Essendon have stormed home to beat Collingwood by 46 points in the AFL Anzac Day blockbuster at the MCG.

The Bombers’ 18.13 (121) to 10.15 (75) win on Thursday broke a seven-game losing streak against the Magpies that went back four years.

The crowd of 93,373 is the third-biggest home-and-away attendance in VFL/AFL history.

Essendon remain unbeaten and on top of the ladder after five rounds, a remarkable effort given the ongoing pressures of their doping investigations.

It was a costly loss for the Magpies, with defender Alan Toovey stretchered off late in the final quarter.

Toovey will probably need a knee reconstruction, adding to their long injury list.

Collingwood kicked the first two goals of the final term to reduce the margin to only two goals.

But they only booted one more goal as Essendon kicked six for the quarter.

Essendon midfielder David Zaharakis kicked four goals and won the Anzac Medal as best afield.

Captain Jobe Watson also starred in the midfield and defender Jake Carlisle was superb on Collingwood key forward Travis Cloke.

Carlisle left the field in the third term with an ankle injury, but was able to return and play out the match.

The game went up a gear in the third term, with Essendon first dominating and then Collingwood hitting back.

The Bombers started the quarter with a 6-0 run in clearances and kicked four goals for a 32-point lead.

Sub Tyson Goldsack came on and immediately kicked a goal to stop the rot.

Midfield guns Dane Swan and Scott Pendlebury were instrumental as the ‘Pies kicked two more goals to reduce the margin to 12 points.

Adding to Essendon’s sudden worries, Carlisle then limped off.

But he was back on the field early in the last term.

After Essendon’s Scott Gumbleton goaled from a free kick, Magpie fans were outraged when Tom Bellchambers was awarded a very dubious free.

He goaled and the Bombers had 24 points of breathing space at the last change.

Intense pressure from the two teams meant a tight, scrappy opening and no goals for 15 minutes.

An accurate snap from Zaharakis put Essendon in front and a great kick from Michael Hibberd seconds later found Gumbleton.

He also goaled before Jarryd Blair put through Collingwood’s first and Essendon had a four-point lead at the first break.

The Bombers threatened to take control in the second term, opening up a lead of 19 points when Watson goaled at 20 minutes.

Blair then kicked his second but, late in the half, Collingwood were again in trouble as Essendon went into attack with Gumbleton one-out in the goal square.

The Bombers botched the golden opportunity and Steele Sidebottom, who was best afield in the first half, goaled on the rebound.

It was a critical moment and it meant Collingwood only trailed by four points at the main break.