While quick to praise the Lions for their effort in hauling in a 15-point half-time deficit, Malthouse was critical of his side’s inability to convert opportunities in its forward 50.
“Forwards were terrible,” he said. “We got the ball inside 50 54 times, so the ball is in there; you’ve just got to score.”
Alan Didak booted two goals in the first quarter while Steele Sidebottom and Chris Dawes also kicked two each.
But John Anthony (one goal) and Travis Cloke (none) failed to have a significant impact.
Malthouse said the Magpies didn’t necessarily miss the services of injured Paul Medhurst and Leon Davis.
“Not really; their form hasn’t been sensational so I wouldn’t be getting too caught up in it,” Malthouse said.
“We’ll sit back and analyse it, we’re not going to start making any rash changes now.”
Malthouse said Fevola’s four second half goals were not the difference between the two sides, instead crediting Jonathan Brown (four goals) and Simon Black, who racked up 14 disposals in the pivotal third quarter, as the ones who turned the game around.
“When you’ve got Brown as the captain and Black the Brownlow medallist and all the other accolades that they both deserve, they’re always going to grab a hold of their blokes and take them over the line,” Malthouse said.
“As I said to the players before the game, they’ve got too much pride.
“You can’t question the way the coach has played and we know how he (Voss) played and he was going to get that across to his playing group.”
Malthouse said the Lions were cleaner at the stoppages and had superior endeavour and hunger.
He said that after two losses in a row his players needed to start getting their hands on the ball more, particularly as the Lions beat them in the disposal count, 430 to 385.
“They closed the game down and we couldn’t get the ball,” Malthouse said.
“We’ve had two sides now have nearly 450 possessions each against us in the last two weeks; we’re just not getting the footy.”
