COLLINGWOOD coach Mick Malthouse has blamed a poor showing from his midfield for Sunday's 28-point loss to St Kilda, but believes the Magpies have the mettle to recover in time to face Adelaide at full throttle next Saturday night.

Malthouse said the Magpies' 275 possessions to the Saints' 439 indicated his side didn't win enough of the ball in the qualifying final.

However, he said it wasn't all doom and gloom for the Pies.

Malthouse remains confident they have the determination to rectify Sunday's result against the Crows in next week's semi-final.

"Are we down in the mouth? I would have thought anyone who's lost a game is of course going to be disappointed, and hopefully bitterly disappointed," Malthouse said after the game.

"That's the art of showing some courage in getting back. I wouldn't have thought that because you lose a game, you turn your toes up. That would be a total indictment on the quality of the person and the club.

"We remain six days away from doing something about it.

"We're not going to be the first side that's ever lost a qualifying final, and you want to recover. You want to get back in there.

"We have got, and we have earned the right because we finished top four, another game.

"That's incentive enough. We have got a very good record in tight, close duals with Adelaide, regardless of whether it be six, seven or eight days' break."

Collingwood will Adelaide with six days of rest compared to the Crows' eight after their slashing Friday night win over Essendon.

Malthouse said he wasn't concerned about the discrepancy.

"You play the cards, you don't bemoan days off. Sometimes it's better to get straight back on the horse three or four days later than worry over seven or eight days," he said.

"Is life fair? I wake up tomorrow morning and I have breakfast. Half of Africa won't. Is that fair?

"There are too many things in life that are unfair to worry about whether you play in six days or eight days."

He said he expected the upcoming clash to be similar to round 19 which Collingwood won. "It's a different game, but I think the idiosyncrasies will be very similar," he said.

"I can't see Adelaide changing their game style, nor will we, so it will get down to the attrition again that we went through last game.

"From start to finish, [it was] sides having a real crack and seeing who was able to penetrate into a scoring position more than the opposition.

"I daresay that will follow the same script."