Young Richmond forward Jack Riewoldt has been publicly castigated for his poor body language all week - but there's not a thing about him rival Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse would change.

Malthouse, whose Magpies meet the Tigers at the MCG tomorrow night, said it was important Riewoldt continue to play with passion and not be de-tuned to suit his critics.

The spearhead has already remonstrated petulantly with his teammates and the club's medical staff for keeping him off the ground after a heavy knock this year, as well as giving 'the finger' to the Hawthorn bench.

But Malthouse, who coached Riewoldt in last year's Australian tour of Ireland, said his approach to the game was too important to tinker with.

"He plays with his heart on his sleeve and I think Richmond and their supporters would be very disappointed if he doesn't play the way he does," Malthouse said.

"He's an emotional young kid who gets the best out of himself by the way he is.

"He certainly helped our side in Ireland, even though he didn't play particularly well.

"He was the one that in many regards was the gell that got us all together," he said.

Malthouse said Collingwood would not set out to niggle Riewoldt over his headline-making behaviour tomorrow night.

"I don't believe a lot in that stuff and each to his own the way a player defends.

"Chris Tarrant or Ben Reid or Nick Maxwell are all tall defenders and they'll play the way they should play against an opponent who is the Coleman Medallist from last year," he said.

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