Watch Mick Malthouse's post-match press conference

COLLINGWOOD has smashed its way into premiership consideration, pounding the Western Bulldogs by 36 points at Etihad Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
 
The game between last year's losing preliminary finalists was an absolute cracker with the Magpies kicking nine of the first 12 on the back of a huge first term.

But the reigning NAB Cup premiers worked their way back into the contest with seven of the next eight majors to get within a goal.
 
But just as the Magpies were starting to look as though the effort had taken too much petrol and the Dogs were going to roll over them in skipper Brad Johnson's 350th game, Collingwood found another gear and kicked the last three of the third quarter to lead by 20 points at the last break.

Watch Heath Shaw's post-match interview
 
Mitch Hahn goaled early in the last to cut the margin to 14 points, but five of the final six majors saw Collingwood win 19.15 (129) to 13.15 (93).
 
Season 2009 was the best for years in terms of great games, and this match would have fitted perfectly in among the top few, with a frenetic first half providing more than its share of highlights.
 
Sharrod Wellingham had a ripper for the Magpies - although he also caught an accidental Barry Hall elbow to the top of the head which felled him in the third - 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.
 
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.

Watch the the boys sing the team song after the win
 
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 as superb through the middle as ever and Ben Hudson was clearly the dominant ruckman on the ground.
 
Barry Hall showed his value immediately with three goals, but the Dogs missed Dale Morris at the back after he missed his first game since late 2007.
 
Next week, the Pies play the Demons at the MCG on Saturday, while the Dogs have the Tigers in a twilight game at the MCG on Sunday at the same venue.


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.