Ball was lustily booed by Saints fans whenever he touched the ball, but he was one of his side's best players in the 28-point loss to St Kilda after racking up 28 possessions.
That performance added further weight to Malthouse's response to a story in a Melbourne newspaper on Friday that questioned Ball's longevity in the game.
"I feel very comfortable in saying that there is an element of the press that can't wait to see Luke Ball fail and are ready to get him," he said.
"I think Luke Ball has been outstanding for us. If it's just based on figures then it's a shame that these people have very little information or knowledge of our game.
"I think these people are very, very much off the mark. Extremely that far off the mark that it's baffling."
The Collingwood coach lamented the inaccuracy in front of goal that cost his side dearly on Friday night.
The Pies kicked just four goals from their 21 scoring shots with several others missing altogether in a display that Malthouse said was "just not good enough".
"It's the old cliché. A lot of things might change in life but one certainly doesn't - bad kicking is bad footy," Malthouse said.
"You don't kick enough goals, you don't win games of football.
"Fifty-one times inside 50 for 21 scoring shots [and four goals] - you just don't win games of football in that circumstance. You cannot possibly win games of football with that ratio because all that means is the ball is coming back at you."
The heated encounter was punctuated by several melees early, and Malthouse appeared to have words with passing Saints players after a spot fire erupted at the quarter-time break.
Not the case, according to the Pies' coach.
"I didn't have words to Saints players," he said.
"I had words to my players to make sure they didn't get involved so let's get that right from the start."
