GREATER Western Sydney has taken a crucial first step to putting a horror finals campaign behind it with a 52-point thumping of Collingwood at Engie Stadium.

The Giants had to withstand a gallant Magpies challenge but showed few signs of crumbling under pressure as they had done late last year before running away to a 15.14 (104) to 6.16 (52) triumph on Sunday afternoon.

GIANTS v MAGPIES Full match coverage and stats

But the win could have come at a heavy cost after Giants big man Kieren Briggs was caught under teammate Sam Taylor leaping backwards into a pack and was taken from the field on a stretcher.

The 201cm ruck was quickly subbed out of the match but was soon upright and talking before being taken to hospital for further assessment on his neck.

The Magpies were given their own injury scare when star midfielder Nick Daicos tumbled to the ground in an innocuous contest and grabbed at the back of his left leg in the third term. 

Daicos was able to return to the action and renew his running battle with tagger Toby Bedford but had little impact in the final term as the Giants piled on six goals to two to seal a statement win.

Taylor might have played an unfortunate role in Briggs' match ending early but had just as much impact on the Giants' victory with a masterful display in defence.

The gun defender unusually started by booting the opening goal of the game and then set about controlling the airways with nine intercept marks that was a key to the Pies failing to make the most of their slight inside-50 advantage.

Finn Callaghan made his first repayment on a long-term deal with the Giants as the former No.3 pick was sublime with his ball use and finished with 33 disposals, seven clearances and two goals.

Giants stalwart Josh Kelly (36) partnered Callaghan in going head-to-head with the Pies in the engine room, while Callan Ward (23, one goal) turned back the clock in the absence of the injured Tom Green.

Harry Perryman could hardly have done much more in his Collingwood debut and first match against the side that he played 129 matches with.

The Magpies' recruit gathered 27 disposals mostly running through the midfield, while Josh Daicos (28) added class off half-back or when lining up around a wing. 

While the Giants had their run-and-carry transition game that powered the surge to a top-four finish last season humming early, their backs were largely up against the wall in the third term.

The Pies had 17 inside 50s to the Giants' four forward entries but could only manage five behinds after the main break before Darcy Jones burst away to boot a checkside goal and stretch the margin to 26 points heading into the final term.

The Giants had given up even bigger leads during their straight sets exit last year, but showed few signs of that record coming back to haunt them as they overran the Pies in the last term.

Giants face ruck crisis with Briggs out of action
The Giants shook off the Magpies even without Kieren Briggs for more than three quarters after the first-choice ruck was caught under a pack and soon helped from the field on a stretcher. Briggs and Collingwood ruck Darcy Cameron were jostling for position as the ball landed on top of a pack deep in the Giants' defence while Sam Taylor launched himself backwards in a typically desperate attempt to spoil. The key defender ensured the ball was brought to ground and quickly cleared away, but also fell heavily on top of Briggs who remained on the turf until assistance arrived. With Briggs subbed out soon after, veteran Lachlan Keeffe was forced into the ruck and now looms as critical to the Giants' hopes amid otherwise inexperienced big-man stocks.

Magpies high-flyer comes down from cloud nine
It would be hard to blame Jeremy Howe for having other things on his mind ahead of his side's season opener after he and wife Kahlia welcomed their second child this week. Howe was confident during the lead in to the blockbuster at Engie Stadium that the birth would not interrupt his availability and soon showed that he had turned up to play. The 2023 premiership player's 15th and potentially last season started brightly as he flew for marks and backed into packs, but while it will likely be a game he always remembers it was somewhat soured by the Giants taking home the four points.

Slammin' Sam goes bang
The Giants would have been hoping for a wide spread of goalkickers against the Magpies without reigning Coleman medallist Jesse Hogan, the suspended Jake Riccardi and injured recruit Jake Stringer. But their opener could hardly have come from a less likely source than a key defender who had as many All-Australian blazers and club champion awards as goals in 111 matches before facing the Pies. Sam Taylor outmarked Dan McStay as the Collingwood defence looked to clear the ball to the wing, and was then was handed a 50m penalty after an errant hand hit him high. That took the 25-year-old close enough to goal to sneak in just the second major of his career and set off wild scenes as he was swamped by teammates.

GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY     5.3     8.7     9.9      15.14 (104)
COLLINGWOOD                          1.6     4.8     4.13    6.16 (52)

GOALS
Greater Western Sydney: Brown 2, Jones 2, O'Halloran 2, Callaghan 2, Gruzewski 2, Taylor, Ward, Greene, Daniels, Leake
Collingwood: Mihocek 2, Elliott 2, Hill, Membrey

BEST
Greater Western Sydney: Callaghan, Taylor, Kelly, Whitfield, Ward, Daniels, Ash 
Collingwood: Perryman, Cameron, J.Daicos, N.Daicos, Crisp                     

INJURIES
Greater Western Sydney: Briggs (neck)
Collingwood: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
Greater Western Sydney: Jacob Wehr (replaced Kieren Briggs in the first quarter)
Collingwood: Ned Long (replaced Will Hoskin-Elliott in the third quarter)

Crowd: 19,248 at Engie Stadium