The Brisbane Lions will face Carlton in the 2013 NAB Cup Grand Final after they put an undermanned Collingwood outfit to the sword on Saturday night to the tune of 34 points in oppressive conditions at Etihad Stadium.
The Magpies put up a fight in the first half and even led by a point at half-time despite missing the likes of Alex Fasolo, Alan Didak, Andrew Krakouer, Scott Pendlebury, Luke Ball, Dale Thomas, Jamie Elliott, Ben Reid, Travis Cloke, Alan Toovey, Dane Swan and Heath Shaw.
But the gross lack of star power eventually took its toll after the major break as the Lions ran rampant, booting eight goals to three to run out 0.12.16 (88) to 0.7.12 (54) winners.
The result means Brisbane will now play in their first pre-season decider since 2007, and coincidentally on that occasion they also played the Blues.
The match will take place at Etihad Stadium on Friday night, with the Gabba unavailable because of cricket commitments.
Rohan Bewick was the game breaker for Brisbane, with the match in the balance the 23-year-old booted four second-half goals, to go with 15 disposals, to bust the game open.
Daniel Rich (25), former Demon Brent Moloney (24) and Tom Rockliff (27) all saw a lot of the ball, Patrick Karnezis (20) was damaging as well, Daniel Merrett kept Collingwood forward Quinten Lynch quiet and Aaron Cornelius kicked the Lions' first three goals.
Dayne Beams (23, two goals) and Steele Sidebottom (27) led the way for Collingwood, Nathan Brown did a great job on Brisbane champ Jonathan Brown and youngsters Paul Seedsman and Ben Kennedy showed a bit too.
On a stinking hot night in Docklands, both clubs made a statement following the announcement of an interchange cap coming in next year with a total of 311 rotations (Collingwood 168, Brisbane 143).
After a scratchy start to the match, Cornelius finally kicked the first goal of the match 10 minutes into the contest and the Pies had to wait another eight minutes until they opened their account when Lynch's mongrel punt somehow split the big sticks.
Cornelius had the quick reply after he pinged Darren Jolly for holding the ball but the Lions were denied a quarter-time lead when Jed Adcock sent a horrid kick-in straight down Beams' throat who capped his 10-disposal first term with a goal on the siren to give Collingwood a one-point advantage.
The second term was a scrappy affair which began with Cornelius kicking his, and his side's, third goal of the match.
Beams cancelled it out four minutes later with his second major to hand back Collingwood the lead which Caolan Mooney extended to seven points soon after.
Both teams had their fair share of scoring opportunities but Lions defender Pearce Hanley would score the only other goal for the quarter as Collingwood ended a tight half one point up.
The Lions well and truly broke the shackles after half-time with the first three goals of the third term courtesy of Rich, former Demon Stefan Martin and Bewick.
It could have been a case of game over had Rich, Rockliff and Bewick not missed further shots on goal but Collingwood had a pulse and Tyson Goldsack got them back to within 12 points when he goaled at the 17-minute mark.
Josh Green responded with a clever kick out of mid-air on the goal line and although Kennedy got one back for Collingwood, the dangerous Bewick ensured the Lions would lead by 20 points at three-quarter time with his second of the stanza in an impressive performance by him up forward.
And there would be no coming back from there for the depleted Pies as the Lions went further ahead to complete a convincing win.
COLLINGWOOD: 0.2.4, 0.4.8, 0.6.10, 0.7.12 (54)
BRISBANE LIONS: 0.2.3, 0.4.7, 0.9.12, 0.12.16 (88)
SUPER GOALS: COLLINGWOOD: Nil
BRISBANE LIONS: Nil
GOALS: COLLINGWOOD: Beams 2, Lynch 2, Mooney, Goldsack, Kennedy
BRISBANE LIONS: Bewick 4, Cornelius 3, Hanley, Rich, Martin, Green, Brown
BEST: COLLINGWOOD: Beams, Sidebottom, N.Brown, Seedsman, Kennedy
BRISBANE LIONS: Bewick, Rich, Merrett, Rockliff, Moloney, Karnezis, Cornelius
INJURIES: COLLINGWOOD: Nil
BRISBANE LIONS: Nil
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Nil
UMPIRES: Dalgleish, Meredith, Burgess
CROWD: 12,093 at Etihad Stadium