Collingwood is still in the hunt for a top-eight finish after thrashing Northern Blues at Marvel Stadium on Sunday.
The win brings the Magpies level with the Blues and next week's opponent Casey on 28 points, just two behind eighth-placed Box Hill, who the Pies will face in the final round of the season.
The Pies struggled to convert their chances early and went goalless in the first term.
They took a slender lead into half-time before blowing the game open in the third term with six unanswered goals.
The Pies' team defence was a feature of the win, as it harassed the Blues into turnovers constantly and were able to punish them on the scoreboard.
Alex Woodward led the way in the middle for the Pies with 35 disposals, returning to his pre-injury form of the first half of the season.
AFL-listers Tim Broomhead, Tyler Brown and John Noble all found plenty of the footy, while the Magpies' backline led by Tyson Goldsack and Jack Madgen was rock solid all day in limiting the BLues to just five goals.
Developing forwards Atu Bosenavulagi, Anton Tohill and Tom Wilson all showed positive signs and kicked multiple goals in the win.
VFL Round 18
Collingwood v Northern Blues
Sunday, August 4
Marvel Stadium, 11.50pm
Collingwood 1.0 4.6 10.9 12.13 (85)
Northern 0.5 3.1 3.4 5.7 (37)
Goals – Collingwood: Bosenavulagi 2, Gallucci 2, Glover 2, Tohill 2, Wilson 2, Noble, Stanford
Northern: Palmer 4, Silvagni
Best - Collingwood: Madgen, T Brown, Woodward, Glover, Appleby, Wilson
Northern: Dow, Anderson, Fasolo, Fisher, Palmer, Hill
