Collingwood captain Scott Pendlebury celebrated his 200th game in style, starring for the Magpies in their win over Gold Coast on Saturday night.
The 20.12 (132) to 9.9 (63) victory at Metricon Stadium ensured the Pies snapped a two-game losing streak and solidified their position in the top eight.
Starting the match inside the forward 50 before drifting through the midfield, Pendlebury finished with 35 disposals and booted three goals, with two of those coming during an inspired opening-quarter performance.
Jamie Elliott (five goals) and Jesse White (four) also performed brightly for the Pies alongside defender Marley Williams (33 disposals), while Steele Sidebottom returned from injury with 32 touches.
Taking a 23-point lead into quarter-time, Collingwood survived a spirited SUNS fightback midway through the second quarter en route to its fifth win of the season.
The SUNS kicked four goals within six second-quarter minutes to come within 10 points of the visitors.
But two late goals from White restored Collingwood's advantage to 23 points at the main break.
Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley was pleased with his team's performance, particularly the way they halted the SUNS' second-quarter burst.
"The leaders took control and we were able to stabilise," Buckley said.
"The last five or six minutes in the second quarter was an improvement area we're looking for, it showed maturity in the group."
The Pies restricted the SUNS to just two behinds in the third term, kicking five unanswered goals to stretch their lead to 55 points at three-quarter time.
On another tough night for the SUNS, coach Rodney Eade said the first quarter was where they let things slip.
"I don't think we followed instructions. We handballed too much, so we invited their pressure," Eade said.
Dion Prestia (knee) and Trent McKenzie (hip) battled through injuries for much of the match and will be assessed later in the week.
Tom Nicholls booted two last-quarter goals to cap off a strong performance.
GOLD COAST 1.3 6.5 6.7 9.9 (63)
COLLINGWOOD 5.2 10.4 15.8 20.12 (132)
GOALS
Gold Coast: Dixon 4, Sexton 2, Nicholls 2, Matera
Collingwood: Elliott 5, White 4, Fasolo 3, Pendlebury 3, Varcoe 2, Oxley, Grundy, Cloke
BEST
Gold Coast: Nicholls, Dixon, Sexton, Rischitelli
Collingwood: Varcoe, Pendlebury, Sidebottom, Elliott, Swan, Goldsack
INJURIES
Gold Coast: Prestia (knee), McKenzie (hip)
Collingwood: Jack Frost (leg)
SUBSTITUTES
Gold Coast: Luke Russell replaced Aaron Hall in the third quarter
Collingwood: Tim Broomhead replaced Jack Frost in the third quarter
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Fisher, Stephens, Jeffery
Official crowd: 16,440 at the Metricon Stadium
