The Blues coach was reportedly unhappy with Channel Seven's replays of his agitated reactions in the coaches' box during the game. He confronted Ling, who was boundary commentator for the network during the coverage, at half-time in a tense exchange on the field.
But Malthouse said on Monday night that he had no problem with Ling, who is considering whether to leave the commentary box for a coaching career next year, and denied there was any spat during the game.
"I get on very well with Cameron Ling. He misinterpreted that I was talking to him; it certainly wasn't him," Malthouse told reporters in footage aired on Seven's Talking Footy on Monday night.
"I admire him, I reckon he's a fantastic bloke. I think that if you spoke to him, he would see it that way as well."
Ling went ahead with his pre-scheduled half-time update from the Carlton rooms.
League CEO Gillon McLachlan was drawn into the matter after hosting a dinner for senior AFL coaches on Monday night which Malthouse attended, and in which the subject was brought up, albeit briefly.
"It came up for about 10 seconds late in the evening. I was unaware of it really until then," McLachlan said on Tuesday.
Malthouse said he hadn't spoken to Ling since Saturday night, when Carlton was blown away by the Swans to the tune of 71 points.
The veteran coach and Ling were both part of Seven's broadcast team in 2012, when Malthouse was a commentator in the season between finishing in the senior post at Collingwood and joining Carlton last season.
"I haven't seen the vision. I'm not worried about Michael's relationship with Channel Seven in any sense."
The veteran coach and Ling were both part of Seven's broadcast team in 2012, when Malthouse was a commentator in the season between finishing in the senior post at Collingwood and joining Carlton last season.
