Carlton coach Brett Ratten wants the Blues to show no mercy after making a flying start to the AFL season.

Unbeaten after two rounds and with a percentage above 200, they face an acid test against reigning premiers Collingwood at the MCG on Friday night.

Ratten said on Wednesday the Blues' major problem in recent years had been easing off.

"There have been elements that we haven't pushed it to the nth degree," Ratten said on Wednesday.

"It's a great challenge for us to make sure that we are a little bit more ruthless."

With that in mind, Ratten demanded the Blues maintain the rage until the final siren against new boys Gold Coast last weekend, an attitude which was rewarded with a 119-point victory.

"There's no doubt we got off to a great start last week but we were challenging the group every quarter about not taking their foot off the pedal and that's something we haven't done in recent years.

"We've had some good wins but we've fallen away in some of our games and even in the (round one) Richmond game, we had the third quarter when they came back," Ratten said.

"That's something we need to get better at - while we have this opportunity to be in front we need to keep pushing on."

He admitted, though, the young Suns would probably have been over-awed and confused.

"The Gold Coast team probably ran their race emotionally. The build-up ... you can play your game before you've actually played it and I think some of those kids did."

But the major examination comes against the Magpies.

"I think it will be a real test. Collingwood have lost only one match since May last year," said Ratten.

"For our group it will be a great time to challenge ourselves.

"We've had two weeks and we've met some challenges that we've sort of been tested in but this is the ultimate test in footy at the moment."

Ratten said that predictably the match will come down to a midfield battle.

"I think if you break it down just to clearances, we're first at clearances and Collingwood are second and with scoring Collingwood are first and we're second.

"So clearances will have a big say.

"What Collingwood have done is keep the ball in their forward 50 or forward part of the ground longer than anyone in the competition for the last 12 months.

"And it's started that way this year, so it will be a really big thing for us to win the clearances.

"Our skipper (Chris Judd) and one of the best clearance players in the competition will be there so we could have a fair say.

"But the blokes that Collingwood have got in there - (Scott) Pendlebury, (Dane) Swan, (Luke) Ball - they're elite in that area of their game."

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