BROWNLOW medallists Chris Judd, Adam Goodes and Jimmy Bartel are relishing the prospect of playing without hard tags for possibly the only time this season on Saturday night.
The trio of star midfielders will be one of Victoria's main weapons in their battle with the Dream Team in the Hall of Fame Tribute Match at the MCG.
While the three are used to being pounded and scragged week after week as oppositions try to blunt their effectiveness, they expect to enjoy much more freedom in the AFL's showcase match.
"I think it will just be a head to head battle," the Swans’ two-time Brownlow winner Goodes said.
"Blokes will be going after the footy, pretty basic game plans and just trying to stick to that and trying to do what we have to do to win the game."
With the tactics used by taggers on the game's elite midfielders under the spotlight in recent weeks, Carlton skipper Judd said he was looking forward to a looser leash.
"It will be nice, it would be good to run around," Judd said.
"I might put my hand up for a run-with role to see how it goes," he joked.
"I think that's what all the players are looking forward to, just go out there and play footy and enjoy it and hopefully put on a good spectacle for the fans."
But Bartel noted that while the match would be a showcase of skills, it did not mean the physical intensity would decrease.
"Once you get to game time ... I think we'll be wanting to win at all costs," Geelong's reigning Brownlow Medallist said.
"We're all competitive, it's not like we're going to approach a game and hold back, because you just can't showcase the way you're playing at 70 per cent, so I think we'll play the game to its fullest intensity."
Opposing coaches, the Dream Team's Mark Williams and Victoria's Mark Thompson, said that while they would give players full rein to display their talents, that also included the defensive side of the game.
"There's not going to be 18 players just running around after the ball, they'll be playing their roles and doing their team thing, there's no doubt," Williams said.
Thompson backed that view.
"It would be the ideal to see a lot of goals scored and a lot of individual skill," the Victorian coach said.
"But like Mark says, defensive pressure is a skill too and tackling and that's some of the best parts of our game.
"I have no doubt that it will be a really hard ball to get, to win, and it will be a finals-like atmosphere in intensity, speed and skill.
"I think that's where it's at, I think the players are looking forward to that, we've got the best players who are geared up, motivated and you can just sense in them ... a special game coming on."
Tickets for the Hall of Fame Tribute Match are selling fast. Get your tickets now via the Ticketmaster website, phone on 1300 136 122 or by visiting a Ticketmaster outlet.
