THERE'S a winter chill in the air, and the contenders are beginning to separate themselves from the pretenders in season 2026.

Geelong has proven to be a class above Collingwood, spoiling Scott Pendlebury's record-equalling 432nd game to coast away to a more-than-comfortable 54-point win in front of a rugged-up 83,000 at the MCG.

CATS v MAGPIES Full match coverage and stats

A horror third term of 0.6 cost the Pies dearly in the 18.14 (122) to 9.14 (68) loss, with Oisin Mullin well and truly blunting Nick Daicos' considerable strengths. 

The highlight reel was filled out early, with Dan McStay pulling off the tightest of snaps, 200-gamer Tom Stewart rolling back the clock with a flying intercept mark, and Brad Close threading the needle perfectly from the pocket.

After a particularly poor showing through the middle in last week's draw with Hawthorn, Collingwood was much more competitive in the centre clearances, controlling them early and breaking even for the match.

Jordan De Goey was in excellent touch, recording 18 disposals in the first half and providing a key and creative link down the field as the Pies moved the footy, but those were most of the high points for Craig McRae's team.

It wasn't quite a turgid, stodgy defensive affair, but pressure was high from both teams, and there were skill errors and turnovers aplenty, with every contested possession hard-earned in the first half.

A charitable reading of the surprisingly high number of dropped marks and fumbles from both sides could have blamed the chilly weather and some dew on the surface, but it certainly wasn't champagne football.

Unsurprisingly, it took Pendlebury – who drew level with North Melbourne great Brent Harvey's record – to bring a touch of class to proceedings, winning a holding the ball free and converting to finally give the Pies some reward for effort, cutting the margin to two after it had drifted as high as 19.

It turned out to be the last Collingwood goal kicked until Lachie Schultz saluted with 13 minutes left in a game that was well and truly gone.

Darcy Moore was ruled out at half-time after a collision with Mullin, which saw the Cat's shoulder collect Moore's head as the pair both attempted to collect the footy, and the skipper's injury-hit 2026 will now see him miss Friday night's clash with Sydney.

Geelong began to coast away in the third term, piling on the goals, and Beau McCreery cost his side dearly when he opted to mis-soccer a ball directly in front, rather than picking up the footy.

It was part of an agonising trend, with the Pies kicking 0.6 in the third term to the Cats' 4.4, capped off with Schulz umming and ahhing before delivering the ball to McStay a second too late in front of goal at three-quarter time.

With Sam De Koning splitting his time between the backline and ruck support for Rhys Stanley, Jack Buller found some space overhead in the first half and showed some promising signs.

Shannon Neale got a finger relocated by a trainer while standing on the field early in the fourth term, and took an overhead mark and kicked a goal less than two minutes later, celebrating by waving the dodgy mitten at the crowd.

It was a very even performance by Geelong, which didn't need Patrick Dangerfield, Jeremy Cameron or Tom Stewart to pull out old heroics, with Bailey Smith and Max Holmes busy, and Ollie Dempsey and Jack Martin controlling the wings.

Collingwood's defensive structural holes
The Pies' talls were rolling with somewhat of a high-risk, high-reward strategy in defence, with Billy Frampton, Darcy Moore and Brayden Maynard often pushing far off their opponents to press up the field and intercept. Geelong's midfielders were alert to the tactic, and held their composure to find Shannon Neale and Ollie Henry in plenty of space. Moore's game ended at half-time, which worsened Collingwood's structural issues, with holes aplenty and spare players littering Geelong's forward 50. At times, the Cats' forwards most dangerous opponents were their teammates flying for the same ball.

Mullin v N.Daicos
Geelong tagger Oisin Mullin lived in Nick Daicos' back pocket for the match. While the superstar Pie's raw numbers (29 touches, two clearances) look more than respectable, it's safe to say his impact on the match was well and truly muted compared to his normal game-changing output, even garnering some jeers in the final minute. Mullin has fast become Chris Scott's go-to shutdown specialist, given his ability to play across all three lines, and another tough task awaits with Brisbane ahead.

GEELONG                   5.3     7.6     11.10     18.14     (122)
COLLINGWOOD     3.4     5.8     5.14     9.14     (68)

GOALS
Geelong: O.Henry 4, Mannagh 3, Close 2, Martin 2, Dangerfield 2, Neale 2, Dempsey, Cameron, Bowes
Collingwood: McStay 3, Buller 2, J.Daicos, Pendlebury, Schultz, Anderson

BEST
Geelong: Smith, Holmes, Mullin, Dempsey, Neale, O.Henry
Collingwood: De Goey, Crisp, Pendlebury, J.Daicos, N.Daicos, McStay

INJURIES
Geelong: Nil
Collingwood: Moore (concussion)

Crowd: 83,166 at the MCG