Asked how Paul Medhurst played in Saturday's 32-point AFL win over Adelaide, Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse answered: "Some good and some bad - like a lot of our players today."

Medhurst summed up Collingwood's day - terrible in the first half, then much better after half-time until he was dominant.

The small forward admitted Malthouse "cooked" him in the dressing room at half-time for an appalling error in the second quarter, when Medhurst's kick was intercepted and the Crows went on to kick a goal.

He was dragged for that, while Medhurst also played on from a set shot a few metres from goal, only to hit the post.

The "old" Medhurst", the player who could thrill and frustrate Fremantle and Collingwood fans in equal measure, would have dropped his head.

But the new Medhurst has thrived since joining the Magpies from the Dockers at the end of 2006 and he responded brilliantly today in the second half, finishing with 5.5.

He hit the post twice more, so that could easily have been an eight-goal haul.

"He's an intelligent young man, a lot of pride, and tries to please," Malthouse said.

"It's important he recognises good from bad - when there's been an error, (that) he's prepared to look at it and do something about it."

Club president Eddie McGuire only half-joked with Medhurst post-match: "I've got to talk to you about some of those kicks.

"You see that," McGuire added as he pointed to his head, "I didn't have any great hairs (before) today."

Medhurst said half-time was crucial for himself and the rest of the team, allowing them to re-group after struggling early.

"I could clear my head and go out and I think the team did as well," he said.

"We forged on, unfortunately for them (Brett) Burton went down and that made our job a helluva lot easier, but half time was pretty critical for us.

"There's been plenty of those games previously in my career - you have an ordinary first half and you can get down on yourself, you fade out from there.

"But having had some solid form to build on and look back at, it just gives you a little bit more confidence to go out and do your thing."

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