COLLINGWOOD nailed the Mother’s Day brief. Lunch for the players’ mums at the club, a march from the AIA Centre to the MCG, flowers in the rooms before the bounce and, most importantly, four premiership points for the drive home on Sunday night.

While Beau McCreery’s mum Julie travelled from South Australia and provided Craig McRae’s men with a spirited pre-game rev-up inside the rooms, Jeanette Cox spent the first few hours of Mother’s Day in Texas watching her boy produce a vintage performance to lead the Magpies to a 65-point win over Greater Western Sydney.

MAGPIES v GIANTS Full match coverage and stats

Mason Cox saves his best for special days on the calendar - big finals, Anzac Day, Queen's Birthday - and this was almost the pick of the bunch from the American’s 98 games in black and white in the 18.12 (120) to 7.13 (55) win.

With the Magpies’ No. 1 ruckman Darcy Cameron watching on from the stands, alongside Billy Frampton and Dan McStay, the two makeshift options Craig McRae has turned to since round three, Cox dug into his deep bag of unique tricks, just two weeks after his remarkable story was beamed into millions of households across the United States via 60 Minutes.

Cox did it all. The Oklahoma State product collected 25 hit-outs, 19 disposals, nine marks (four contested) and two goals in a performance stacked full of highlights that ESPN, CNN or CBS would be remiss not to broadcast.

Collingwood is now a game clear on top of the ladder after nine rounds, moving to 8-1 after winning a fifth straight game since the Easter Thursday loss to Brisbane at the Gabba.

LOVE, AMERICAN STYLE McRae praises Cox for 'great performance'

Despite everything they achieved under McRae during a wild ride from second last in 2021 to the second-last weekend of September in 2022, the Magpies started 2023 with a question mark next to its name. That has been erased in the first two months of this season.

Greater Western Sydney registered the first behind of the game, but from the moment Bobby Hill produced a moment of magic five minutes in, Collingwood was rarely troubled.

In his first game against his old side, Hill dribbled a clever goal around Nick Haynes at the city end to kick the first of the game.

Ten minutes later he added a second goal as the Magpies moved through the gears and started to rev. When Jamie Elliott slotted his first 30 seconds later, Collingwood was in cruise control.

They led by five goals at the main break and overcame being reversed over during a brief push from the Giants after half-time, to coast towards another victory under McRae.

And after another week of widespread interest in the merits of tagging Nick Daicos, the second-year sensation thrived on greater freedom.

Without a tagger following him around like a caravan, the Rolls Royce amassed 41 disposals and 540 metres gained in a spellbinding effort at the MCG.

It might be enough to poll a Brownlow vote or two, but the 20-year-old will have some competition on that famous Monday night in September. Cox should poll three votes, but Jordan De Goey will be someone who the umpires consider closely. 

The 27-year-old continued his brilliant start to 2023 by putting the Giants to the sword, collecting 31 disposals, 12 contested possessions, nine score involvements, seven clearances, 496 metres gained and a goal.

After starting the Adam Kingsley era with three wins across the first two months, and no loss greater than 21 points, Greater Western Sydney was given a reminder of where it sits on Sunday – in the bottom four.

And while the Cox family is spending Mothers Day in Austin, they will be in Melbourne by the time Collingwood faces Carlton at the MCG next Sunday. A week later, Mason’s remarkable story will reach the 100-game milestone.

Bobby bobs up early
It took Bobby Hill longer than first hoped to leave Greater Western Sydney, but after landing at Collingwood in October, the West Australian has quickly made an impact in black and white. And it took him only a handful of minutes to torment his old side with the goal of the day. After being subbed out of last Sunday’s win over Sydney after only touching the ball three times, the 23-year-old responded with two first quarter goals and a handful of other highlights.

Bargain recruit keeps delivering
Jesse Hogan continues to prove to be one of the shrewdest trades Greater Western Sydney has brokered to date. The former Demon and Docker cost the Giants just pick No. 54 at the end of 2020. After booting 35 goals from 18 games last year – after 20 from nine in 2021 – Hogan now has 19 from the first nine rounds of 2023 after kicking three goals at the MCG on Sunday. The West Australian has kicked multiple goals in 27 of his 36 games in orange. Fair return on investment.

COLLINGWOOD                         5.1    9.4    13.8   18.12 (120)
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY    2.4    3.8     6.9     7.13 (55)

GOALS
Collingwood: Elliott 3, Mihocek 2, McCreery 2, Hill 2, Ginnivan 2, Cox 2, Hoskin-Elliott 2, De Goey, Johnson, J.Daicos
Greater Western Sydney: Hogan 3, O'Halloran, Kelly, Callaghan, Ash

BEST
Collingwood: Cox, De Goey, N.Daicos, Mitchell, Elliott, Noble, J.Daicos
Greater Western Sydney: Coniglio, Ash, Green, Hogan

INJURIES
Collingwood: TBC
Greater Western Sydney: TBC

SUBSTITUTES
Collingwood: Reef McInnes (replaced Scott Pendlebury in fourth quarter)
Greater Western Sydney: Callan Ward (replaced Callum Brown in third quarter)

Crowd: 37,631 at the MCG