Collingwood are bracing for a bruising encounter with a GWS side that has added physicality to finesse during an impressive AFL finals run.

Determined to go all the way in their fourth straight September campaign, the Giants have leveraged an uncompromising brand of football to victories over Brisbane and the Western Bulldogs.

The Giants will start underdogs in Saturday’s preliminary final at the MCG, where they have managed just three wins from 18 games and will need to overcome the loss of at least one and potentially two of their leading players

Lachie Whitfield is out after having appendix surgery on Wednesday and suspended firebrand Toby Greene’s hopes of playing rest upon a successful appeal.

Either way, Leon Cameron’s men won’t be shrinking violets.

Magpies enforcer Brayden Maynard says the Giants’ aggression in recent weeks has made them almost unrecognisable from previous meetings.

“The competitiveness and the aggression they’ve brought this finals, you definitely didn’t see it during the year,” Maynard told AAP.

“I reckon it’s something they’ve definitely addressed at the start of each game coming into finals.

“They’ve got nothing to lose really, and they’ve been in the finals for quite a few years now but just haven’t been able to make it.

“This year they want to go all the way obviously so they’ve had to bring something to their game. They’re playing some seriously good footy.”

While giving little away about a potential match-up on Greene, Maynard – himself no stranger to playing on the edge – said the key for the Magpies was to match the Giants’ physicality while ensuring they did so in a smart manner.

“I’ve noticed that they are getting a little bit niggly,” he said.

“They’ve copped a few fines such as Toby’s. Personally, I like seeing blokes play on the edge but there is a line and sometimes some people do go over it.

“In the moment, it’s hard not to. But it’s just being able to control the tempers because you do not want to get suspended in finals. They’re such big games and that’s what you want to play for.

“And you can’t retaliate because the retaliators get caught.”