North Melbourne has kept alive its dream of capturing the AFL Women's premiership in its debut season with a comprehensive victory over winless Collingwood.
The Kangaroos provisionally returned to the top of Conference A thanks to the 7.11 (53) to 5.1 (31) result in the first match of Saturday's Marvel Stadium double-header.
Adelaide, the one team to beat Scott Gowans' side, will snatch that status if it trumps Greater Western Sydney on Sunday.
North poured more misery on the Magpies, who lost stars Jess Duffin, Emma King, Jasmine Garner and Mo Hope to the new franchise in a devastating off-season blow.
Hope was prominent early – involved in both of the Roos' first two goals, including kicking the second of them – and Garner was busy all match and capped her effort with a pair of majors.
Eliza Hynes succeeded King as Collingwood's No.1 ruck but copped a knee to her midriff from her former teammate at the first bounce in the second term.
The Roos should have ended the game as a contest earlier than it did, but wayward goalkicking ensured Collingwood started the second half only 12 points down despite seven fewer scoring shots.
However, any hope of a quick Magpie start in the third quarter was dashed when the prolific Jenna Bruton (19 disposals, six clearances) won another centre clearance to set up an immediate North Melbourne goal.
It was party time once Garner then Kaitlyn Ashmore produced respective quality finishes barely minutes apart to blow the margin out to 31 points at the last break.
The terrier-like Brittany Bonnici was Collingwood's best, winning a game-high 21 possessions and laying 10 tackles while blunting League medallist Emma Kearney's influence in the process.
Jaimee Lambert (20 disposals) and defender Ash Brazill (18) also did everything they could for the Pies, who had some deserved late reward with the final two goals.
Four Conference A clubs will still be in the finals race entering next week's final round if Melbourne accounts for the Western Bulldogs on Saturday night.
COLLINGWOOD 2.0 3.0 3.1 5.1 (31)
NORTH MELBOURNE 2.2 4.6 7.8 7.11 (53)
GOALS
Collingwood: Guttridge 2, Grant, Rowe, Chiocchi
North Melbourne: Garner 2, Bannister, Hope, Stanton, Bateman, Ashmore
BEST
Collingwood: Bonnici, Lambert, Brazill, Rowe, Livingstone, Guttridge
North Melbourne: Bruton, Stanton, Garner, Kearney, Abbatangelo, Gillespie-Jones
INJURIES
Collingwood: Ross (ankle)
North Melbourne: Nil
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Adair, McPhee, Jones
Official crowd: TBC at Marvel Stadium
