AFL legend Leigh Matthews has played down the MCG factor in determining the outcome of the grand final between Collingwood and the Brisbane Lions.
The Magpies will start as favourites for Saturday's decider, mainly due to the game taking place at the venue where Collingwood have played 16 times this season.
In comparison, Brisbane have lost their only two matches at the MCG this season, and their record at the ground during Chris Fagan's coaching tenure is diabolical.
Since Fagan became coach ahead of the 2017 season, the Lions' only win in 12 attempts at the MCG was a famous triumph over Melbourne in last year's semi-final.
But the Demons gained some revenge for that defeat by storming home from four goals down midway through the final quarter in round 18 this season to sink the Lions in a one-point thriller.
Matthews led the Lions to three-straight premierships from 2001 to 2003, with two of those grand final wins coming over Collingwood.
An eight-time premiership winner as a player and coach, the 71-year-old believes the influence of corporates and other supporters made for a different atmosphere at the MCG in finals compared to other matches.
"I always think the MCG on grand final day is fairly neutral," Matthews, who also coached Collingwood to the 1990 AFL premiership, said.
"I know it's Collingwood home's ground and they play here all the time, but even then it's a sort of more neutral venue (on grand final day) than all the other grounds in the country.
"You've got to play well here, Collingwood play well here, they've been here a lot and the Lions don't play here (often).
"All those things are variables that we can we can talk about, and the fact that you've got to come to Melbourne to play at the MCG and win a premiership is the basic reality of the sport."
Star Collingwood veteran Steele Sidebottom argued the parochial Magpies crowd could help sway the momentum in the Victorian club's favour.
"When we get our tails up and the crowd get involved, I could imagine it's intimidating for opposition clubs to come and play against," the 2010 premiership player said.
"We need to use that to our advantage. The last two games we've started the game well and that'll be our plan again on Saturday."
West Coast over Collingwood in 2018 are the only non-Victorian club since Sydney in 2012 to have won a grand final at the MCG.
