Despite dominating a host of key statistics, Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse insisted his side "stole two points" from a dramatic AFL draw with Melbourne.

The third-placed Magpies had 10 more scoring shots than the Demons in the 9.22 (76) to 11.10 (76) stalemate on Monday and also dominated the inside 50m (58-38) and tackle counts (90-47).

"I reckon we were lucky to get out of it, I thought they were a lot cleaner," said Malthouse.

"I guess it is how you view things ... outside of the first few minutes I thought we were on the back foot and when we lost (captain Nick Maxwell to a calf injury early in the second quarter) I thought it was going to be a slog to the end which it turned out to be.

"... The 50m line is just a line on the ground, unless we penetrate like Melbourne did - I would like to have the ball 38 times where Melbourne got it (inside 50m) than 58 times where we got it.

"Quite frankly, at the end of it I reckon we stole two points and perhaps the nerves of steel by (veteran Tarkyn) Lockyer and a couple of other players who held sway at the right time were too few.

"Personally, sitting in the box it was a three- or four-goal loss ready to happen."

After being involved in the first draw of 2010, Malthouse said he was firmly in favour of not introducing extra-time to separate teams in tied matches during the home and away season, as happens in all finals except the grand final.

"The draw is one of these things in football that throws another variable into the ladder," he said.

"I don't think anyone should be penalised through shootouts or extra time because I think they are totally compromised.

"We would have had 21 players (due to Maxwell's injury), I don't know what Melbourne's state was.

"But why should we be penalised going into that extra 10 minutes because we are one player short?

"So I have strong views that a draw is a draw."

It was the second thriller between the two teams this year after Collingwood won their round two encounter by a single point.

Despite coming up just short that day, the Demons were able to build momentum and go on a three-game winning streak.

Coach Dean Bailey admitted they were lucky to be within 12 points at quarter-time on Monday after being comprehensively outplayed in the first half hour.

"We started poorly which has been a concern for us for a couple of weeks now, we've got to fix that," he said.

"You can't give any team the lead and the confidence that we did today.

"From that point on we working hard to get back into the game."

Bailey claimed the statistical imbalance implied a draw was a good result for his team, who looked cleaner in possession for much of the last three quarters, during which time they outscored the Magpies by eight goals to five.

"They missed a couple of opportunities and we just hung in there and that was the pleasing thing," he said.

"It was 9.22, 31 shots to 21, but when we went inside 50 we looked like we were going to score.

"We certainly wanted to go inside 50 more than 38 (times).

"I'm a bit philosophical.

"It would have been nice to pinch one by a point this time."

The annual Queen's Birthday fixture delivered a bumper MCG home crowd of 67,454 for the Demons, in a match Malthouse said the Melbourne players always built up as their biggest of the year.

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP