Collingwood have again used a big stage to stamp their growing claim as a genuine AFL premiership threat, thumping Carlton in an entertaining clash at the MCG.

The Magpies won 24.11 (155) to 16.6 (102) in front of a crowd of more than 80,000, joining Sydney, St Kilda and Fremantle on a 5-1 record, with their only loss of the season so far against the Saints in round three.

Since then, they have thrashed Hawthorn by 64 points, Essendon by 65 and now the Blues by 53, all at the MCG.

The Magpies' win on Sunday was everything the Saints' dour three-point victory over the Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium on Friday night was not - free-flowing, high-scoring and crowd-thrilling.

Collingwood kicked seven consecutive goals either side of the quarter time break to burst to a 38-point lead, before the Blues reeled them in with nine of the next 12 majors to close the gap to three points in time-on in the third term.

But the Magpies lifted when it counted, booting four goals in the last eight minutes of the third quarter, then outscoring Carlton 7.3 to 3.1 in the last to assert their authority.

Collingwood had 13 different goal kickers - including three each to emerging key forward Chris Dawes, Paul Medhurst and Luke Ball - as they notched their third successive score of 120 points or more.

Coach Mick Malthouse said the variety of goal kickers had been a theme of their season - Travis Cloke leading their season tally with just 10 - and was a positive sign.

"It's a far better system than being reliant on too few and I think if you can get midfield goals or backline goals, they're the bonus ones, the forwards are up there to score," he said.

But he stressed it was far too early to read anything into their hot form.

"It's a long, long way to go, just over a quarter into the season, there's some good sides going around." But Blues coach Brett Ratten was happy to talk up the Magpies' prospects.

"From the teams we have played and watching a couple of games live they are right up there. Their pressure is enormous and that will keep them right at the top of the ladder for a long period of this season," he said.

"They are dangerous, they have a very even spread of contributors and they are a very, very good team." In Sunday's other matches, reigning premiers Geelong rebounded emphatically from last round's loss to the Blues, thrashing an inept Richmond 24.17 (161) to 7.11 (53) at Skilled Stadium.

It sets up an enticing clash with the top-placed Swans at the same venue on Sunday, the same day the two winless sides - Richmond and Adelaide - meet at AAMI Stadium.

Midfielder Joel Selwood, set to sign a new three-year deal with the Cats, was best on ground.

Fremantle maintained their position among the early-season pacesetters with a comeback 17.9 (111) to 10.13 (73) win in a bruising derby encounter with West Coast, who are still stuck in the bottom four on one win.

Earlier in the weekend, North Melbourne broke Melbourne's three-win streak with a 26-point victory at Etihad Stadium and Port Adelaide added to arch-rivals Adelaide's pain with a 26-point triumph at AAMI Stadium.

Sydney claimed the biggest scalp of their five-win streak, downing Brisbane by 20 points at the Gabba, while Essendon handed Hawthorn their fifth straight loss, by 43 points at the MCG.

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