COLLINGWOOD threw its best at Port Adelaide time and again on Friday night but could not land the final blow to spoil Travis Boak's 300th game celebrations, with the Power kicking away to claim an important win by 28 points.
Port broke out to a 32-point lead early in the third quarter but had that whittled away to just nine early in the fourth term after the Magpies twice rallied at an empty Marvel Stadium.
They steadied when needed, however, with key forward Charlie Dixon booting two late goals as the Power won 14.13 (97) to 10.9 (69) and strengthened their hold on fourth spot.
Boak was excellent in his milestone game, which needed to be relocated from Adelaide Oval, finishing with 30 disposals and seven clearances as the Power celebrated one of their greatest players.
He was supported in the midfield by Willem Drew, who had a game-high 32 disposals (17 contested), eight clearances and five inside 50s as a constant driver in the engine room.
Ollie Wines rebounded from a quiet start to finish with 30 touches and a goal as the midfield won the clearance battle (38-33) and the contested ball (142-126) in a match that was never settled until the final term.
Dixon (four goals) made sure of the result, while fellow tall forwards Todd Marshall (three) and Peter Ladhams (two) had a strong influence.
Collingwood did exceptionally well to fight on and challenge their fancied opponents after the loss of captain Scott Pendlebury to a lower leg injury in the first quarter.
Ruckman Brodie Grundy (26 disposals and seven clearances) and midfielder Taylor Adams (24 and three) were influential early, while Steele Sidebottom (26 and seven) and Jack Crisp (30) battled hard.
The form of their young players, including Ollie Henry, Trey Ruscoe, Finlay Macrae, would have been the biggest positive for the Magpies.
Collingwood played its best quarter first-up, with Jordan De Goey leading the way in the midfield as the Magpies won the contested ball and moved forward with dare and precision.
They took a five-point lead into the first break but emerged after quarter-time with confirmation of Pendlebury's injury and quickly lost their ascendency, despite some flashy passages.
Port was able to lock the ball in its forward half for long periods in the second term and went on a four-goal run, with Dixon's 50m set shot on the boundary getting them rolling.
Poor ball-use going inside 50 prevented a bigger lead at the main break having gone into attack 19 times to 10 and scoring 4.4 to 0.4 for the quarter.
PORT ADELAIDE 2.4 6.8 11.11 14.13 (97)
COLLINGWOOD 3.3 3.7 8.8 10.9 (69)
GOALS
Port Adelaide: Dixon 4, Marshall 3, Ladhams 2, Woodcock, Amon, Houston, Wines, Rozee
Collingwood: Mihocek 3, Henry 2, De Goey, Elliot, Bianco, Cameron, Cox
BEST
Port Adelaide: Drew, Boak, Dixon, Houston, Amon, Wines, Marshall
Collingwood: Grundy, Mihocek, Crisp, Adams, Sidebottom, De Goey, Ruscoe
INJURIES
Port Adelaide: Nil
Collingwood: Pendlebury (ankle)
SUBSTITUTES
Port Adelaide: Mayes (unused)
Collingwood: Cox (replaced Pendlebury)
