COLLINGWOOD has climbed into the top eight for the first time in 56 rounds, thrashing an injury-hit Essendon by 49 points on Anzac Day before a crowd of 91,440 at the MCG.
The Magpies opened 2018 with two losses, but their dominant 14.7 (101) to 7.10 (52) victory over the Bombers was their third in a row and vaulted them into fifth on the ladder after five rounds.
PIES CRUISE HOME: Full match coverage and stats
Collingwood led by just seven points after a high-intensity first term and could only extend its lead to 17 points at the main break despite dominating the second quarter.
However, Nathan Buckley's men put the Bombers to the sword in the second half, holding them to just three goals – and none in the third term – as they piled on eight goals of their own.
WATCH: Treloar's gut-running goal
Essendon's cause was not helped by the fact it lost Josh Begley (knee) and Josh Green (hamstring) to injuries in the first half, with both players sitting out the entire second half.
GODDARD'S SPRAY: Five talking points
The Magpies were brilliantly led by captain Scott Pendlebury (27 possessions) and vice-captain Steele Sidebottom (25 possessions and three goals), who were the most influential players on the ground when the contest was alive, carving ways through the Bombers' defences with their uncommon ability to find time and space amid chaos.
Adam Treloar (34 possessions and two goals) provided Collingwood with damaging run through the middle, especially in the second half, and was a deserving winner of the Anzac Medal.
WATCH: Brilliant Treloar best on ground
Jaidyn Stephenson (two goals), Jordan De Goey (one) and Will Hoskin-Elliott (two) were livewires in attack, while Lynden Dunn enjoyed a decisive win over Dons spearhead Joe Daniher, and Jeremy Howe short-circuited Bomber attacks time and time again with his intercept marking.
WATCH: De Goey's incredible finish
However, the performance of Mason Cox might have brought the biggest smile to coach Nathan Buckley's face. The 211cm American gave the Pies a strong aerial target in attack, finishing the game with two goals and eight marks – five of them inside 50 and three contested – and providing the strongest evidence yet that he can cut it as a key forward.
Buckley said after the match he had been unhappy with his team's start but was pleased with the response.
"We didn't like our first quarter but we were able to reset and play the game more consistently beyond that," Buckley said.
"We ended up winning every quarter which was positive.
"The ball movement was definitely a positive aspect of our last couple of weeks and how we're coming together."
WATCH: Stephenson slams it home
The Bombers' loss saw them slide to 13th on the ladder, while they have yet to win consecutive games this year.
Coach John Worsfold lamented his team's decision-making and ball use, saying it had sabotaged an encouraging start to the game.
"Most of the first quarter seemed like the game was going the way we were hoping, but after that poor decision-making (and) poor ball use definitely cost us," Worsfold said.
"We set up scoring opportunities which turned into scores against, like a kick inside 50 into a lot of space where we managed to put it to Collingwood players' advantage – that was disappointing decision-making.
"We created really good scoring opportunities, which we got nothing out of, and let the Pies just walk through going down the other end."
It was a dismal day for the club, but key defender Michael Hurley (29 possessions and 10 marks) battled valiantly to keep the Pies at bay, and David Zaharakis (34 possessions), Zach Merrett (33) and Darcy Parish (28) never stopped working in the midfield.
Brendon Goddard (33 possessions) was a prolific ball-winner but his animated on-field discussions with clearly frustrated teammates including Zaharakis and Daniher were a bigger talking point.
WATCH: Goddard's heated exchange
MEDICAL ROOM
Collingwood: The Magpies escaped with a clean bill of health.
Essendon: Josh Green went into the rooms midway through the first quarter with an apparent right hamstring injury. He returned to the ground just minutes later, but spent extended time off the ground in the second quarter and sat out the entire second half. Scans will determined the extent of his injury. Josh Begley left the ground after twisting his right knee midway through the first quarter. After being assessed in the rooms, Begley returned to the interchange bench late in the first term, but sat with ice on his knee and took no further part in the match. Essendon football manager Dan Richardson said during the game the defender had suffered suspected damage to his ACL or medial ligament, but Bombers coach John Worsfold was unable to provide any further update after the game.
WATCH: Begley's knee concern
NEXT UP
Both teams face the tough ask of preparing for their round six games off four-day breaks, but will each play opponents who've had just one day longer to prepare. The Magpies will play Richmond at the MCG on Sunday, having lost four of their past five games against the Tigers. Earlier that day, the Bombers will host Melbourne at Etihad Stadium, where the Demons beat them by 38 points in round six last year.
COLLINGWOOD 4.4 6.9 8.14 14.17 (101)
ESSENDON 3.3 4.4 4.9 7.10 (52)
GOALS
Collingwood: Sidebottom 3, Treloar 2, Hoskin-Elliott 2, Stephenson 2, Cox 2, De Goey, Reid, Phillips
Essendon: Stringer 2, Daniher, Stewart, Heppell, McDonald-Tipungwuti, Hooker
BEST
Collingwood: Pendlebury, Sidebottom, Treloar, Grundy, Dunn, Howe
Essendon: Hurley, Heppell, Z.Merrett, Zaharakis
INJURIES
Collingwood: Nil
Essendon: Begley (knee), Green (hamstring)
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Deboy, Hosking, Chamberlain
Official crowd: 91,440 at the MCG
Anzac Medal voting (four judges vote 3-2-1):
11 - Adam Treloar
7 - Steele Sidebottom
4 - Scott Pendlebury
2 - Jordan De Goey
Gerard Whateley (AFL 360, chair) - Treloar, De Goey, Sidebottom
Peter Ryan (Age) - Treloar, Pendlebury, Sidebottom
Glenn McFarlane (Herald Sun) - Treloar, Sidebottom, Pendlebury
Roger Vaughan (AAP) - Sidebottom, Treloar, Pendlebury
