Collingwood have produced their biggest victory in an Anzac Day AFL fixture by thrashing Essendon by 73 points at the MCG.

The match began as an even, free-scoring contest on Friday, as both sides scored five goals in the first quarter, but a run of eight unanswered Magpie goals over the second and third terms turned the match into a 23.16 (154) to 12.9 (81) rout.

The one-sided match made for a strange spectacle for a huge crowd of 88,999 - the ninth-biggest attendance at a home and away game in league history - given this clash usually produces an arm wrestle.

The stars for Collingwood were small forward Paul Medhurst, who booted six goals and took a screamer in the third-quarter, and Travis Cloke, who was superb at centre half-forward and bagged five.

Collingwood's win was their biggest over Essendon since they won by 147 points in 1971, and gave them a 7-6 advantage since the drawn 1995 game, which established the traditional clash between these sides.

The big win also got their season back on track, and gave them a 3-3 record after successive losses, and left the Bombers nursing a third-straight defeat and 2-4 record.

The Pies' potency in attack would have pleased coach Mick Malthouse given tall forward Anthony Rocca withdrew before the game because of injury.

Medhurst capped an outstanding game as a small forward by threading his sixth goal from a set shot close to the boundary line in a performance a far cry from the days he used to fade out of games at Fremantle.

Cloke stepped up to fill the breach and showed the sort of form which won him last year's best and fairest, which included a return of 14 marks.

Cloke lit the spark for his side with a 60-metre roost in the second term, which put the Magpies in front after Essendon's early fight.

But Collingwood had good players everywhere, led by onballer Scott Pendlebury, with 33 creative touches, his fellow midfielders Dane Swan and Ben Johnson, Heath Shaw across half-back and Alan Didak at half-forward.

Tarkyn Lockyer and Leon Davis also kicked three each for the Pies.

While Collingwood were impressive, Essendon were outgunned 10 goals to two in the second and third quarters, and were badly lacking in defensive pressure or creativity when in possession of the ball.

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