Collingwood has put the top eight on notice that the finals race is not over with an outstanding 32-point win over a disappointing Greater Western Sydney.
The Magpies recovered from a slow opening term to overrun their opponents at Spotless Stadium on Saturday to post a comfortable 19.11 (125) to 14.9 (93) victory in front of 13,483 fans, displaying some of the irresistible form their supporters were hoping to see from the start of the 2016 campaign.
Travis Cloke finished with 12 marks and four goals for Collingwood, while Jesse White kicked three and provided good support in the ruck alongside Brodie Grundy, was best on ground with 28 hit-outs, six clearances and 26 possessions.
It was the Magpies' third victory in as many matches and leaves them at seven wins and eight losses with seven games to go. Of their seven remaining games, five are against teams currently inside the eight.
The result is a huge blow for the Giants, who fall to 10-5 after suffering their biggest loss of the year. The AFL's newest club could be outside the top four by the end of the round.
The Giants began the brighter of the two sides as Shane Mumford, with help from Rory Lobb, dominated the ruck in the opening term to give his team first use of the footy.
With a 14-5 advantage in clearances, GWS piled on seven goals to three to hold a 24-point advantage at quarter-time.
Whatever words of inspiration Magpies coach Nathan Buckley delivered at the break had the desired effect, as the visitors stormed back into the contest thanks to an improved effort at the stoppages, more run through the midfield and more pressure on their opponents when they had the footy.
Collingwood booted nine goals to two in the second quarter, with Grundy missing the chance to make it an even 10 when his after the siren set-shot missed.
The visitors' lift in intensity caused the Giants to look more like the easy-beats of 2012, rather than the finals contenders they have shown themselves to be this year.
Grundy, alongside White, were able to nullify the influence of Mumford and Lobb from quarter-time onwards.
The Magpies offered no respite in the second half, extending their margin to 42 points at the final change when Cloke outmarked Heath Shaw and made no mistake from 15 metres out.
Scott Pendlebury (26 posessions and six clearances) and Taylor Adams (31 touches and 10 clearances) feasted on the work of Grundy and White, while former Giant Adam Treloar also had a good day against his old club.
While GWS' tall forwards Jeremy Cameron (five goals) and Jonathon Patton (three goals) started brightly, the pair had little influence on the match after quarter-time as Collingwood’s midfielders were able to restrict their supply.
MEDICAL ROOM
Greater Western Sydney: The Giants appear to have come through the match unscathed.
Collingwood: Alex Fasolo, back in the side after overcoming an arm injury, was on the bench for most of the final term and had trainers looking at his left shoulder.
NEXT UP
The Magpies travel to South Australia to take on the Crows on Saturday night at Adelaide Oval - they are winless from their two matches at the venue this year. The Giants have an eight-day break before heading north to face the struggling Brisbane Lions at the Gabba in the Sunday twilight fixture.
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY 7.2 9.4 11.7 14.9 (93)
COLLINGWOOD 3.2 12.4 18.7 19.11 (125)
GOALS
Greater Western Sydney: Cameron 5, Patton 3, Kelly 2, Ward, Shiel, Lobb, Johnson
Collingwood: Cloke 4, White 3, Blair 2, Fasolo 2, Varcoe, Aish, Adams, Smith, Macaffer, Sinclair, Sidebottom, Grundy
BEST
Greater Western Sydney: Coniglio, Cameron, Haynes, Kelly, Mumford
Collingwood: Grundy, Adams, Cloke, Sidebottom, Treloar, Howe, Pendlebury
INJURIES
Greater Western Sydney: Nil
Collingwood: Nil
Reports
Nil
Umpires
Foot, Fisher, Stevic
Official crowd
13,483 at Spotless Stadium
