Collingwood have shaken off a month of patchy AFL form, with Adam Treloar starring for the depleted Magpies who have cruised past hapless Gold Coast in a 69-point win at the MCG.
After losing four of their past five matches, Nathan Buckley’s men needed a confidence boost and received it in Sunday’s 18.12 (120) to 8.3 (51) victory in front of 33,577 fans.
The Pies kicked their second-highest score of the season and gained almost five percentage points, as the last-placed Suns slumped to their 15th defeat in a row.
Treloar was outstanding with 35 possessions, 10 clearances and a goal, but he had plenty of willing helpers.
Brodie Grundy gathered 26 touches and had 43 hitouts, Steele Sidebottom had 27 disposals and kicked two goals and Scott Pendlebury was all class with 24 possessions and a goal.
To their credit, the Suns kept coming, but it’s all about glimpses of a brighter future for their fans. There were at least a few of those, with Jack Lukosius (21 disposals) and Ben King (three goals) catching the eye.
There was no indication of the battering to come in Gold Coast’s bright start.
Sam Day and King goaled to put their side up by 13 points with the Pies barely touching the ball.
But with Treloar leading the way, Collingwood worked into the contest to lead by eight points at the first break.
Travis Varcoe and Will Hoskin-Elliott didn’t register a possession between them in the first quarter, but Varcoe booted two goals and Hoskin-Elliott snagged a beauty from long range as the Pies clicked into gear in the second.
The home side led by 34 points as the second half began, Sidebottom adding a second major and Hoskin-Elliott another couple as Collingwood moved in for the kill.
King kicked his side’s only goal for the quarter after a superb contested mark, but the margin blew out to 65 points at three-quarter time.
Pendlebury glided inside 50 to kick the first goal of the final term but Gold Coast matched the Pies’ two goals for the quarter.
On a sour note for the Magpies, their well-documented injury woes continued with Mason Cox (eye) sitting out the second half.