COLLINGWOOD sides, coach Michael Malthouse noted, played their home-and-away season as they played finals, which mitigated against nerves and the need to significantly alter structure and style.

Which is not to say there is no change to personnel. In Saturday's win over Adelaide, the game style was the same but the order of those executing it slightly different. Most notably, Nick Maxwell played as an onball tagger, his first taste of life as a midfielder since juniors.

It was a surprising tactical move and one that worked. Maxwell lacks pace, but so does Cameron Ling, and he posseses a similar kamikaze determination to the cause.

In round 22, Malthouse shifted Shannon Cox high up to a wing and that was where he lined up again on Saturday.

On the other wing was Marty Clarke, who has played tagging roles when not playing exclusively in defence. In the early part of the season, he was tried on the ball but found himself being lost in play. Clarke was shifted back to defence where the simplicity of playing on someone who took him to the ball worked to the advantage of a player barely 12 months into learning the game.

The move to the wing might have been inspired by last year's finals when he excelled. The bigger stage, the faster and more certain ball movement appealed.

"I played a bit further up the ground, which I like a bit better because I have come from a background where I have played closer to the goals," Clarke said.

"For me to be able to help set up a few goals was enjoyable but it was a total team effort — the defenders were so tight and coped with the ball coming in because I know what it is like down there and I thought Josh Fraser and Leon Davis were just terrific."

Clarke found himself with several opportunities to break to goal. In the first he made the wrong choice when he decided not to take the kick and attempted to draw the opponent to handball over the top. It failed and the opportunity was lost. On the second occasion he was presented with a set shot 45 metres out at the non-scoring end with Collingwood only two goals ahead.

A player with little experience might have chosen to pass off, but Clarke was a playmaker back in Ireland and he has spoken of his determination to be the same in Australia.

"I think Leon Davis actually asked me was I all right. I know Leon is a beautiful kick, but it was more a matter of wasting some time and taking 30 seconds off the clock because we were in the lead. I was pretty confident of being able to get it," Clarke said.

Soon afterwards he ran inside 50 in a similar position, but this time found Paul Medhurst in a pocket. Medhurst converted.

Clarke is still learning to assess when to attack and when to share. It is a lesson Medhurst has also learnt in recent times. The forward, the only Collingwood player short-listed for all-Australian selection, has become a more valued player because he seeks to share more often. At times even to the point of being too selfless.

"It is full circle, isn't it," said Medhurst. "For me personally, being really cemented in the side has given me the scope to just think 100% team. I think when you are in and out of the side you tend to think — especially in the forward pocket — that you have to create something out of nothing. To hold your spot you probably think you need to make sure you get the goals, so I think knowing I am going to get a game every week, really I try my best to think about the team all the time. It's a bit of a compliment to think you are being too selfless.

"It was one of those games that you had to stick with what you know best and trust that the game will turn or that you will get some opportunities to either get a shot on goal yourself or set someone else up. Fortunately a few times in the second half I was in positions to attract the ball and we capitalised."

Understanding that those momentum shifts, such as occurred twice in Saturday's match, happen rapidly in football has been something in Clarke's education also.

"It's a momentum game because the ball is back in the centre after a goal is scored and teams get a run on and re-set all the time," said Clarke. "With other sports, for example gaelic or basketball, the team that just got scored against gains possession, but in Aussie rules it's contested again and teams get a run on.

"It was a very good win and I was pretty pleased because my family were all up early to watch it back home in Ireland. So my family will be pretty happy."