After starting the season 0-3, the Blues have won six of their last seven games and were comfortable in beating Greater Western Sydney by 94 points at Etihad Stadium on Saturday
Malthouse said the winning run had coincided with a raft of game plan changes that have the Blues playing to their potential and in touch with the top four.
"The game structure that I delivered in October in Arizona was different to what it is now," Malthouse said after Saturday's big win.
"I had to find out, what are the playing group equipped to do? What do they enjoy? And what can they tell me about the best way they play?
"What's happened is we've got a game structure that meets the criteria, and as long as we don't stray from it now we can be a good football side."
The Blues face Essendon and Hawthorn in back-to-back Friday night matches at the MCG before their bye in round 13.
Malthouse said playing teams with well-established coaches and game plans would be a test for his group.
"They've built up their characteristics, they've built up their DNA," he said.
"That's the test over the next two weeks before the break, to see what we have learned; are we going forward?
"Playing sides that we did early in the season – Richmond, Collingwood and Geelong – we lost the three, but we were in front in each of those games.
"I think that's given us a fair indication of the differences between the early season and what we are doing at the moment."
Malthouse said his team, which kicked 16 of the game's last 18 games against the battling Giants, had a lot of work to do on its touch and delivery.
He was unimpressed with a forward line that booted 22.16, but praised half-back Andrew Walker who was the Blues' best player with 34 disposals and six inside 50s.
"I think he's kicked a couple of goals, but outside of that he's been predominantly back," Malthouse said.
"We have played him on a wing a little bit and occasionally just relief in the forward line.
"What he brings to the side is versatility and he generally uses the ball pretty well both sides of the body.
"He's able to play on a number of types of players."
Nathan Schmook is a reporter for AFL Media. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_Nathan
