COLLINGWOOD midfielder Alan Didak says his side got ahead of itself last week and nearly paid the price.

The first version of the 2010 grand final ended in a draw after Collingwood squandered multiple chances to win the match in the first half, and then St Kilda roared home and almost snatched the victory.

Saturday's replay had eerily similar overtones, with Collingwood dominating the first two quarters but unable to land the killer blow.

But where last week the Saints surged through the third term and hit the front late in the game, the Magpies kicked the first three goals of the second half to take an unassailable 46-point lead.

Didak said the side was mindful of not allowing a repeat of the first grand final.

"Last week we got ahead of ourselves ... and this week we made a conscious effort to just stick to our quarters [and] try to win the quarter," he said.

"Even when we were six or seven goals up we just made sure that minute by minute we stuck to our guns, stuck to our roles.

"Everyone probably thought it was over at three-quarter time, but you can never be sure in grand finals."

Didak kicked a superb goal midway through the third term, smothering the ball off a St Kilda defender's boot and then pouncing, before a flying shot at goal off his non-preferred right foot sailed through.

But the 27-year-old was more interested in talking about the team than just another amazing goal.

"It was quite surprising - it was probably the first smother of my career, and it came off," he said.

"I think that in general we really jelled as a team today.

"It was a four-quarter effort - last week we only played a half and we were lucky to get away with a draw."

Heath Shaw's amazing smother of St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt's kick, after he played on from a mark in the goal square 20 minutes into the first term, will be the iconic image of this match.

Didak was clearly full of admiration for his teammate, and the example that his desperation set, but he also had another defender to congratulate.

"That just set the tone, didn't it? That just set the tone, it was fantastic," he said of Shaw's effort.

"But [Nathan Brown] was amazing again today, absolutely amazing.

"To back up after what he did last week ... was unbelievable."

But Brown wasn't the only youngster to shine, with 19-year-old Steele Sidebottom pushing for the Norm Smith Medal and 22-year-old Brent Macaffer another to stand tall.

Didak said the week's low-key approach and the experience of last Saturday was a healthy combination.

"There was no mucking around this week. There was no parade, no functions, just get back to business, train hard and we did that," he said.

"I think the young kids took a lot out of last week and that showed today."