Contrary to popular opinion, Chris Tarrant insists he doesn't have a long history of success against Hawthorn AFL superstar Lance Franklin.

As it happens, the reborn Collingwood defender has only squared off twice against the Coleman medallist.

That number of one-on-one duels is almost certain to increase to three in Friday's AFL preliminary final at the MCG.

In the first year of his second stint at Collingwood - punctuated by four years at Fremantle where he was reinvented from an at-times flaky forward into a rock-solid backman - Tarrant shapes as a key member of a team closing in on back-to-back premierships.

He knows Franklin presents a mighty challenge, but he won't be changing the buildup that has served him well in the past.

Tarrant will spend plenty of time in the next few days poring over video analysis of Franklin's last few games, an approach he uses for every opponent.

"There's this thing that I've got this really good record on Buddy but I haven't - I've only played on him twice now," Tarrant said on Monday.

"In the first game we had a great contest and in the last game we won quite easily (in round 15 this year, with Franklin held to one goal).

"This week, if the job falls to me, it's a job I'm really looking forward to."

"You're not going to win every contest and that's the way it is when you play on a great player.

"... it's the ones where you can compete hard.

"He's going to take a few marks and have a few shots, that's just the way it's going to be.

"You try to influence most of those contests as best you can."

The 30-year-old is making the most of his second chance with Collingwood, a club he left in 2006 in a trade which ultimately delivered Ben Reid to the Magpies.

Reid will return from injury on Friday to partner Tarrant in the key defensive posts.

Tarrant thought it would be tough breaking into the Collingwood defence after last year's flag-winning triumph, although a vacancy opened up more quickly than expected when fullback Nathan Brown suffered a season-ending knee injury.

"They had a very settled back six last year coming off the premiership," said Tarrant.

"It was about getting back to pre-season early and being one of the fittest there.

"I was keen to really show the other defensive guys that I was keen to take one of their spots.

"That's just the competitive nature of me and it helps drive everyone else.

"As the year has gone on I've really felt comfortable in my position."

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