Magpies fly over Cats

Collingwood 22.14 (146)  def.  Geelong 6. 8 (44)

Collingwood has returned to the top of the table after annihilating a pitiable Geelong unit by 102 points before a record crowd at the Melbourne Cricket Ground this evening.

In a devastating display against the pre-season champs that is sure to send shockwaves through the competition, the Magpies grinded their opponents like paste, developing a 59-point half time lead, before they pushed the nail further in the second half, slamming on 10 goals to four.

As Mark Thompson celebrated becoming the second longest serving coach at Geelong, it was a match he would remember for all the wrong reasons - Collingwood, not only won, but created history by registering their highest ever winning margin over the Cats.

Records continued to tumble for the Pies as they racked up both their highest ever tally of possessions and marks in a single match.

Collingwood's midfield precision and deft forward movements were simply too hard to hinder for Geelong's defenders, who were caught chasing for the majority of the evening.

In what was a resounding team effort, 13 of the Magpies' 22 players collected over 20 touches of the pill, while only two failed to notch double figures.

Dane Swan, Nathan Buckley, Shane O'Bree, and Paul Licuria were all potent in an irresistibility hot and slick midfield, while Swan also strolled forward to nail four goals - an effort also emulated by Leon Davis and Anthony Rocca.

Josh Fraser enjoyed a fruitful evening the ruck with 18 hit outs, while the entire backline delivered a sterling effort, restricting the Cats to their lowest score of the season.

Few players put their hands up for Geelong but captain Cameron Ling and Jimmy Bartel were two who continued to fight at all costs, despite the ominous scoreboard.

As the enormously confident Magpies fly to 6-2 and top of the premiership table, one has to question the Cats' overall determination this season, falling to 3-5 and 11th on the table, after claiming the pre-season cup earlier in the year.

Suggestions that the Subiaco hoodoo would strike Collingwood in the guts, they shuffled all suggestions early in the first quarter after booting the first three goals, before ultimately carrying a lead of 23 points into the first change.

Geelong's test to fight back was lost fairly briskly in the second stanza as the Magpies slammed on six unanswered goals, headed by an instrumental three goals by Davis, including two goal-of-the-year contenders.

The Cats' insipid attempt to keep the raging Pies at bay failed, as they faced a 59-point half time deficit, which was only made worse in the following stanza.

Collingwood preceded to claim their eighth third-quarter victory in as many starts this season, punishing the Cats with six goals in the first 18 minutes, before they dropped off the pace leading into the last break.

Staring down the barrel of a three-figure loss, Geelong booted the first two majors of the final quarter - both from frees - to reduce the three-quarter-time deficit of 94 points to 82.

However, the hot Pies turned up the gas, re-launching themselves for one final assault, which saw them add four goals in 20 minutes to extend their lead to a game-high 108 points, before Ablett kicked a long-range goal on the siren to reduce the deficit to a 'mere' 102 points.

Next week, Collingwood face the Western Bulldogs in a Friday night blockbuster at the MCG, while Geelong face a red-hot Richmond, who defeated the premiership favourites Adelaide today, at Skilled Stadium.

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