The game between last year's losing preliminary finalists was an absolute cracker with the Magpies kicking nine of the first 12 goals on the back of a huge first term.
The reigning NAB Cup premiers worked their way back into the contest by half time, but the Pies lifted again, spoiling Bulldogs skipper Brad Johnson's 350th match with an impressive 19.15 (129) to 13.15 (93) victory.
Western Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade said his side's low efficiency in the third term was crucial.
"We had 20 inside-50s for two goals, a couple of set shots, but it's all 'ifs-buts-maybes', isn't it?" he said after the game.
"The momentum was going our way and you just need to take those chances, and I think that was just another example of not using the ball as well as we normally do."
Watch Rodney Eade's post-match press conference »
The match lived up to all the pre-game expectations, with a frenetic first half providing more than its share of highlights.
Sharrod Wellingham was superb for the Magpies - although he also caught an accidental Barry Hall elbow to the top of the head which felled him in the third term - while Alan Didak and Paul Medhurst kicked four goals each.
Dane Swan used the ball well and often through the middle, while Harry O'Brien was fantastic across half-back with partner Heath Shaw.
Malthouse said O'Brien was stepping his game up a level.
"Harry's next stage is he's got to be a multi-type backline player. When he needs to lock someone down, he needs to be able to do that, which we know he can," Malthouse said.
"If we need a bit of run, he needs to be able to do that - it can't be left to [Heath] Shaw, [Nick] Maxwell or [Alan] Toovey, and for that matter [Ben] Johnson, who are all runners".
"Harry has shown signs of that [run out of defence] and I just think he'll add that to his game."
Watch Mick Malthouse's post-match press conference »
And the Magpies did it without much input from their new recruits - ruckman Darren Jolly was barely sighted after getting the opening tap of the game, while former Saint Luke Ball was good without standing out.
For the Dogs, Robert Murphy showed he was back to his best after knee tendinitis cruelled his 2009 season. Matthew Boyd and Daniel Cross were excellent in the middle and Ben Hudson was clearly the dominant ruckman on the ground.
Barry Hall showed his value immediately with three goals, but the Dogs' defence could have used Dale Morris, whose late omission caused him to miss his first game since late 2007.
Next week, the Pies play the Demons at the MCG on Saturday, while the Dogs take on Richmond in the Sunday twilight fixture.
Western Bulldogs 3.2 9.6 11.11 13.15 (93)
Collingwood 8.2 10.9 14.13 19.15 (129)
GOALS
Western Bulldogs: Hall 3, Hahn 2, Boyd, Giansiracusa, Higgins, Hill, Lake, Minson, Murphy, Picken
Collingwood: Didak 4, Medhurst 4, Davis 3, Swan 3, Anthony, Cloke, Pendlebury, Thomas, Wellingham
BEST
Western Bulldogs: Murphy, Boyd, Hall, Hudson, Cross
Collingwood: O'Brien, Swan, Shaw, Didak, Medhurst, Wellingham
INJURIES
Western Bulldogs: Morris (TBC) replaced in selected side by Addison
Collingwood: Nil
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Stevic, Chamberlain, Pannell
Official crowd: 49,000 at Etihad Stadium
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
