West Coast has overcome the loss of star ruckman Nic Naitanui to score an outstanding 35-point win over Collingwood.

The 15.12 (102) to 9.13 (67) win on Sunday is the first time the Eagles have beaten the Magpies at the MCG since 1995.

There has been plenty of talk about West Coast's poor form at the MCG and it is a massive boost for their confidence.

They are now level on points with top side Richmond, took second spot on the ladder from the Magpies and also ended Collingwood's seven-game winning streak.

Starting with the disastrous 2015 Grand Final loss to Hawthorn, the Eagles had only won two of eight games at the MCG, and those were against lowly Carlton.

Eagles forwards Josh Kennedy, Jack Darling and Mark LeCras all made successful returns from injury and midfielder Andrew Gaff continued his hot form.

But the fear is that Naitanui will need another season-ending knee reconstruction, this time on his "good" right knee.

West Coast's MCG horrors looked set to continue when Collingwood kicked three goals in the first 10 minutes and raced to a 20-point lead.

Defender Jeremy McGovern was outstanding for the Eagles early with a succession of intercept marks and spoils that restricted the damage.

The Eagles kicked the next three goals to put the game on a level pegging and only trailed by 10 points at the first change.

West Coast took the lead at the start of the second term, but then suffered a massive blow when Naitanui was forced out of the game.

He hurt his right knee in a marking contest with Brodie Grundy at the 17-minute mark and went straight to the rooms.

Afterwards back-up ruckman Scott Lycett was massive, squaring his contests with Grundy.

"To play with that spirit and brotherhood – and I'm sure some of the players knew (of Naitanui's injury) and sometimes that rocks you – having gone through it before, your mind sometimes is a bit off task," coach Adam Simpson said.

"For them to step up … the MCG conversation has been going on and on, so hopefully we've put that to bed a little bit.

"But like I said before the game, it doesn't matter where we play it's who we play, and playing Collingwood, who had won seven in a row, it was important that we responded and top four is up for grabs."

Collingwood led by a point at the main break and it should have been more, given they had 15 scoring shots to nine, but the Eagles kicked 8.1 in the first half to keep pace with the Magpies.

Magpies coach Nathan Buckley lamented his side's inability to take full advantage of its early dominance. 

"Our ball use looked really clean and crisp early, we just weren't able to finish off well enough," Buckley said.

"When the sun was shining for us we didn't put a gap in it and we went into half-time four points down.

"Then when the clouds started appearing for us and the sun started shining for them they were able to hit the scoreboard when we weren't. It was a tale of two halves really."

It was West Coast's turn to spray their shots in the third term, kicking a wasteful 4.7.

Collingwood could only manage 2.1 and the Eagles had a game-high lead of 22 points at three-quarter time.

Darling kicked two goals in the last quarter to help seal the win.

Along with Kennedy and Willie Rioli, Darling finished with three goals, while Mark Hutchings shut down Steele Sidebottom.

MEDICAL ROOM
Collingwood: Darcy Moore dislocated his finger in the second term but came back onto the ground after receiving treatment. Brayden Sier copped a heavily corked left quad in the third term and despite trying to get it moving on the stationary bike he was unable to return to the field and will be assessed during the week. Tom Langdon (right knee) should be right to face the Roos. Mason Cox should be in the frame to return after being a late withdrawal with hamstring tightness.

West Coast: Nic Naitanui went down to the rooms during the second term with an injury to his right knee. Naitanui landed awkwardly in a marking contest and limped from the field. An emotional Eagles coach Adam Simpson was resigned to the fact that the star ruckman had suffered a serious knee injury that could sideline him for the season. The Eagles will wait until the results of scans come through to confirm but things don't look good for the superstar big man.

NEXT UP
Collingwood has a six-day turnaround before a clash with North Melbourne at the MCG, while West Coast – almost certainly without Naitanui – will face off against the Western Bulldogs at Optus Stadium next Sunday.

COLLINGWOOD          4.4    6.9    8.10  9.13 (67)
WEST COAST              3.0    8.1    12.8  15.12 (102)          

GOALS
Collingwood: De Goey 4, Thomas 3, Mihocek 2
West Coast: Kennedy 3, Rioli 3, Darling 3, LeCras 2, Redden, Gaff, Hutchings, Yeo

BEST 
Collingwood: Adams, De Goey, Pendlebury, Howe, Phillips, Moore
West Coast: McGovern, Gaff, Redden, Shuey, Hurn, Hutchings, Jetta

INJURIES 
Collingwood: Mason Cox (soreness) replaced in selected side by Ben Crocker, Sidebottom (eye), Moore (dislocated finger), Sier (corked quad), Langdon (right knee)
West Coast: Naitanui (knee)

Reports: Nil 

Umpires: Stephens, Meredith, Mollison

Official crowd: 53,439 at the MCG