Adelaide winger David Mackay has a simple answer for how the Crows can guarantee victory over Collingwood in Saturday night's AFL semi-final at the MCG.

Run, run, run.

Mackay's combination of speed and skill has made him a vital component of the Crows' line-up over the past two seasons, and he is convinced that the victors on Saturday will be the side that slackens least in the running stakes - and makes the most of its chances.

"We've just got to be really diligent with our work-rate this week," Mackay told AAP.

"They're a team that loves to run hard and something they pride themselves on, as with us, our fitness base and being able to run games out so it's something we're going to have to be able to match them in or better them in.

"Last time we also had a lot of the footy but just couldn't use it going forward.

"If we just improve our work-rate and improve our entries into the forward 50m zone it'll go a long way to us getting a good result."

Adelaide's fitness base is universally regarded as one of the best in the league, providing well-founded confidence across the team's present four-game hot streak.

"We certainly back our fitness in and with all the work we've done we know we're going to be running pretty strong in the last quarter," Mackay said.

"So if we're in the game at quarter-time or half-time we know we're going to finish it strong and be a good chance."

But in round 19 it was the Magpies who ran the game out stronger on their way to a 21-point win, leaving Mackay understandably mindful of the need to run both ways for four quarters.

Last year Collingwood stormed the AAMI Stadium fortress to record an elimination final win over Adelaide, though not before Mackay wowed the crowd with a bounding run that set-up and then finished off a blistering path to goal in the second quarter.

He has done more of that in 2009, and shapes as a key contributor on the MCG's wide expanses.

"It (speed) is probably something I've got to bring to the team," he said.

"I'd love to be an allround player and do everything, and that's something everyone in the team strives to be, really good at every area.

"But when you've got a strength that can help the team you've got to be able to exploit it."

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