A FIVE-goal haul to Steele Sidebottom has helped Collingwood continue its sensational start to the season, smashing North Melbourne by 66 points under lights at the MCG.

Watch Mick Malthouse address the media after the win

With Collingwood going into the match in red-hot form - winning their previous three matches by an average of 60 points - the Magpies had too many answers in front of goal, with 13 different goal kickers leading the black and white to a 23.19 (157) to 14.7 (91) win.

View the photo gallery from the 66-point win

Further compounding the loss for North Melbourne was a serious shoulder injury to youngster Liam Anthony, who had been among the best for the Kangaroos with 23 possessions.

Paul Medhurst finished the game with three goals while Alan Didak, who suffered an ankle injury in the first quarter, came back to kick two goals to add to his 29-possession performance.

Watch Alan Toovey speak to CTV after the win

Dane Swan, who before this match had averaged 28 disposals, continued his rich vein of form with 38 touches, including nine clearances.

North Melbourne had no answer to the damaging run from half-back of Heath Shaw, with the defender gathering 33 possessions.

For North Melbourne, veterans Brady Rawlings and Brent Harvey battled hard, collecting 33 and 31 disposals respectively, while Lindsay Thomas finished with three goals.

After kicking 24 goals against the Blues last week, the Magpies started the game on fire, kicking five goals to North Melbourne’s three as the Kangaroos were made to pay for sloppy errors in defence.

The Magpies continued from where they left off in the second term, with North Melbourne unable to find a way past a backline led by captain Nick Maxwell as the Pies went into the main break 35 points in front.

Watch the team sing the song in the MCG rooms after the match

Collingwood had all the answers in the second half, outscoring its opponents 12 goals to eight as they romped away with their sixth win of the season, while handing Brad Scott’s men their fourth loss of the season. 

Collingwood 5.4 11.9 18.14 23.19 (157)
North Melbourne 3.2 6.4 11.5 14.7 (91)
 
GOALS
Collingwood: Sidebottom 5, Medhurst 3, Davis 2, Dawes 2, Didak 2, Jolly 2, Johnson,  Thomas, Toovey, Cloke, Shaw, O'Bree, Wood
North Melbourne: Thomas 3, Edwards 2, Wells 2, Warren 2, Hale 2, Swallow, Garlett, Harvey
 
BEST
Collingwood: Shaw, Swan, Sidebottom, Jolly, Johnson, Ball
North Melbourne: Anthony, Harvey, Swallow, Rawlings, Thomas
 
INJURIES
Collingwood: Didak (shin)
North Melbourne: Anthony (shoulder), McIntosh (AC joint), Adams (elbow)
 
Reports: Nil
 
Umpires: Rosebury, Meredith, Armstrong
 
Official crowd:  52,696 at the MCG
 
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs