Melbourne have extended their AFL purple patch to three games with a thumping 56-point victory over Collingwood at the Gabba.

The Demons started fast and never looked back, capitalising on their superb inside-50 entries while delivering a stingy defensive performance in a 16.4 (100) to 6.8 (44) victory.

Midfield trio Clayton Oliver (25 disposals), Christian Petracca (24 touches and a goal) and Angus Brayshaw (23 possessions) again combined with aplomb while livewire Charlie Spargo (three goals) and in-form tall Sam Weideman (two) led the way up forward for Melbourne.

Despite the best efforts of Taylor Adams (30 disposals) and Steele Sidebottom’s (29 touches), Collingwood were never in the contest and added to their mounting injury list.

Forward Brody Mihocek was taken off the field on a stretcher in the second term after a heavy collision in a marking contest with Melbourne’s Aaron vandenBerg while Ben Reid limped off with a hamstring issue in the third term.

The Demons were without skipper Max Gawn but flew out of the blocks with their intense pressure and hard work on the outside a feature of the opening term.

Although Simon Goodwin’s side largely failed to capitalise on their early opportunities and took just a 14-point lead into the first break.

That changed in the second quarter, when the Demons seized their opportunity to grab the game by the scruff of the neck.

Spargo led the way with three majors as Melbourne piled on seven goals to three to take a 32-point lead into halftime.

The Demons held their nerve as Collingwood attempted a fightback in the third term amid heavy rain.

The final term was all Melbourne, with the Demons wrapping up a four-quarter performance by keeping the Magpies goalless while booting four goals.

The victory puts Melbourne into the finals mix before a difficult travel schedule that includes games on the Gold Coast, in Alice Springs and in Cairns.