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Collingwood suffered two big injury blows as they booked a home AFL preliminary final by beating Geelong in their qualifying final at the MCG.

Collingwood have extended Geelong's September struggles, beating the minor premiers by 10 points in their AFL qualifying final at the MCG.

But Friday night's grinding 9.7 (61) to 7.9 (51) win has come at a major cost, with defender Levi Greenwood suffering a suspected serious knee injury and forward Jordan De Goey forced off with more hamstring trouble.

Coach Nathan Buckley said Greenwood has a suspected anterior cruciate ligament injury and is unsure about the extent of De Goey's latest hamstring issue.

The Cats also lost midfielder Mitch Duncan with a knee injury during the loss and it seems highly unlikely he will play in next weekend's home semi-final against reigning premiers West Coast.

"It's terrible for him," Buckley said of Greenwood.

He added they are unsure about the extent of De Goey's latest setback.

The forward returned on Friday night after more than a month out with a hamstring injury and Buckley suspected it was the same leg.

"We don't know whether it was a grade or just tightness, but he couldn't finish the game," Buckley said.

Prime mover Taylor Adams and ruckman Brodie Grundy starred in front of 93,436 fans as the Pies surged to an early lead and held on, consigning the Cats to a week-one finals loss for the third straight year.

Geelong will face premiers West Coast in a do-or-die semi-final at the MCG next week, while the Magpies will host a preliminary final in a fortnight.

It was largely a Collingwood domination, although the Pies failed to score in the final term and late goals to Tim Kelly and Patrick Dangerfield kept it interesting.

"We set the game up the way we wanted to early and we were able to continue and maintain the rage through the whole four quarters," Buckley said.

"So it was a fantastic defensive effort."

He added being two men down on the bench was not too big a factor, given the Cats also had an injury.

Dangerfield was superb but the other star Cats were subdued, with Gary Ablett well-beaten and frustrated throughout by Brayden Maynard.

Tom Hawkins was held goalless and neither Kelly nor Joel Selwood were particularly influential.

The Cats trailed seven goals to one midway through the second quarter.

Their issues arguably began before the opening siren when they made a late, weather-influenced change.

Rhys Stanley was dropped and Sam Menegola recalled, leaving Mark Blicavs to shoulder the ruck load against All-Australian Grundy.

But the forecast rain dried up and Grundy dominated, racking up 48 hitouts and 21 disposals for a Collingwood side that had winners across every line.

Adams (26 disposals, two goals) and Steele Sidebottom reigned supreme in the midfield and Jamie Elliott (two majors) caused headaches up forward.

Jeremy Howe (23 disposals, 13 marks) was superb down back, along with Jordan Roughead and Darcy Moore, who had been under a fitness cloud.

Playing in his first game back from a 10-week suspension for betting on Collingwood games, Jaidyn Stephenson looked to have lost none of his touch.

Geelong reduced the margin to 19 points at half time and neither team was able to seize the advantage in an am-wrestle third quarter.

Then Magpies skipper Scott Pendlebury, playing in his 300th AFL game, roved a classy goal that proved crucial.