Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse has celebrated his milestone match in style and continued his mastery of Paul Roos after a 25-point AFL win over Sydney at ANZ Stadium.

Malthouse became just the third man to bring up 800 VFL/AFL games as a player or coach, joining Jock McHale and Kevin Sheedy, in Collingwood's 13.18 (96) to 10.11 (71) triumph that takes them to third on the ladder.

It is also the Pies' ninth straight win over Sydney, who haven't beaten Collingwood since a one-point triumph in their premiership year in 2005.

Harry O'Brien, Dane Swan and Dale Thomas helped set up the comfortable win, while Chris Dawes kicked three goals and Steele Sidebottom, Travis Cloke and Leigh Brown added two apiece in front of a disappointing crowd of 43,585 at Homebush Bay.

Simon Prestigiacomo also hammered a barely-sighted Adam Goodes in their individual match-up.

Josh Fraser might struggle to find a way back into the Collingwood line-up with former Swan Darren Jolly holding his own in the ruck and performing well when thrown forward.

Sydney were well beaten all over the ground and have slipped to a 7-6 record for the season, clinging to a top eight place on percentage ahead of next week's trip to Melbourne to face Richmond.

Ben McGlynn (two goals) was lively and Ryan O'Keefe also contributed with three goals, but the vast majority of Swans were well short of the level required to get past the Pies.

Daniel Bradshaw, who was ruled out before the opening bounce as his knee problems continue, can't come back soon enough into a Swans side that struggled all night for an avenue to goal.

Collingwood quickly adapted to the cold, greasy conditions and earned some reward for their early dominance when O'Brien and then Dawes kicked goals.

Sydney got their first major 21 minutes into the term through O'Keefe, but Cloke answered two minutes later after taking a simple mark in the goal-square.

Despite their apparent edge in class and skill, Collingwood only had a nine-point lead at quarter-time following a late goal to McGlynn.

The Magpies then kicked four goals to two in the second quarter for a 25-point halftime lead and from there never looked like losing.

Malthouse was pleased with the effort of his team, but felt the one-sided return against Sydney has been an anomaly.

"It's over a long period and every game is a tough encounter," he said.

"I don't think there's ever been an easy game against the Sydney Swans."

Sydney were able to stay in the game longer than they should have due to some more errant kicking by the Pies, who followed up a 9.22 effort against Melbourne in their last start with 13.18 on Saturday night.

"We've had 5,000 more shots at goal in practice this year than we had last year," Malthouse said.

"It will come about that we will kick goals.

"There weren't too many set shots missed."

Roos wasn't too despondent after the game, suggesting that the Magpies are simply a better, more advanced team right now.

"Obviously we didn't perform tonight but is that where we're at,?" he said.

"I think it's personnel, the talent level we have.

"As it stands now there's a clear difference between where we sit as a team and where Collingwood sit as a team.

"They're more talented, more experienced, more seasoned and hardened and more ready to play in big games than what we are."

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