Collingwood's AFL season is gathering pace, after a first-quarter Anzac Day demolition of Essendon helped them cruise to a 65-point win at the MCG on Sunday.

The 18.12 (120) to 8.7 (55) victory, in front of 90,070 spectators, the ninth best AFL home and away crowd ever, took them within percentage of top spot.

The Magpies were 44 points up by the first change, with their stifling defensive pressure keeping the Bombers goal-less in the first term and leading to some easy goals from close range for Collingwood.

Essendon coach Matthew Knights acknowledged his side's intensity was not up to scratch in the first quarter, suggesting two early botched scoring attempts might have caused a mental sag.

"It seemed to deflate us, but it shouldn't, that happens in football," Knights said.

"You've got to have the strength and conviction to just keep working hard and we didn't do that." While the Bombers showed slightly more fight after quarter-time, they never made significant inroads on the scoreboard, the Magpies finishing them off with the last four goals of the third term to set up a 70-point lead at the last change.

Midfielder Scott Pendlebury won the Anzac Medal as best afield, with his exemplary ball use showing up the wastefulness of the Bombers, whose turnovers trying to penetrate Collingwood's midfield zone yielded many goals.

Encouragingly for Collingwood, key forward Travis Cloke shone with four goals, equalling his combined total of the previous four rounds.

His haul included three in the first term, as a crucial component in the Magpies' fast start.

Ruckman-forward Josh Fraser, who has taken time to adjust to being part-time in the ruck since the recruitment of ex-Sydney big man Darren Jolly, also showed pleasing form, with three goals.

With Cloke missing just one shot and Fraser none, it meant the goal-kicking woes which had resulted in the Magpies kicking 21.38 in the previous two rounds were thrust aside.

With the Magpies' big win following a 64-point thrashing of former bogey side Hawthorn last weekend, coach Mick Malthouse described his team's form as "very pleasing".

He highlighted the Magpies' improving depth as a key component, after calling up youngsters Chris Dawes, Ben Reid and Nathan Brown for the match, while veterans Shane O'Bree, Tarkyn Lockyer and Leigh Brown were left out.

"The three of them have all been stiff and perhaps other years when we haven't had that depth you just roll along and you don't miss anything," Malthouse said.

"Tarkyn values these games, as does Shane O'Bree, he's been around for a long time, and Browny's finding his rhythm ... but the door's been smashed down by Dawes in the seconds." Half-forward Dale Thomas also pointed to the depth of available talent as a driving force in the club's strong season start.

"For our club to get better, we've still got to keep blooding these blokes who have played a handful of games, give them a bit more experience, so when they come in they can have an impact like today, that's what it's all about," Thomas said.

"That's the best thing, that competitiveness for positions means everyone's got to play well every week, otherwise you're out the door.

"Touch wood we're pretty lucky on the injury front too and I hope it stays like that."

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