Craig McRae's focus on simply qualifying for the AFL finals won't shift despite Collingwood surging six points clear on top of the ladder ahead of their mid-season bye.

The Magpies head to a well-earned break with an enviable 11-2 record, having claimed a fifth-straight win in an epic King's Birthday clash with Melbourne.

McRae's men could hardly be in a better position in a campaign that started with accusations they were too old and too slow after a first-up thumping from GWS.

But the 2023 premiership coach won't be tempted to alter his ambitions heading into the second half of the season.

"We're in this phase of qualifying and there's no other thing we're doing at the moment," McRae said after his side's 11.6 (72) to 10.11 (71) victory over Melbourne.

"There's no bigger outcome than just getting enough wins to play finals.

"We're all in the same (boat) and today was a really good result because the opposition were very, very good."

McRae conceded the win over Melbourne wasn't overly pretty after watching his side cough up a 20-point third-quarter lead.

The Demons hit the front briefly in the final term, when they finally began to take advantage of their ascendancy at the coalface.

Dan McStay's late goal put Collingwood back in front before Dees duo Max Gawn and Koltyn Tholstrup missed chances to snatch the game away in the dying stages.

"They're probably in there thinking they let one slip because all the numbers suggest they dominated phases of the game, particularly the contest," McRae said.

"The contest was enormous but we found a way to win and that's what we do at the moment."

All class, Steele Sidebottom ⭐️#AFLDeesPies pic.twitter.com/2l5jLg7rFB— AFL (@AFL) June 9, 2025

Collingwood can further press their claims for an important top-two finish with three straight games against bottom-half teams - St Kilda, West Coast and Carlton - on return from the bye.

Brayden Maynard (foot) could come back against the Saints, with Jordan De Goey (achilles) and Lachie Schultz (hamstring) also set to play roles in the second half of the season.

The biggest flashpoint of Monday's match perhaps came after the final siren, when Demons duo Max Gawn and Steven May clashed.

With less than a minute left, Gawn's miscued kick after a mark in the back pocket went straight to Collingwood's Will Hoskin-Elliott to confirm the result.

May angrily approached Gawn on the final siren. The captain also made his feelings clear before pushing May away.

"Two competitors, frustrated - two leaders (who) have an incredibly strong relationship, obviously disappointed with the outcome," said Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin.