After Collingwood's shock seven-point loss to Gold Coast last year, coach Nathan Buckley admitted it had been a mistake not tagging Gary Ablett.
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The Suns maestro had 49 disposals, including two goals, that night.
Buckley's rationale was that Ablett had claimed a career-high 53 possessions a year earlier when the teams met but, on that occasion, the Magpies had won by 97 points.
It was clear on Tuesday he had learnt his lesson.
"I dare say that if you could try to affect some of his possessions you are probably going to be better off," he said. "He would be our No.1 target."
But that doesn't mean he will be curbed. The job of attempting to do what seems almost impossible will go to tagger Brent Macaffer, who has several scalps this season. Ablett, though, is in a league of his own.
"My belief is that Gary Ablett jnr is the best player in the competition. I think that is a pretty widely held belief," Buckley said.
"So ... he stands out as a tag target or as someone that you are mindful of stopping."
While Ablett may be Gold Coast's primary midfield weapon, what has morphed the Suns into a legitimate finals contender has been the development of the likes of David Swallow, Harley Bennell, Dion Prestia and Jaeger O'Meara. Then there are the likes of Michael Rischitelli, Trent McKenzie and Jarrod Harbrow.
"They have got weapons all over the field, so, no, Ablett is not the only one that we look at,'' Buckley said.
''He is one that we consider, but he is just one of their mix who has troubled a lot of sides and will continue to trouble a lot of sides, so it is not going to be just that match-up that is going to be important for us.
''It's how we handle our team footy versus the Suns' team football, and we need to do that better than they do to get the result."
The Suns have dropped only two matches at home this season - against Sydney and Hawthorn.
"We're under no illusions about the quality of the side we are facing,'' Buckley said. "We know that they love their home ground and that they play it particularly well.''
Collingwood will be without its leading goalkicker Jamie Elliott, who has hamstring tightness, while Nick Maxwell is expected to return but it's unclear whether that is through the VFL or in the seniors.
