IF Collingwood feels it needs to make a statement against Geelong in Saturday night's top-of-the-table blockbuster at the MCG to enhance its premiership aspirations, recent history suggests that may not be the case. And former Geelong captain Tom Harley has the premiership medals to prove it.

While the Magpie army could argue it needs to end a three-game skid against the Cats, if for no other reason than to smash any psychological barrier, it far from guarantees a winning result should the teams, as expected, meet next month in the finals.

In fact, the opposite could well be argued. In the last three years, when the eventual grand finalists met for the last time in the home-and-away season, the team that won would ultimately miss out on the major prize.

Last year, St Kilda defeated Harley's Cats in their Round 14 showdown at Etihad Stadium but was humbled by two goals in the grand final. A year earlier, the Cats edged Hawthorn by 11 points in Round 17, only to be thumped in the grand final. In 2007, Port Adelaide conjured a stunning five-point win at Geelong in Round 21, but was to be mauled by a record losing margin in the grand final.

Harley, now a respected television commentator, says this Saturday's clash gives both sides the chance to make a "statement" late in the season. No doubt, that primarily refers to the Magpies, who were crunched by 36 points and conceded the last eight goals of the match when they last met in Round 9.

"It gives you a bit of familiarity about teams that you are going to play later on in the year, in the next six or seven weeks," Harley said.

"I think sides can make statements against sides in the top four or five. I think that's really important."

But he was quick to argue that "the message is not about the result".

"Whoever wins on Saturday night, I am sure the punters and footy public will install them as premiership favourites, whereas from a coaching point of view and players' point of view, it's more about how you go and play," he said.

"If one of the sides wins by a kick, it doesn't necessarily mean, ah, gee, that is great result. I think the really good clubs these days are more concerned about how the game is played, rather than the end result.

"These two sides you would assume are going to finish in the top four unless the wheels really fall off. Given that the top four are probably going to be Victorian teams, it doesn't really matter where you finish. It's about how you are playing."

Harley, a dual premiership skipper before retiring last year, cites that defeat against the Power in 2007 as an example.

"I know we lost that game to Port but we didn't think:  â€˜Geez, Port beat us by five points, we are petrified of them'," he said.

"Maybe Port got a bit of confidence about the fact they beat us but obviously when you get to the finals, every game is a big game, you can't necessarily afford to look back."

Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse last week argued that playing traditional rivals Carlton was now no bigger, or more important, than facing any other team as the national competition was no longer a "suburban brawl".

But what he historically argues is that the marquee games of the home-and-away rounds - for instance this week's clash - are critically important for allowing him to analyse just which players can handle the finals-like cauldron.

"It gives you a good opportunity to look at match-ups and how you are going to stack up, and those sorts of things. That's probably what Mick is getting at, about the individual stuff," Harley says.

"You might find an angle or a way to exploit a team which you didn't think was there prior to that, whether it was a match-up or whatever."

Western Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade shares the same philosophy. The Bulldogs have suddenly rediscovered their bite since sacking controversial star Jason Akermanis, and have what looms as a "statement" game of their own against the Cats in Round 20.

"They have been the benchmark for three or four years now. Them and Collingwood are the two stand-out teams, so obviously playing against those teams gives you a test," Eade says.

"But I don't think winning or losing that game is going to affect too much what happens in September. It will be more about some individuals we can make assessments on about playing against very good teams."

For those supporters who somewhat could be confused with the modern process-driven mantra from clubs that claiming the four premiership points isn't necessarily the ultimate goal, rest assured, the Magpies and Cats want just that if either is to hold top spot once Round 19 is complete.

"Collingwood as a club would no doubt love to beat Geelong, but no more than Geelong would love to beat Collingwood because they are competitors," Harley says.

Let the competition begin.