Jamie Elliott also starred with five goals as the ladder-leading Magpies smashed the Kangaroos in the last quarter on Saturday night at Marvel Stadium, winning 15.18 (108) to 9.9 (63).
The Magpies turned a grinding contest into an avalanche with eight goals to one in the last term.
Nick Daicos, Collingwood's acting captain, had been quiet in the first half with only 10 disposals.
But he was outstanding after the main break, as older brother Josh continued his strong form with an excellent game off half-back.
Nick racked up 38 disposals - including a whopping 12 inside-50s - and Josh had 31 as the two most prolific players on the ground.
Already missing several players, Collingwood lost Scott Pendlebury and Bobby Hill as late withdrawals, then Brayden Maynard in the first quarter.
After Pendlebury dropped out because of illness, the AFL gave Collingwood permission to bring in Oleg Markov when Hill also became an absentee for personal reasons, understood to be a family matter.
Collingwood coach Craig McRae heaped praise on younger players such as Ed Allan and Will Parker for coming into the side and doing their jobs.
"We're rapt in that performance - we had a few things going on during the day that challenge you to get busy, some moving parts, late withdrawals," said Collingwood coach Craig McRae.
"It shows we have some depth in our list."
McRae added Pendlebury had a bout of gastro and did not want to expand on Hill's situation.
"I won't go into Bobby's stuff, because that's really quite personal and not for me to talk about," he said.
Then Maynard limped to the bench and out of the game before quarter-time with a foot injury.
"He has some plantar fascia stuff that has gone beyond what it was," McRae said.
"We don't the extent of it, it will be scanned ... he's been having symptoms of that for a while now."
Markov later joined the final-quarter goal procession, capping off his excellent shot from an acute angle with an exuberant celebration.
Magpie forward Brody Mihocek was hurt late in the second term, but played out the game.
The second-bottom Kangaroos, buoyed by some stronger form in the past few weeks, smelled blood early and led by nine points at halftime.
Collingwood key defender Billy Frampton restricted the damage with some crucial spoils as North pressed.
Then, predictably, Collingwood rallied. With Nick Daicos prominent, they kicked the opening three goals of the second half.
North rebounded with two goals to trail by three points at the final change.
After only 21 inside-50s in the first half, the Magpies racked up 20 in the third term, but kicked a wasteful 3.8.
They fixed that with emphasis, blasting through 8.1 in the final quarter.
North key forward Cameron Zurhaar kicked his third goal in the last quarter, while Riley Hardeman impressed off half-back. Â
"It's so frustrating - you're in the contest and lose by seven goals ... it's really disappointing.
"The most significant message is you have to play four quarters, boys, you can't just play three.
"It's a testament to them (Collingwood) as a club, in terms of the way they play their system."
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