Collingwood scored an emphatic 54-point win at Etihad Stadium and star North Melbourne forward Ben Brown was hospitalised on a disastrous Saturday night for the Kangaroos.

The match – a 16.15 (111) to 7.15 (57) win to the Magpies – was stopped for several minutes in the second quarter after Brown was knocked out in a Brodie Grundy tackle.

The Magpies’ ruckman received a free kick for holding the ball, but Brown’s head hit the turf in the tackle. It will draw comparisons to the one that led to Geelong superstar Patrick Dangerfield being suspended.

Tackling will be in the spotlight again this week.

Adam Treloar also hit his head on the turf in a Jack Ziebell tackle, but the Pies’ star was able to continue the game and was important with 34 possessions and a brilliant goal.

To make matters worse for North, midfield bull Ben Cunnington (28 disposals) will come under scrutiny from the match review panel for a high bump on Tyson Goldsack.

The Magpies didn’t escape unscathed either, former Kangaroo Levi Greenwood leaving the game with a knee injury in the second term.

Daniel Wells (five possessions) didn’t fare well in his first game against his old side, the veteran midfielder finishing on the bench with a leg injury that restricted him for most of the night.

Brad Scott’s side scored a gutsy win last week over Melbourne, but they could muster just one goal in the first half of an error-riddled affair that Collingwood led by 26 points at halftime.

The Pies were also well below their best but they lifted in the second half.

With skipper Scott Pendlebury still sidelined with a broken finger, Taylor Adams was influential with 30 touches and two goals.

Ziebell showed great courage to return from a jarring collision in the second quarter and finished with 22 disposals and a career-high five goals.