Collingwood has climbed into the top eight for the first time in 56 rounds, thrashing an injury-hit Essendon by 49 points on Anzac Day before a crowd of 91,440 at the MCG.

The Magpies opened 2018 with two losses, but their dominant 14.7 (101) to 7.10 (52) victory over the Bombers was their third in a row and vaulted them into fifth on the ladder after five rounds.

Essendon's cause was not helped by the fact it lost Josh Begley (knee) and Josh Green (hamstring) to injuries in the first half, with both players sitting out the entire second half.

Collingwood led by just seven points after a high-intensity first term and could only extend its lead to 17 points at the main break despite dominating the second quarter.

However, Nathan Buckley's men put the Bombers to the sword in the second half, holding them to just three goals – and none in the third term – as they piled on eight goals of their own.

The Magpies were brilliantly led by captain Scott Pendlebury (27 possessions) and vice-captain Steele Sidebottom (25 possessions and three goals), who were the most influential players on the ground when the contest was alive, carving ways through the Bombers' defences with their uncommon ability to find time and space amid chaos.

The Bombers' loss saw them slide to 13th on the ladder, while they have yet to win consecutive games this year.

It was a tough day for the club, but key defender Michael Hurley (29 possessions and 10 marks) battled valiantly to keep the Pies at bay, and David Zaharakis (34 possessions), Zach Merrett (33) and Darcy Parish (28) never stopped working in the midfield.

Brendon Goddard (33 possessions) was a prolific ball-winner but his animated on-field discussions with clearly frustrated teammates including Zaharakis and Daniher were a bigger talking point.

Adam Treloar (34 possessions and two goals) provided Collingwood with damaging run through the middle, especially in the second half, and was a deserving winner of the Anzac Medal.

Jaidyn Stephenson (two goals), Jordan De Goey (one) and Will Hoskin-Elliott (two) were livewires in attack, while Lynden Dunn enjoyed a decisive win over Dons spearhead Joe Daniher, and Jeremy Howe short-circuited Bomber attacks time and time again with his intercept marking.

However, the performance of Mason Cox might have brought the biggest smile to coach Nathan Buckley's face. The 211cm American gave the Pies a strong aerial target in attack, finishing the game with two goals and eight marks – five of them inside 50 and three contested – and providing the strongest evidence yet that he can cut it as a key forward.

MEDICAL ROOM
Collingwood: TBC. 

Essendon: Josh Green went into the rooms midway through the first quarter with an apparent right hamstring injury. He returned to the ground just minutes later, but spent extended time off the ground in the second quarter and sat out the entire second half. Josh Begley left the ground after twisting his right knee midway through the first quarter. After being assessed in the rooms, Begley returned to the interchange bench late in the first term, but sat with ice on his knee and took no further part in the match

NEXT UP
Both teams face the tough ask of preparing for their round six games off four-day breaks, but will each play opponents who've had just one day longer to prepare. The Magpies will play Richmond at the MCG on Sunday, having lost four of their past five games against the Tigers. Earlier that day, the Bombers will host Melbourne at Etihad Stadium, where the Demons beat them by 38 points in round six last year.

COLLINGWOOD      4.4    6.9    8.14     14.17 (101)
ESSENDON              3.3    4.4     4.9          7.10 (52)

GOALS
Collingwood: Sidebottom 3, Treloar 2, Hoskin-Elliott 2, Stephenson 2, Cox 2, De Goey, Reid, Phillips
Essendon: Stringer 2, Daniher, Stewart, Heppell, McDonald-Tipungwuti, Hooker

BEST 
Collingwood: Pendlebury, Sidebottom, Treloar, Grundy, Dunn, Howe
Essendon: Hurley, Heppell, Merrett, Zaharakis

INJURIES 
Collingwood: TBC
Essendon: Begley (knee), Green (hamstring)

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Deboy, Hosking, Chamberlain

Official crowd: 91,440 at the MCG

Anzac Medal voting (four judges vote 3-2-1):

11 - Adam Treloar 
7 - Steele Sidebottom 
4 - Scott Pendlebury 
2 - Jordan De Goey

Gerard Whateley (AFL 360, chair) - Treloar, De Goey, Sidebottom
Peter Ryan (Age) - Treloar, Pendlebury, Sidebottom
Glenn McFarlane (Herald Sun) - Treloar, Sidebottom, Pendlebury
Roger Vaughan (AAP) - Sidebottom, Treloar, Pendlebury