Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse has warned his players they won't win too many AFL games unless they find their system and accuracy in attack.

Friday night's loss to St Kilda at Etihad Stadium underlined how misfiring the Magpies were in their forward line, as they went goalless after half-time.

Despite the roof being closed the second half reaped a dismal 0.9, with several other shots out of bounds.

St Kilda's 10.9 (69) to 4.17 (41) win marked the first match Collingwood have been kept goalless in a second half since North Melbourne kept the Magpies to two behinds after half-time at a wet Waverley Park in round 13, 1987.

Malthouse rued a poor return of 2.6 from set shots on the night, and said the Magpies squandered too many chances to be any chance of winning.

"A lot of things might change in life but certainly one doesn't - bad kicking is bad footy, if you don't kick enough goals you don't win games of football," he said.

Malthouse was also disappointed by his side's inability to lock the ball in its 50-metre arc, and to create more scoring opportunities from the number of times the Pies went into attack.

"For the amount of ball we got in our forward line ... 51 times inside 50 for 21 scoring shots - you just don't win games of football," he said.

"You cannot possibly win games of football with that ratio because it means the ball is coming back at you and they're rebounding it.

"Clearly that's an area we've got to address."

Malthouse was disappointed with the Magpies' delivery into attack in the second half, as kicks were continually chopped off by St Kilda defenders Sam Gilbert, Steven Baker and Jason Blake.

Collingwood's loss was their fourth in succession to St Kilda, and the Magpies play another bogey side, Hawthorn, next Saturday night at the MCG.

Malthouse was unsure whether small defender Heath Shaw would return from a back injury.

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