Josh Dunkley doesn't mind whether he's handling Jordan De Goey or Nick Daicos at the opening bounce on AFL grand final day.
The Brisbane Lions stopper has a plan for both - and he's done his homework on a few other Collingwood midfielders for good measure.
"I love playing on the best players in the comp and that's been my role not only this year but in the years past as well," Dunkley said on Friday.
"Whether that's Jordy or Nick, or whoever it might be tomorrow, I look forward to that challenge.
"Even this morning I was checking out a few of their players. Trying to use my strengths against theirs and make them more accountable at times and do little things that might help help us as a team.
"There's probably four or five amongst their team that have either (torn) us up in the previous games or we look at them right now and think that they might be a chance to dominate it at any particular stage."
Dunkley, 26, is fresh off restricting Carlton skipper Patrick Cripps to 13 touches in the preliminary final.
De Goey, who was best on ground in Collingwood's preliminary final against Greater Western Sydney, and Daicos are explosive out of stoppages, posing a different challenge to Carlton's tall inside midfield beast.
"You've got to use your strengths against theirs ... I like to be physical," he said.
"That might help me, might help them - who knows? We'll wait and see tomorrow."
Dunkley won the 2016 premiership as a first-year with the Western Bulldogs and played in a losing grand final team in 2021.
The Lions' boom midfield recruit, who was granted a trade move from the Bulldogs last year, admitted he'd not expected a grand final appearance to come in his first season at Brisbane.
"Finals was probably on the mind but not grand finals," he said.
"It's an added bonus for me and the group."
