The Pies' clash with the Brisbane Lions on Sunday yielded a host of interesting facts and figures ...

* In an era when it seems that kicking for goal is at an all-time low, the Magpies and Lions put on a clinic in the first half in front of the big sticks. So we weren't surprised when one of Channel 7's stats gurus alerted us to this fact:

* Jeremy Howe drifted forward and kicked just his eighth goal since joining Collingwood prior to the 2016 season. Back in the days when he was a forward at Melbourne, Howe kicked 28 goals in the 2013 season. He has kicked just 23 goals in 92 games since then.

* Jordan De Goey booted a career-high five goals. His previous best was four goals against West Coast in round 18, 2017.

* Speaking of goalkickers, Josh Thomas is having a season to remember. He kicked three against the Lions, taking his season tally to 12. He is now Collingwood's joint-leading goalkicker in 2018 alongside Will Hoskin-Elliott. First-year player Jaidyn Stephenson is third with 10.

Josh Thomas celebrates one of the three goals he kicked against the Lions (AFL Photos)

* Steele Sidebottom led the way with 34 disposals against the Lions. He's now collected the seventh-most disposals in the AFL this season. Sidebottom has 216 disposals (at an average of 30.9 per game) to his name. Hawthorn's Tom Mitchell leads the way with 253 (36.1 per game), while Adam Treloar is Collingwood's leader with 221 at 31.6 per game.

* Scott Pendlebury played his 259th game for Collingwood on Sunday, which leaves him just one behind his coach, Nathan Buckley, who played 260 games for the Pies after crossing from the Brisbane Bears. Pendlebury will draw level with Buckley if he is able to shake off his leg injury in time for Sunday's big clash with Geelong at the MCG.