Power coach Mark Williams’ shock resignation on Friday put the pressure back on the Pies before a clash they were widely expected to win, but Malthouse said his players' response was extremely impressive in the circumstances.
“How do you plan for something that you don’t know how it is going to pan out?” he said.
“All of sudden, you’ve got yourselves backed up against the wall and you have to fight tooth and nail to win the game.”
“Historically the game changes when those things happen and what it does tell you is that it is not played by machines.”
Port Adelaide attacked Collingwood from the start, dominating the game with five first-quarter goals, while the Pies could only manage one behind.
Malthouse said it was important not to dwell on the first quarter, but instead revisit the Pies’ structures and game plan against a very strong breeze.
“It certainly wasn’t by design to have to fight back from five goals down, let me tell you,” he said.
“All of the aspects of it were falling into place for Port and all the things that we pride ourselves on were going out the window.”
“You can’t get it if you’re second to it, you can’t get if your structures are wrong, you can’t get if you are regularly calling for the ball and wanting it 60 metres into a gale”
Malthouse applauded Collingwood’s resilience as it kicked seven goals to two in the second term to be level at half time.
However, he felt the third term was crucial in setting up the win, which moved the Pies temporarily to the top of the ladder.
“We got back into the second quarter but more importantly, we were able to tie them up in the third quarter. The goals they got were brilliant goals but they didn’t get the easy goals," he said.
“We knew what we should have been doing so it was important to let the first quarter go and readdress that for the third quarter because the wind wasn’t going to change.”
Collingwood’s premiership hopes will be tested against St Kilda at the MCG next week, but they may be without key forward Travis Cloke after he was reported for striking the Power's Travis Boak in the first quarter.
