Collingwood have registered four straight AFLW wins for the first time, underlining their premiership credentials with an impressive 20-point triumph over North Melbourne.
Gun midfield trio Brianna Davey, Brittany Bonnici and Jaimee Lambert were superb for the Magpies as they seized the scoreboard ascendancy in a tough opening at Marvel Stadium on Saturday night.
The Pies' strength in the engine room and superior work on the outside laid the platform for the 4.4 (28) to 0.8 (8) victory, which gave them a perfect 4-0 record this season.
Star forward Chloe Molloy was the only multiple goalkicker, finishing with two majors for the Pies in front of 2254 fans.
Collingwood coach Steve Symonds felt the performance illustrated his side's growth.
"We made a few little mistakes as we went along because it was a red-hot game, but our ability to work through that and keep to task was really important," Symonds said.
"Whether our group could've done that 12 months ago, I'm not sure. We might've dropped off and played a little bit safer.
"But we've progressed as a group and today they stuck to task and went all the way, which was great."
North Melbourne were left to lament wasted opportunities in front of goal as they slipped to consecutive losses.
It was the first time the Kangaroos have been held goalless, resulting in their lowest-ever AFLW score.
Davey, Bonnici and Lambert combined for 28 disposals and five clearances in the first quarter alone.
Collingwood capitalised with goals through Aishling Sheridan and Molloy to take a 14-point lead into the first break.
Molloy showed her class and tenacity in laying a tackle, gathering the loose ball and snapping truly from 35m in a superb individual passage of play.
Jasmine Garner and Ash Riddell lifted around the ball to help give the Kangaroos some drive and Kaitlyn Ashmore starred in the back half.
But North Melbourne were unable to make their forward thrusts count and were duly punished.
Collingwood's speed and superior ball movement was telling as they kept their opponents at arm's length after quarter-time.
"Their ability to get outside of us hurt us," Kangaroos coach Darren Crocker said.
"We weren't able to stem their uncontested game and I thought as the game wore on that allowed them to be far more efficient than what we were."
Magpies co-captain Davey led from the front and finished with 31 disposals and seven clearances in an outstanding performance.
North Melbourne's Nicole Bresnehan split webbing between her fingers and was unable to finish the match.
Australian Associated Press
