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De Goey was also a part of the losing 2018 grand final, when he had 13 disposals and three goals against West Coast. There could be up to 10 Magpies from that losing side chasing redemption on Saturday.

“It will be great. Just to get another opportunity, I am forever grateful. A lot of work goes into it. We have four more quarters to, hopefully, write some history,” Howe said.

The Magpies have a remarkable record under second-year coach Craig McRae, having won 12 of 15 matches decided by a goal or less. This victory over the plucky Giants was the smallest margin in a preliminary final win in Magpies’ history.

“There are elements of, regardless of what the scoreboard says, it’s actually really mature of the group to be able to stick to a game plan because you understand it works,” Howe said.

“When things aren’t going so well, it’s probably easier to try and change things up and go away from what you are good at. We feel like our game plan stacks up. We can score really quickly if we need to, we can defend scores if we have to. I think it’s just great clarity. We get educated so well through the week, scenarios, whatever it looks like.”

The Magpies held on to the slimmest of leads after veteran wingman Steele Sidebottom, chasing a second premiership after the 2010 success, marked a Toby Greene snap on the goal line in the dying minutes.

“He [Sidebottom] has got a bit of a knack of making the right play at the right time, he has been doing it for 315-odd games. You want to be reliable, and he is certainly one of those guys for us,” Howe said.

“He helps us defensively so much. He runs the furthest every week, and we always ask him to do the same, He continually shows up and gets it done.”

Howe is nursing a corked calf but played out the game and expects to be fit for Saturday.

He also praised Nick Daicos, the second-year star having 28 disposals, including six clearances, in his first game back since returning from a knee injury in round 21.

“We tried to look after him a bit at the start. But the way he worked his way into the game, he certainly didn’t set the world on fire at the start of the game, but he was in the right spots at the right time,” Howe said.

“You have only got to see how important he is by foot and by hand. He makes the right decisions at the right time. In finals, decisions become harder because the pressure is so high. It doesn’t seem to affect guys like him and Pendles [Scott Pendlebury], they are good decision makers, and they become highly crucial at this time of the year.”

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In a season when the Magpies finished on top of the ladder and have been beaten only five times, Howe is confident the Magpies know what it will take to prosper at the “big dance”, and give the club its 16th flag.

“We know our footy is good enough. We have had a couple of ebbs and flows in terms of form, but, at this time of the year, it’s not how you win, it’s as long as you win. We have got to finetune – we understand we have got to get better next week,” Howe said.

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