raised eyebrows in a tagging role in the King's Birthday match with close-checking tactics that frustrated Daicos and sparked several spot fires.
In the aftermath, McRae conceded Langdon won the duel and implored his players to better support Daicos, who again looms as a central figure.
"I wasn't happy with how we looked after Nick and the AFL world put a spotlight on that," McRae said.
"We went to work on what that looked like.
"He hasn't been tagged for a few weeks, Nick, but we're well aware of what that was and what it could be."
Langdon wore Daicos like a glove and almost helped Melbourne to a huge upset, as the Magpies escaped with a one-point win.
The struggling Demons have since sacked coach Simon Goodwin, but Collingwood won't be surprised if caretaker Troy Chaplin asks Langdon to reprise his negating role against their prime ball-winner.
"We anticipate yes but then there's the reality you've got to be ready for whatever," McRae said.
"We'll have plans in place if it's happening and we'll try to exploit it if it's not, which we do most weeks."
Collingwood sat on top of the ladder for 11 consecutive weeks but has now won just one of its last six matches.
A horror loss to Hawthorn in round 22 cast huge doubts over their premiership credentials.
But McRae was buoyed by an improved showing last week against new ladder leaders Adelaide, despite the Magpies failing to cash in on a landslide inside-50 count (71-37).
"We had a really poor performance (against Hawthorn) which we stood in and accepted wasn't good enough for our fans or for us, and we turned some things around," McRae said.
"There's an energy inside the building that we took a big shift forward last week.
"Although the four points didn't come with us, our pressure was back and our fight was back and our system was there to be seen."