ALL THE talk was about who wasn't there for Collingwood. It should have been about who still was.

As the Magpies went into Friday night's Gather Round clash with Sydney with Dan Houston suspended, Jordan De Goey sore and last week's best-afield Lachie Schultz also injured, there was wonder about the test of depth for both teams.

Who could rise to the task of covering multiple missing stars?

Steele Sidebottom was still there for the Pies, putting in a near best-on-ground performance aged 34 as the Magpies proved too strong, too slick and simply too tough around the ball to capture a 31-point win. For those about to turn back the clock, we salute you.

Sidebottom's 28-disposal game contained a match-high 13 score involvements as the veteran led the way in the midfield battle, alongside superstar Nick Daicos (34 disposals, nine tackles and nine clearances) and youngster Ned Long, who picked up 29 disposals and eight clearances.

Collingwood's fourth win in a row since its Opening Round shocker against Greater Western Sydney underlined its legitimacy as a flag contender in another year where there is little separating the top teams. It also proved that Giants game as more outlier than rule for their season so far and on the measure of the Adelaide Oval contest on neutral territory, showed the Pies have more weapons than the Swans to challenge this year, albeit both having key players to return and help shape their mix.

A bigger test awaits next week with a trip to the Gabba to take on reigning premiers Brisbane for their annual Easter clash, but they will go there with the confidence of a comfortable win – as seen in the 16.13 (109) to 12.6 (78) scoreline. It was also Collingwood's 10th win in a row at Adelaide Oval.

Throughout the game Collingwood had clearly more avenues to goal. In a forward line stacked with rookies, recruits and recycled players, the Magpies had three players – Brody Mihocek, Bobby Hill and Jamie Elliott – who each kicked three goals and Beau McCreery who booted two, while Darcy Moore, Isaac Quaynor and Brayden Maynard defended well at the other end of the ground.

Sydney's accuracy kept it within striking distance of the Pies whenever Collingwood threatened to run away with the game, as did Isaac Heeney, who played the best game of his season with 27 disposals, seven clearances and two goals.

But Heeney was something of a lone hand among Sydney's game-breakers, with the likes of Brodie Grundy, James Rowbottom and Hayden McLean others to also have important contributions. But without Errol Gulden's (broken ankle) piercing left-foot kicking and quick decision making, as well as his elite running, the Swans lacked some of the midfield punch of the Pies.Or at least the quality to sustain it. The game was evenly poised in nearly every measure in the opening quarter, with Sydney kicking three of the first four goals before Collingwood did the same to end the term.

Beau McCreery's energy was impactful in the forward half, as he booted a goal and set up another, while Collingwood's midfield pair Sidebottom and Long were busy. The duo combined for 20 disposals and four clearances in the first term as the Pies' on-ball team gained the early ascendancy.

That ascendancy became domination in the second quarter as Collingwood made its statement around the contest. Jack Crisp floated forward to kick a long goal, Mihocek capitalised on his tackle and slotted another and Lachie Sullivan pushed forward and converted an open goal.

When Hill smartly crumbed a forward-50 marking contest and coolly slotted his snap, the Pies had taken total control and held a 28-point break on last year's Grand Finalists.

Some Swans resistance, including a brilliant set-shot goal from McLean, saw things even up, but Collingwood's six-goal-to-four term saw Craig McRae's side head into the main break with the 17-point advantage.

It was a gap they could never get back, with the result compounded by a first-half hamstring injury for forward Joel Amartey, to add to the list of crucial key outs for Dean Cox to manage.

COLLINGWOOD           4.3     10.7   13.11    16.13 (109)
SYDNEY                         4.1     8.2     10.4      12.6 (78)

GOALS
Collingwood: Elliott 3, Hill 3, Mihocek 3, McCreery 2, Crisp, Hoskin-Elliott, McStay, Membrey, Sullivan
Sydney: McLean 3, Heeney 2, Hanily 2, Co.Warner 2, Campbell, Hayward, Sheldrick

INJURIES
Collingwood: Nil
Sydney: Amartey (hamstring) 

SUBSTITUTES
Collingwood: Ed Allan (replaced Jamie Elliott in the second quarter)
Sydney: Angus Sheldrick (replaced Joel Amartey in the second quarter)

 Crowd: 47,649 at Adelaide Oval