COLLINGWOOD coach Mick Malthouse says the Magpies had too many non-contributors in their 38-point Grand Final loss to Geelong.

In noting the opposition's even performance, the outgoing Magpies leader, who bows out with three premierships, four losses and a draw from eight Grand Finals as a coach, said his team left too much to too few.

"I just didn't think we had enough good players playing well," Malthouse said post-match.

"We had some players playing very well, we had five or six who just didn't get near it, and the other 10 players probably were patchy.

"You can't win games like that, particularly a Grand Final."

Malthouse admitted that the long season may have taken its toll on his team, which was beset with injuries and interruptions throughout the year.

"Probably what hurt us is the number of players that just weren't available to get solid games into," he said.

He listed Heath Shaw (suspended for the last eight home and away season games for gambling), Dale Thomas (suspended for two weeks for a bump on Fremantle's Hayden Ballantyne in round 23), Nick Maxwell (returned for first final from broken thumb) and Chris Dawes (missed late-season games with broken knuckle and then calf problems) as examples.

"We just couldn't get the group long enough to work long enough, to work consistently, and to take the load off one another," Malthouse said.

"It was thrust back on the same blokes."

Malthouse said Thomas' effort in compiling 31 possessions was unquestionable, but he hadn't been as clean as usual in just his second game back from the suspension.

"In Grand Finals, the planets have to be aligned, and you've got to go in there with everything working for you," he said.

"Unfortunately we lost all those players over a period of time, and they just didn't get enough games into themselves."

Defender Ben Reid and ruckman Darren Jolly entered the match amid speculation over their fitness.

Reid was well beaten by Geelong power forward Tom Hawkins, who took seven contested marks and booted three goals and three behinds.

Malthouse refused to make excuses for the young All Australian.

"He declared himself fit, and the medical boys said he was fit…so I don't think he had an injury," Malthouse said.

"I just don't think he played well.

"He seemed to get beaten a couple of times, and then he started to play from behind, he didn't play shoulder-to-shoulder.

"He just didn't play with the same confidence as he normally plays.

"He's only a young man; maybe he felt he was letting the side down and changed his rhythm.

"He was OK early."

Malthouse announced that he wouldn't be at the club in any capacity next season, but said the Magpies would still be in a strong position to contend for premierships without him.

"I think the Collingwood Football Club has got systems in place that are as good as anywhere I've been able to ascertain," he said.

"I'm talking about fitness, coaching and probably administration/recruitment.

"We've got as good a people in those positions as will ever be, and they'll be tested, but they're totally on the right track.

"I feel confident that the football club can stand up and go forward from here, and still be a dominant force."