At the start of this season, Friday night's fixture between Collingwood and Fremantle – on paper at least – would have read as an important clash.

The 12.13 (85) to 5.7 (37) score line represented the flat nature of the contest, which was all but over at quarter-time after Collingwood's early dominance, and very nearly sealed by the half-time break when the Pies led by 40 points with Fremantle stuck on just one goal.  

The Fremantle Dockers were more competitive in the third term, but fell into their first-half habits in the last quarter to be blown away as Collingwood secured its fifth win of the season.  

Star Magpie Adam Treloar was Collingwood's best and most consistent player across the contest, gathering 33 disposals, seven tackles and a goal, while Jack Crisp collected 24 touches in a typically hard-at-it effort.

In a further positive for the Pies, first-year pair Josh Smith (25 disposals and a goal) and Tom Phillips (19, one goal) impressed, while American convert Mason Cox (two goals) continues to show exciting signs despite the inclement weather not helping taller types.

Conditions were also not ideal for returning premiership forward Travis Cloke, but the full-forward worked hard across the night and finished with 13 disposals and 2.2.  

Talking points from Collingwood loss

Michael Barlow's form resurgence continued with 31 disposals, Hayden Crozier was active with 23, and Connor Blakely continued his emergence as a long-term midfielder for the club with 24.

Lyon said he was "flabbergasted" at Freo's poor start to the game and admitted it was disappointing after a string of recent victories.

"It's obviously a step back. We're really disappointed. It's a Friday night [game at] the MCG and we'd spoken about that," Lyon said.

"We've got plenty of members and fans and you're on the national stage, we'd like our young players and our leaders to really stand up but that didn't occur."

The damp conditions (it was just six degrees in Melbourne at the opening bounce) didn't stop Collingwood's big forwards from having an early impact, with the recalled Cloke and then Cox booting the first two goals of the game.

It set the tone for a strong first-quarter for the Pies, who recorded 20 inside-50 entries to seven, and restricted Freo entering their forward-50 at any stage from the third minute of the game until the 19-minute mark.

Michael Walters' goal in the opening minutes of the second term provided only a short-term relief for Freo, as Collingwood powered to a 40-point advantage at the main break after a four-goal quarter.

Freo lifted in their intensity in the third term, and had 13 inside 50s to 14 to cut the deficit to 29 points at three-quarter time. The Pies didn't kick a goal for the term, but Fremantle's forward line struggles meant Collingwood's lead appeared safe heading into the last term.

And so it proved. Fremantle champion Matthew Pavlich, in what will likely be his final game at the MCG, snapped a goal early in the last quarter to edge the Freo Dockers to within 22 points.

But back-to-back goals to Treloar and then Jesse White ended any chance of a Freo revival, and they conceded another three goals to be on the end of a margin that befitted their lack of contest across the night. 

MEDICAL ROOM
Collingwood: The Pies got through the game unscathed, which is a bonus given the rugged conditions.
Fremantle: A bad night could have gotten worse for Freo in the third term when Lachie Neale left the field with a sore shoulder after being tackled to the turf. He returned to the field that quarter, however, and played out the game.

NEXT UP
Collingwood will be hoping it can continue its form against archrivals Carlton next Saturday night at the MCG, while Fremantle has the bye before returning in round 16 to face Melbourne in Darwin. 

COLLINGWOOD  3.4    7.8   7.10  12.13 (85)
FREMANTLE        0.1   1.4    3.5    5.7 (37)

GOALS
Collingwood: Cox 2, White 2, Cloke 2, Greenwood, Phillips, De Goey, Treloar, Smith, Aish
Fremantle: Pavlich 2, Ballantyne 2, Walters

BEST
Collingwood: Treloar, Pendlebury, Crisp, Reid, Smith, Howe
Fremantle: Barlow, Walters, Neale, Crozier, Hill, Collins

INJURIES
Collingwood: Nil
Fremantle: Nil

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Stephens, Ryan, Pannell, Mitchell

Official crowd: 20,320 at the MCG