The Magpies took control of the match from the outset, piling on eight first-quarter goals - all through different players - to open up a 40-point break by the first change.
After a brilliant third-term fightback from the Tigers, in which they drove home six goals to cut a 50-point half-time margin to 26, the Magpies snuffed out any hope of a miraculous upset with a commanding nine-goal final term, running away to win 24.17 (161) to 13.12 (90).
Although he was quiet during the Tigers' third-quarter surge, Dane Swan was a clear best on ground with a swag of disposals and an equal career-best four goals.
Swan and Dale Thomas were everywhere in the first half when the reigning premiers set up what would be a match-winning break.
The Magpies' forward pressure was telling early in the game as they dominated at stoppages and swarmed forward, forcing costly errors from Richmond's defence.
After the main break Richmond, which had been unable to gain any penetration in the first half, started to get reward for its high-risk strategy of moving the ball through the corridor and playing on at all costs.
Brett Deledio, who had most of his disposals in Richmond's back half early in the match, was instrumental in the comeback, moving up the ground and using his slick foot skills to pick out forward targets.
But any hope of an against-the-odds victory was snuffed out early in the final term as Collingwood banged home six goals in the first 16 minutes to put the game well beyond Richmond's reach.
The Magpies' dominance was illustrated by having 14 goal-kickers for the match compared to Richmond's eight.
Richmond 2.2 5.7 11.10 13.12 (90)
Collingwood 8.6 13.9 15.12 24.17 (161)
GOALS
Richmond: Riewoldt 4, Martin 2, White 2, Vickery, King, Miller, Deledio, Graham
Collingwood: Swan 4, Cloke 3, Sidebottom 3, Thomas 2, Dawes 2, Beams 2, Johnson, Pendlebury, Blair, Wood, Brown, Wellingham, Ball, Didak
BEST
Richmond: Deledio, Cotchin, Martin, Newman, Jackson
Collingwood: Swan, Thomas, Blair, Sidebottom, Cloke, Dawes
INJURIES
Richmond: Nil
Collingwood: Nil
SUBSTITUTES
Richmond: Robin Nahas replaced by Brad Helbig in the third quarter
Collingwood: Ben Reid replaced by Alan Toovey in the fourth quarter
Reports: Leigh Brown (Coll) for striking Reece Conca (Rich) in the third quarter
Umpires: Rosebury, Chamberlain, Findlay
Official crowd: 58,050 at the MCG
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs
