Malthouse confirmed that the Pies are not interested in luring Brown back to his native Victoria once his current contract with the Lions expires at the end of this season.
Truth is, they never have been.
"Read my lips, it’s never been the case that Jonathan Brown was going to play for Collingwood," Malthouse said on Friday.
When asked if the club could accommodate Brown in their salary cap next year, Malthouse was equally clinical.
"No, not at all," he said.
Malthouse also voiced his frustration at player managers who tried to use Collingwood as a bargaining tool with other clubs.
"Let’s not get fooled by people who always use Collingwood as a means of increasing their value at another club, put it that way," he said. "I’m getting a bit sick of it. I don’t know how Collingwood have put up with it for so long.
"I know that players did that when I was coaching two other sides. [They would say] ‘Collingwood are interested’, but Collingwood weren’t interested. It’s just a manner of managers trying to promote the player.
"It’s big news if Collingwood are interested."
