A red-hot Leon Davis gave Collingwood's AFL season a much-needed kick-start with a 22-point victory over West Coast at Subiaco Oval on Saturday night.

The `Pies entered the match with their season on the line following heavy losses to St Kilda and Carlton in the past fortnight and a third loss on the trot appeared on the cards when they trailed West Coast by 12 points at the first break.

But the Eagles went cold as the `Pies booted six unanswered goals from the two-minute mark of the second term to the 10-minute mark of the third to help set up the 12.16 (88) to 9.12 (66) win.

Davis was at his scintillating best with 32 possessions and three goals, while Dane Swan (36 possessions), Scott Pendlebury (38) and Nick Maxwell (29) were all crucial in the win.

The `Pies had managed just 12 goals in the previous fortnight and were again expected to struggle in attack with Paul Medhurst, Travis Cloke, Alan Didak, Anthony Rocca and Dale Thomas still sitting on the sidelines.

But John Anthony provided a target up forward with three first-half goals while Tarkyn Lockyer chipped in with two goals in his 200th match.

In contrast, the Eagles were dreadful going forward, failing to kick a goal in the second quarter despite entering their forward 50m on 10 occasions.

They weren't much better through the midfield either, with star midfielder Daniel Kerr butchering the ball on numerous occasions and Dean Cox enduring a rare off night.

Collingwood's fourth win of the season keeps them in touch with the top eight with a crunch match against Port Adelaide to come at the MCG next week.

Davis had the ball on a string in the opening 10 minutes but it was the Eagles who looked the surer of the two teams throughout the term, with David Wirrpanda booting a goal and setting up another to give the home side a handy 22-10 buffer at the first break.

But the Pies took control of the match thereafter as West Coast's disposal efficiency plummeted.

The `Pies threatened to run away with the game in the third term but two quick goals to Eagles forward Ben McKinley (four goals) restricted the margin to 20 points at the final change.

But Davis put the result beyond doubt early in the final term with two quick goals, the second of which came after taking a spectacular mark over teammate Swan.

Davis' burst gave the `Pies a 34-point lead before McKinley booted two goals in the dying minutes to add respectability to the scoreboard.

Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse praised the discipline of his injury-hit side to carry out the game plan.

"Who you put in can win the game for you, who's out of the side doesn't win the game," Malthouse said.

"Those that were in there I thought today played to the strategies absolutely perfectly.

"We made mistakes but I thought to a man everyone endeavoured to play the roles that were intended to be played, and that's the pleasing thing.

"We had a good mix of people who were prepared to play the role and played very well."

Eagles coach John Worsfold rued his team's inability to hit targets going forward.

"(That was a) massive concern from tonight's game," Worsfold said.

"(It came from) slow ball use, being hesitant and not taking the game on enough.

"They just managed to get their numbers back into our forward line a lot quicker and ran harder and used the ball better going out.

"We are well short on how good we need to be (in our ball use).

"A big part of that is having so many young players out there, we need to keep working hard and improve on that."

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