Last year's AFL grand final defeat will hold Collingwood players in good stead this season, coach Mick Malthouse said.

Speaking ahead of Friday night's season opener against Richmond, Malthouse said the nine-point loss to Brisbane in the 2002 decider gave his players extra incentive to play in more finals.

"We've tasted the bitterness of defeat but that doesn't guarantee any more points," he said.

"It makes us more aware of how hard it is, it makes us envious of sides that will perhaps be in a better position than us during the year."

Seventeen players on Collingwood's list made their finals debut last year, with utility Glenn Freeborn still the only Magpie to have played in a premiership side, with the Kangaroos in 1996.

Malthouse said his men - including recruit Shane Woewodin, who played in Melbourne's grand final loss to Essendon in 2000 - still burned to go one further.

"We've got to be very careful in summing up and saying you need to taste defeat before you can get victory," Malthouse said.

"We can't judge that until we conclude this season, but I would say that we should be better (from) last year than what we were because of that experience factor."

Malthouse also earmarked captain Nathan Buckley for a change of roles this season, promising he would spend more time on the half-forward line.

Buckley was a revelation in the Wizard Cup semi-final against Geelong where his long, accurate kicking made him a match-winning forward.

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