Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse dismissed claims of pressure from Port Adelaide counterpart Mark Williams, saying his AFL rival was 12 months behind the times.

Williams' comment that the pressure was on the Magpies and Malthouse's pointed response opened an intense buildup to Saturday's preliminary final at the MCG.

Malthouse gleefully warned the Magpie "army" would give Port a fearsome reception and said Port could not take a "nothing to lose" approach into the game because a grand final was at stake.

The MCG will be sold out for the match between two of Australian sport's most famous clubs, who have built a fierce rivalry since Port joined the AFL seven years ago.

"He's a year late, isn't he, for trying to stir things up?" Malthouse said

"I think it's been done, you've just got to get on with playing the game.

"A slinging match through the media achieves very little unless you listen, unless you really listen deeply.

"I think if he's worrying about my comments last year and tries to counter them this year, well, that's up to Mark."

Malthouse was referring to the buildup to last year's Port-Collingwood qualifying final, when he piled the pressure on the Adelaide team.

The Magpies then scored a shock win over Port on the way to a grand final berth.

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