Collingwood is just one win away from a grand final berth after a comfortable 62-point victory over the Western Bulldogs in their qualifying final at the MCG on Saturday night.
The Pies dominated for much of the night, but their accuracy in front of goal was once again a major cause of concern as they squandered plenty of opportunities in the 17.22 (124) to 8.14 (62) result.
The win takes the Magpies into the preliminary final where they will play the winner of next Friday's clash between reigning premier Geelong and Fremantle, while the Dogs will play the winner of Sunday's elimination final between Sydney and Carlton next Saturday night at the MCG.
While coach Mick Malthouse will enjoy the week off, he will be sweating on the fitness of Sharrod Wellingham after the midfielder left the field in the third quarter with what looked like a serious ankle injury.
Brownlow Medal favourite Dane Swan continued his fine season with a match-high 39 disposals and three goals in a clear best on ground performance.
He was well supported by Scott Pendlebury (30 touches and two goals) and Dale Thomas, who finished the match with 32 possessions, seven marks and a goal.
Ben Johnson made a welcome return to the side after missing last week's loss to Hawthorn with 31 disposals and 11 marks.
Up forward, Travis Cloke started brightly with five marks and a goal in the opening quarter but was barely seen after that, while Leigh Brown showed his value to the team with two goals and plenty of handy work around the ground.
Ryan Griffen, who was in some doubt to even play following his knee injury last week, was easily the Dogs' best player as he had 34 possessions in a magnificent performance considering how poorly the team played.
Matthew Boyd and Daniel Cross also saw plenty of the ball, but there were too many disappointments with forwards Barry Hall, Shaun Higgins and Jarrod Grant combining for just 21 touches.
Hall did manage two goals, but he let his temper get the better of him as he was reported for abusive language towards an umpire, although he will most likely escape with just a fine.
It took 14 minutes for the Pies to boot the first goal of the match through Pendlebury and Swan made it two shortly after when he was left all alone in the forward pocket.
Cloke, who had an early sighter, converted a tough set shot from 45m out on the boundary line to give the Pies an early three-goal break as the Dogs failed to register a first-quarter goal for the first time since Round 19 against West Coast last year.
The Pies busted the game open in the second term with a remarkable 24 forward-50 entries and 13 shots at goal.
But despite the domination, their accuracy really hurt them with just four shots registering maximum points.
Mitch Hahn booted the Dogs' first goal of the night five minutes into the second term but the tall Collingwood forwards were enjoying plenty of freedom as Chris Dawes and Leigh Brown both converted set shots.
With the game slipping away, the Magpies' lead out to 37 points, the Bulldogs lifted their intensity with Higgins snapping truly before Griffen kicked a miraculous goal from beyond 50 on the boundary line.
But the quarter belonged to Collingwood as Steele Sidebottom added another to push the margin beyond five goals, although it should have been so much more with plenty of gettable chances wasted.
The Pies continued their dominance in the third quarter with Leon Davis slamming one home and Leigh Brown kicking a magnificent left-footed snap.
When Swan nailed his second goal of the night the sting had well and truly gone out of the match and the Pies fans made their voices heard with a chorus of boos when Barry Hall marked and goaled for the Dogs.
With the match in their keeping it was party time for the Magpies in the last quarter as Alan Didak capped off a relatively quiet match with one of the goals of the year.
After receiving the ball on the bounce, Didak wheeled around his opponent and from deep in the 'wrong' pocket for a lefty, he superbly nailed a near-impossible banana snap as the Pies rounded off a magnificent performance with a six-goal final stanza.
COLLINGWOOD: 3.6, 7.15, 11.18, 17.22 (124)
WESTERN BULLDOGS: 0.5, 3.7, 5.11, 8.14 (62)
GOALS: Collingwood: Swan 3, Sidebottom 3, Brown 2, Pendlebury 2, Didak 2, Cloke, Thomas, Dawes, Davis, Jolly
Western Bulldogs: Hall 2, Griffen 2, Higgins 2, Hahn, Giansiracusa
BEST: Collingwood: Swan, Pendlebury, Thomas, Maxwell, Brown, Reid
Western Bulldogs: Griffen, Cross, Picken, Boyd
INJURIES: Collingwood: Wellingham (ankle)
Western Bulldogs: Nil
REPORTS: Barry Hall (Western Bulldogs) for abusive language towards an umpire
CHANGES: Easton Wood replaced in the Western Bulldogs' selected side by Tim Callan
UMPIRES: Vozzo, Nicholls, Chamberlain
CROWD: 66,545 at the MCG