Having endured a dreadful opening month to the AFL season, Collingwood desperately needed to jump out of the blocks against Essendon on Anzac Day.
Enter the imposing figure of Mason Cox, a 211cm product of Oklahoma State University.
Playing only his 25th game of Australian Rules football - and his first at the top level - the 25-year-old claimed a strong mark 90 seconds after the opening bounce before going back and calmly slotting the goal with his first kick.
The Magpies were up and going and they never looked back.
The lead was a colossal 76 points at halftime and the match was as good as over, even though the undermanned Bombers did regroup manfully in the remaining two quarters to cut the final margin to 69.
Anzac medallist Steele Sidebottom (33 possessions and four goals), skipper Scott Pendlebury and Taylor Adams were the best three players on the ground in Collingwood's 22.10 (142) to 11.7 (73) victory.
But Cox was also a key figure, ending the day with 10 disposals, 11 hitouts and the praise of coach Nathan Buckley, who effectively guaranteed the American would retain his spot for next weekend's clash with West Coast.
"He gave us everything that we selected him for - the contests in the air and he was a bit of a beacon going inside 50 or down the line when we had needed to go long down the line," said Buckley.
"His follow-up at ground level was pretty industrious as well and he competed hard in the ruck."
It was a crucial victory for the Magpies, whose only win in the opening four weeks had been a one-point escape job against struggling Richmond.
Without the dozen stars suspended for the season for their roles on the controversial supplements program, the Bombers had exceeded all expectations in the opening month, beating Melbourne and being competitive in losses to Gold Coast, Port Adelaide and Geelong.
But they were blown away in the first half of Monday's contest.
"The second half was by far our best scoring half for the year so that was a real positive that we got out of it," said Essendon coach John Worsfold.
"It doesn't take away from the disappointment of starting the second half 70-odd points down, but it is a really good learning for us in terms of what we can build on."
Former Geelong star James Kelly and youngster Orazio Fantasia were among the Bombers' better players.
Luckless Magpies speedster Travis Varcoe suffered another hamstring injury which prevented him from taking any part in the second half.
Collingwood midfielder Levi Greenwood was reported for striking Bombers captain Brendon Goddard.