It will not go down as the most brilliant performance under Nathan Buckley's watch, but Collingwood has bounced back from its Anzac Day defeat with an important 26-point win over St Kilda.

In a scrappy, and at times ugly, contest at Etihad Stadium on Friday night, the Magpies did what they needed to do against an injury-hit St Kilda line-up to record their fourth win of the year.

St Kilda champion Nick Riewoldt threatened to turn the game his side's way with a brilliant last term but it was not enough, with Collingwood running out 15.13 (103) to 11.11 (77) victors.

Dale Thomas was a standout for the Magpies, with 34 disposals (at 85 per cent efficiency) and eight marks in a new role off half-back.

Having lost running defender Alan Toovey to a season-ending knee injury last week against Essendon, Buckley shifted Thomas to defence, and the move paid immediate dividends.

Alongside Heath Shaw (22 touches), Thomas created, set up the play, organised his teammates, rebounded and cut off some of St Kilda's forward forays. When Scott Watters' side was pressing in the fourth term, the premiership midfielder was calm under pressure and offered a cool head.

Thomas and Shaw were two of few Magpies to stand out in the game, with St Kilda's defensive press restricting the Magpies' renowned drive.

The Saints' game style had undertones of Ross Lyon's coaching stint at the club, but it worked, and cut down the Magpies' propensity to use the middle of the ground as a springboard to attack.

Gradually the Magpies wore down that wall, and despite four goals, 11 marks and 19 disposals to Riewoldt, the Saints didn't have the polish to stick with Buckley's side.

Their fifth loss of the season is also likely to come at a cost.

Not only was veteran midfielder Lenny Hayes a late withdrawal after complaining of calf tightness in the warm-up, but defender Sam Gilbert was helped from the ground in the third term after appearing to hyperextend his left knee.

Gilbert went straight down to the rooms and was subbed out of the game shortly later.

Forward Justin Koschitzke is also set to face scrutiny from the match review panel for an off the ball high hit on young Magpie Jamie Elliott in the second term.

Elliott was grounded by the blow and left the field for medical attention on the bench, and on Twitter Elliott's injured teammate Dayne Beams described the incident as "fairly weak."

A week after suggesting some of his teammates were "cheating" with their work-rate, Scott Pendlebury collected 28 disposals, while key target Travis Cloke kicked 4.5 in a powerful showing against Rhys Stanley.

Jack Steven (21 disposals) continues to show encouraging signs for the Saints while former Fremantle defender Dylan Roberton had 21 touches as he impresses at his new football home.

Collingwood     3.4     5.7     10.10    15.13 (103)
St Kilda            3.2     5.5      8.9        11.11 (77)

Goals - Collingwood: Cloke 4, Jolly 2, Pendlebury 2, Seedsman 2, O'Brien, Blair, Krakouer, Clarke, Dwyer
St Kilda: Riewoldt 4, Siposs 2, Gilbert, Milne, Roberton, Koschitzke, Armitage

Best - Collingwood: Thomas, Pendlebury, Swan, Macaffer, Cloke, O'Brien, Shaw
St Kilda: Riewoldt, Steven, Geary, Montagna, Armitage, Roberton

Injuries - Collingwood: TBC
St Kilda: Lenny Hayes (calf) replaced in the selected team by Jack Newnes, Sam Gilbert (left knee)

Substitutes - Collingwood: Ben Kennedy replaced Jarrod Witts in the third quarter
St Kilda: Brodie Murdoch replaced Sam Gilbert in the third quarter

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Rosebury, Stevic, Ryan

Official crowd: 40,071 at Etihad Stadium