COLLINGWOOD'S back-up defender Shane Wakelin played like a first-choice full-back on Saturday night, shutting down Sydney star Barry Hall before joking to injured teammate Simon Prestigiacomo: “don't come back mate, we don't need you."

The Magpies gave an awesome display before 64,000 fans at Telstra Stadium, grabbing a 34-point lead at half-time and tiring a little in the closing stages to win by 19 points.

The result left Sydney (6-6 win-loss) falling behind the top eight but it has given Wakelin fresh hope of that elusive AFL premiership with the Pies (8-4) after two unsuccessful Grand Final appearances.

With six games under his belt already this season, Wakelin is suddenly being considered as a key player again.

"I made the decision at the end of last year to play one more year," said the 32-year-old.

"[Coach] Mick [Malthouse] was pretty keen for me to play. I always knew that I could end up playing two games, 10 games or 15 games.

"Unfortunately for the club we have had a spate of injuries to our key-position players.

"That has given me and other players the opportunity to contribute to the group.

"At this stage of my career, all you want to do is play finals footy. That's the only reason I'm playing on this year is to hopefully have another crack.

"It wouldn't bother me if I didn't play another game until the last game of the year."

Wakelin held Hall goalless in the first three quarters, before his former St Kilda teammate finally broke free for two majors in the last term.

Tyson Goldsack was another to shine, holding Michael O'Loughlin to two second-half goals.

Defenders Shannon Cox, Goldsack, Danny Stanley and Irish debutant Martin Clarke boasted a combined nine AFL games of experience between them going into Saturday night's match.

Sydney's attack, led by 200-gamers Barry Hall and Michael O'Loughlin and fellow 2005 premiership players Ryan O'Keefe, Adam Schneider and Amon Buchanan, was held to 2.1 (13) in a woeful first half.

Only a late rally of five goals in the last quarter narrowed the final margin to 10.16 (76) to Sydney's 8.9 (57).

"We didn't really have anyone else to play on him," 221-game veteran Wakelin said of his role on Hall.

"I set myself early in the week. I've had some pretty good duels with him before.

"From that point of view I looked at some video during the week. He likes to lead up and I tried to play in front of him at the right time.

"When the stoppages were about 60 metres out I took the position behind and tried to push him under the footy as much as I could.

"He's probably one of the top two in the league really as far as forwards go."

Wakelin said Hall, with just 24 goals this season, was "grumpy" at times during the match.

"He was actually, yeah. He was probably a bit stiff on a couple of occasions with few umpiring decisions so he probably had his rights to," Wakelin said.

"It was a good tussle and I had a chat to him after the game. I played with him at the Saints and it was good to come out on top at the end."

The views in this story are those of the authorand not necessarily those of the club or the AFL.