Collingwood gained valuable percentage and consolidated their AFL top-four berth with an 83-point belting of West Coast.

The Magpies blew away the Eagles on Saturday night at Etihad Stadium 20.15 (135) to 7.10 (52) - West Coast's lowest score against Collingwood.

Collingwood are now half a game clear on top of the ladder, although Geelong and St Kilda play on Sunday.

More significantly, the Magpies are now two and a half games ahead of the fifth-placed Western Bulldogs.

Collingwood forward Alan Didak and West Coast's Mark LeCras provided the highlights of the match with some outstanding goals.

Didak kicked three freakish goals in less than three minutes during the third term.

Magpies ruckman Darren Jolly was best afield with four goals, 20 possessions, 13 marks and 16 hitouts.

After LeCras snapped two outstanding goals in the second term, Didak out-did him with two minutes of genius in the third quarter.

First, Didak dribbled through a goal from the boundary line that would have done Collingwood legend Peter Daicos proud.

A minute later, Didak soccered through another great goal, despite a West Coast protest that it was touched.

Collingwood predictably won the ball from the next centre bounce and Didak was on the end of it, dodging an opponent and raising the Etihad Stadium roof with a brilliant goal from 40m.

Didak's burst of brilliance highlighted the third term, which had opened with a goal to the Eagles.

While Collingwood were always going to win, they only led at that stage by 26 points.

The first goal of the second half stung the Magpies and they went into top gear, kicking the next eight goals in the quarter and blowing the margin out to 79 points at the last change.

The only setback for Collingwood during the third term came when follower Luke Ball made front-on contact with Beau Wilkes.

Ball threw his hands up immediately after the incident and clearly did not mean the contact, but it will come under video review.

Collingwood also belted West Coast in the opening quarter, kicking 6.5 to 0.2 and effectively killing off the contest.

First-gamer Jarryd Blair, a late replacement for Steele Sidebottom (calf), had a chance to goal with his first AFL kick, but he missed the set shot early in the opening quarter.

That was about the only thing that did not go right for Collingwood in the first term.

They took 47 marks to just 10 in the first term and had 98 possessions to 62.

Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse praised the team's ball use, saying it was an improvement on the last month, and noted they were able to rally quickly when the Eagles were doing well at stoppages early in the game.

"Unless anyone else draws this year, the percentage is irrelevant, it's the method - everything is method," Malthouse said.

This was something of a danger game for Collingwood because at times they have struggled against sides lower than them on the ladder.

The match was Jolly's best performance since he moved from Sydney in the off-season.

"It was terrific for him, the first time he's kicked four goals - he's enjoying himself, he enjoyed himself today and he's enjoyed himself so far down here, back home, which is terrific," Malthouse said.

"He's a very important player for us." By contrast, Eagles coach John Worsfold said it was disappointing that his players could not maintain the intensity they showed at times during the match.

"We certainly learnt a lesson on good, quick ball movement, confidence and that sort of thing," Worsfold said. He conceded that their first and third quarters were some of West Coast's worst football in a barren season.

"I hope they are," Worsfold said ruefully.

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