Where and when: MCG, Friday April 12, 7.50pm AEST

Last time they met: Docklands Stadium (now Marvel Stadium), round 10, 2018: Collingwood 13.12 (90) defeated Western Bulldogs 8.7 (55)

The Dogs scooted to a 26-point lead early in the second term and were still 18 points clear at half-time before the Pies piled on 8.9 to just 0.4 to climb into the eight, and that's where they stayed. Adam Treloar was best-afield with 40 touches and two goals.

What it means for Collingwood: After being beaten by both Geelong and West Coast, the 1-2 Pies need to regain some equilibrium.

What it means for the Western Bulldogs: The Dogs unexpectedly dropped their game to Gold Coast so they need to get one back, and there are few bigger scalps than Collingwood at the MCG.

How Collingwood wins: The Pies' multi-pronged attack, which features Jordan De Goey, Jamie Elliott, Mason Cox and Jaidyn Stephenson, should prove too hot to handle for the Dogs. Brodie Grundy should also dominate the ruck.

How the Western Bulldogs win: Consign the much-vaunted Magpie midfield to a third defeat in four games and that also means limiting Grundy's influence.

The stat: The Pies have won just one of their past four games at the MCG. They have also succumbed to the Dogs in their past two clashes on the hallowed turf.

The match-up: Scott Pendlebury v Jack Macrae

When Dogs midfielder Macrae (ranked No.19 in the Official AFL Player Ratings) was drafted he was likened to Pies skipper Pendlebury (No.25), whom he has probably gone past in recent times.

It's a big week for: Jordan Roughead

The Bulldogs' 2016 premiership big man is thriving in his first season at Collingwood, where he is highly valued for his leadership, cool head and flexibility. In his first game against his old club he will match up on one of the Dogs' rising stars in Aaron Naughton or Josh Schache.

Big call: The game's shortest player, Bulldog Caleb Daniel, to find himself in another unenviable aerial contest in the goal square, this time opposed to the game's tallest player, Magpie Mason Cox.

Prediction: Magpies by 29 points