Key defender Michael Jamison admitted the 119-point defeat of Gold Coast in round two wasn't the best tune-up for the task, as the Suns' game plan little resembled Collingwood's.
However he said the Blues had trained to neutralise the forward press throughout the pre-season - "and we'll see how well we practised that on Friday night.
"It's a good challenge but it is round three. If things don't go to plan then we've got the rest of the season to work on it, but we're pretty confident."
Jamison returns from suspension for the top-of-the-table clash, and his availability for selection could not be more timely.
The first-choice full-back will be assigned a pivotal task in curbing either Chris Dawes or Travis Cloke, with both Pies' big men in fine touch, but his role in marshalling the Blues' defensive unit will be just as crucial to the match outcome.
Collingwood's ability to lock the ball in its front half confounded all comers in the NAB Cup and the first two games of the season, but Jamison says maintaining a cool head will be the key to unlocking the stifling press.
"If you panic it plays into their hands and you seem to kick it down their throats a fair bit. We just need to stay composed and be poised with the football," he said after the Blues' training session at Visy Park on Thursday.
"A lot of it is perceived pressure, sometimes the pressure is just not there, so we [need to] just take our time and work the ball through."
Friday night's blockbuster will be the first real test of the season for the reigning premiers, who have demolished Port Adelaide and North Melbourne in the past fortnight.
Magpies' onballers Dane Swan and Scott Pendlebury torched the Kangaroos for 40 and 39 possessions respectively in last Sunday's 87-point hiding.
The Blues are unlikely to give the star duo the same latitude on Friday, but even so it appears a hard tag on either player is unlikely.
"I think if you leave it up to one guy then that's when you get into trouble," Jamison said.
"So our full midfield is really going to have to work well together. If we've got the ball in our hands and make them defend us it goes a long way as well."
Jamison will play his first game of the season after receiving a two-match ban for a high bump on Adelaide's Ricky Henderson during a practice game.
He admitted his frustration at watching his teammates from the sidelines, but added he had put his time off to good use in studying the form of both Dawes and Cloke closely with an eye on round three.
Michael Jamison is a $170,100 defender in the Toyota AFL Dream Team competition
