Collingwood ran over the top of North Melbourne for a 45-point win at Marvel Stadium on Saturday night.
Jamie Elliott starred with five goals as the ladder-leading Magpies smashed the Kangaroos in the last quarter, winning 15.18 (108) to 9.9 (63).
The Magpies turned a grinding contest into an avalanche with eight goals to one in the final term.
Nick Daicos, Collingwood's acting captain, was outstanding after the main break, as older brother Josh Daicos continued his strong form with an excellent game off half-back.
Nick racked up 38 disposals - including a whopping 12 inside-50s - and Josh had 31 as the two most prolific players on the ground.
Already missing several players, Collingwood lost Scott Pendlebury and Bobby Hill as late withdrawals, then Brayden Maynard in the first quarter.
After Pendlebury dropped out because of illness, the AFL gave Collingwood permission to bring in Oleg Markov when Hill also became an absentee for personal reasons, understood to be a family matter.
Then Maynard limped to the bench and out of the game before quarter-time with a foot injury.
Markov later joined the final-quarter goal procession, capping off his excellent shot from an acute angle with an exuberant celebration.
Magpie forward Brody Mihocek was hurt late in the second term, but played out the game.
The second-bottom Kangaroos, buoyed by some stronger form in the past few weeks, smelled blood early and led by nine points at half-time.
Collingwood key defender Billy Frampton restricted the damage with some crucial spoils as North pressed.
Then, predictably, Collingwood rallied. With Nick Daicos prominent, they kicked the opening three goals of the second half.
North rebounded with two goals to trail by three points at the final change.
After only 21 inside-50s in the first half, the Magpies racked up 20 in the third term, but kicked a wasteful 3.8.
They fixed that with emphasis, blasting through 8.1 in the final quarter.
North forward Cameron Zurhaar kicked his third goal in the last term, while Riley Hardeman impressed off half-back.
Another injury, another opportunity
When Brayden Maynard was subbed out in the opening term it looked like it could be the straw that would break the Magpies' back. Already missing half a dozen senior players even before Scott Pendlebury and Bobby Hill's late withdrawals, surely this was one injury too much. But no. Craig McRae has his team running just how he wants it, and when one player goes down another stands up. The stars still shone but debutant Will Hayes laid six tackles, eighth gamer Ed Allan had 24 touches and eight tackles, St Kilda discard Tim Membrey kicked three goals. It doesn't matter if the talent is on the ground or in the stands, because Collingwood is becoming bigger than the sum of its parts.
Do the Stomp, the Oleg Stomp
Oleg Markov wasn't even named as an emergency on Thursday night but found himself on the Marvel grass in the first quarter on Saturday. When everything was going to Collingwood's end in the final term, Markov decided to join the flow and before long he was lining up for a shot from the boundary. As the ball sailed through for a goal Markov went into a unique, stomping celebration dance, maybe bringing a touch of Russian influence to Sir Doug Nichols Round.
NORTH MELBOURNE 1.3 6.6 8.8 9.9 (63)
COLLINGWOOD 2.5 4.9 7.17 15.18 (108)
GOALS
North Melbourne: Zurhaar 3, Xerri, Simpkin, Powell, Larkey, Konstanty, Curtis
Collingwood: Elliott 5, Membrey 3, Mihocek 2, Sullivan, Perryman, Markov, Hoskin-Elliott, Crisp
LATE CHANGES
North Melbourne: Nil
Collingwood: Scott Pendlebury (illness) replaced in selected side by Wil Parker; Bobby Hill (personal) replaced in selected side by Oleg Markov
SUBSTITUTES
North Melbourne: Zac Fisher, replaced Finnbar Maley at three-quarter time
Collingwood: Oleg Markov, replaced Brayden Maynard in the first quarter
Crowd: TBC at Marvel Stadium