Watch Dale Thomas address the media on Monday morning from the Westpac Centre

COLLINGWOOD midfielder Dale Thomas says his side is not content with second position on the AFL ladder and has reigning premier Geelong in its sights.

The Magpies went to second on the table following their 10-point win over the Western Bulldogs on Sunday, the victory shoring up their position in the top four.

Thomas, arguably the Pies' most consistent player this season, said the team hopes to improve its position in the second half of the season.

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“The aim is to finish top at the end of the season," Thomas said from the Westpac Centre on Monday morning.

“No-one is aiming for second. We'll certainly be trying to better ourselves in the second part of the year and get up to the top and be a benchmark of the competition.”

Thomas said there was still room for improvement for his side following the 17.11 (113) to 16.7 (103) win, especially given the Bulldogs stormed home late after the Pies had led by as much as eight goals.

The 22-year-old said although Collingwood went into the match having lost its previous two games, he was confident a win wasn’t far away.

“We hadn’t been playing overly bad the past couple of weeks,” he said. “Similar to yesterday we played well in spits and spads but hadn’t really played out four quarters.

“It was important for us to start well, we knew that and we were able to do that.

“It was just a little bit disappointing in the end, the way we finished off but it’s something to work on.”

Scott Pendlebury starred and picked up the Bob Rose/Charlie Sutton Medal for best afield, while Leon Davis made a welcome return to form, booting three goals.

“He hadn’t been kicking the goals in the previous weeks [but] his forward line pressure and the things that probably go unheralded in his game were certainly up and about,” Thomas said.

“Internally we were certainly pretty happy with the way he was going.”

Thomas said his club had come through the Dogs clash well, and was looking forward to its eight-day break before taking on Melbourne on the Queen’s Birthday holiday.

The news wasn’t as bright for the Bulldogs, with Shaun Higgins suffering an ankle injury after the Etihad Stadium turf appeared to give way underneath the midfielder while he was kicking.

Thomas said while the surface was not as good as that at the MCG, it was difficult to blame Higgins’ injury solely on the ground.

“It was a little bit tacky and a little bit shifty in spots; over the ground it was different in certain spots but overall it wasn’t too bad,” Thomas said.

“That can happen anywhere. It’s one of those things."