The Pies are red-hot, and the Saints will be looking to douse their run on Saturday.

Nathan Buckley’s men have been in ominous form and are fast firming as early flag favourites following their almost-fairytale 2018.

Now gunning for six wins on the trot, the Magpies have shown no signs of slowing down.

It’s an old footballing cliché that it all “starts from the middle”.

And Collingwood have been no exception, with Brodie Grundy the catalyst for the Magpies’ sheer dominance through the midfield.

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Often likened as a fourth midfielder to the already-stellar on-ball attack, Grundy’s ability to cover the ground and assert his influence over the contest has revitalised the role of the ruckman competition-wide.

St Kilda have taken note, with Rowan Marshall’s athleticism and mobility set to be put to use against his prolific counterpart, who leads the Magpies for clearances (42) and averages just shy of 40 hit-outs per game.

It’s given the likes of Scott Pendlebury even more time and space to execute his trademark precision, while Adam Treloar has found himself racking up plenty of footy in what is shaping as a career-best season.

Both have found themselves leading the Magpies’ inside-50 count (49 and 35 respectively), while Steele Sidebottom has been nothing short of elite with his efficiency by foot and outside play.

Stemming the Magpies from the source and taking away their strong marking game – driven largely by Sidebottom – will be pivotal for the Saints.

While Collingwood will be buoyed by the return of Dayne Beams, the on-ball entourage of acting skipper Seb Ross, Jack Steele and Luke Dunstan will be up for the occasion.

Headlining the Round 9 selection has been the inclusion of Robbie Young, who comes into the senior side after an impressive patch of form for Sandringham.

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Much like the injured Jack Lonie, Young’s figures on paper haven’t leapt off the page, with the North Adelaide recruit averaging 10 disposals and four tackles per game for the Zebras.

But what the numbers don’t tell is the mature-age recruit’s harrowing forward pressure, ability to pinch-hit through the midfield and dizzying pace, all of which have served as the barometer for Sandringham’s runs of momentum on the scoreboard.

The combination of Young and Matty Parker looms as the ultimate recipe for a pressure-driven attack, with the duo’s unrelenting hunt set to complement the competitiveness of Josh Bruce, who will line up for his 100^th game on the weekend.

With Tim Membrey and Dean Kent also in the fray, the Magpies will have to play their cards right to combat the St Kilda forward line.

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Collingwood’s defence has been characterised by its offence, and through the aggressive rebounds of Brayden Maynard and Jack Crisp, it will make penetrating the forward 50m an exceptionally difficult task.

Darcy Moore has stood up to become the highlight of the injury-plagued defence, with the forward-turned-defender boasting exceptional vision, intercept skills and a rebounding flair which stands out amongst the best in the competition.

But St Kilda's own Josh Battle has similarly flourished, the 20-year-old fast becoming a focal point for the Saints’ defence.

Josh Battle's move to the backline has been a masterstroke.

St Kilda’s backline will be down another key player, with Jimmy Webster the latest defender to miss time through injury.

But the defensive stocks will be covered by the return of Jonathon Marsh, who will line up down back against his former side.

Marsh’s spring off half-back, intercepting abilities and on-field leadership qualities aren’t too dissimilar from that of Webster, with the Saints recruit racking up 26 disposals and 13 marks in last week’s VFL outing against the Magpies.

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The absences Jamie Elliott, Mason Cox and potentially Jordan De Goey will give the backline some reprieve, but the Pies’ efficiency when moving inside 50m (54%, the equal-best in the league) and swarming small forwards will prove more than a handful.

But it may give milestone man Shane Savage additional space to spark the Saints from the half-back line.

The soon-to-be-150-gamer's form has gone largely unnoticed by the wider AFL community, save for his remarkable Goal of the Year contender last week.

Both sides are down key players and are a long way off full strength line-ups.

But it won’t stop the two old rivals from putting on an absolute spectacle at the home of football.