Collingwood has severely dented Essendon's already-slim finals hopes, scoring a 16-point victory in a battle royale at the MCG on Sunday to climb back into the top two.

The Bombers seemed primed to continue their mid-season uprising from a horror 2-6 start to the season when Mitch Brown's third goal broke the deadlock early in the final term.

But the Jordan De Goey-inspired Magpies instead booted five of the last six majors to win a seventh game on the trot – something they last achieved six years ago – by a 12.6 (78) to 9.8 (62) scoreline.

Collingwood is bracing for a difficult month ahead that will prove its premiership bona fides, with West Coast, North Melbourne and Richmond to come at the MCG before travelling to face Sydney.

De Goey's move forward in the third quarter caused headaches for an Essendon defence that held up well until then.

His three goals either side of three-quarter time, as well as another set shot that hit the post, swung the momentum in the Pies' favour in front of a crowd of 69,868.

It was the prodigiously talented 22-year-old's first appearance since spurning multimillion-dollar offers from North Melbourne and St Kilda to commit to the black and white for two more years.

De Goey's second, after Brown's finish, brought his side within a point before milestone man Steele Sidebottom, in his 200th match, fittingly gave Collingwood the lead for good.

Brendon Goddard won't look back at the moment fondly, having gifted Sidebottom a 50m penalty and shot at goal after unnecessarily hanging onto him as the Sherrin disappeared up the field.

Skipper Scott Pendlebury (34 disposals, 11 clearances, eight tackles) and his great mate Sidebottom (27, two goals), key pillars in the Magpies' 2010 flag, were outstanding.

Sidebottom's first major in the opening term summed up his brilliance.

He faked Travis Colyer on the mark, then sidestepped him, strolled to 50m and slotted a spectacular goal from near the boundary line.

Taylor Adams also won 27 possessions and kicked a crucial last-quarter goal, while Brodie Grundy (24, eight clearances, 34 hit-outs) overcame Tom Bellchambers' strong opening to press his All Australian claims once more.

Collingwood shot 18 points clear late in the opening term thanks to four straight goals, but the match became an arm wrestle through the second and third quarters.

Essendon took a one-point lead into the fourth quarter on the back of stellar midfield performances from Zach Merrett (33, six clearances), Dyson Heppell (33) and pressure king Devon Smith (31, 13 tackles).

Cale Hooker and Michael Hurley repeatedly repelled the Pies' offensive forays – taking 16 marks between them – but the decision to leave Conor McKenna to mind De Goey backfired.

Brown and McKernan (two in the third quarter) combined for five majors to again prove their worth in Joe Daniher's injury absence, but it wasn't enough.

The Bombers are now two games and significant percentage outside the top eight.

MEDICAL ROOM
Essendon: The Bombers lost Orazio Fantasia before the match, with the forward livewire – who kicked four goals last week against North Melbourne – suffering a groin strain at training on Saturday. It got worse when Patrick Ambrose, after being swung onto Jaidyn Stephenson at quarter-time, pinged his right hamstring chasing the Rising Star favourite early in the second term.

Collingwood: Will Hoskin-Elliott suffered a right knee knock late in the opening term and came from the ground, but returned relatively early in the second quarter and played out the game. A positive day suffered a late negative when Flynn Appleby suffered a right hamstring injury late in the final quarter.



NEXT UP
Essendon makes the trip north to take on Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium on Saturday night, while Collingwood hosts West Coast on Sunday at the MCG, where the Eagles have lost 18 of their 24 matches since 2008.

ESSENDON                          1.2          4.5          7.6          9.8 (62)
COLLINGWOOD                   4.1          4.4          7.5         12.6 (78)

GOALS
Essendon: Brown 3, McKernan 2, McDonald-Tipungwuti, Langford, Baguley, McGrath
Collingwood: De Goey 3, Sidebottom 2, Stephenson, Grundy, Daicos, Hoskin-Elliott, Mihocek, Cox, Adams

BEST 
Essendon: Merrett, Smith, Heppell, Hurley, McKernan, Goddard
Collingwood: Pendlebury, Grundy, Sidebottom, De Goey, Adams, Crisp, Langdon

INJURIES 
Essendon: Orazio Fantasia (groin) replaced in selected side by Jake Long, Ambrose (hamstring), Heppell (cut eye)
Collingwood: Hoskin-Elliott (right knee), Appleby (hamstring)

Reports: Nil
Umpires: Donlon, Foot, Rosebury
Official crowd: 69,868 at the MCG