Speaking at his club's best and fairest awards on Wednesday night, Malthouse, who in 2011 will coach his final season of AFL football, said he was determined not to let complacency creep into the Pies.
He said he had witnessed first-hand what grand final glory could do to clubs but he would not let that happen to his men, saying hunger would drive Collingwood towards back-to-back flags.
"I will not make a mistake as I did in 1980 [at Richmond], in the pre-season of '81 as a player - thinking this is just going to happen again," Malthouse told a packed Crown Palladium on Wednesday night.
"Or in 1992 [at West Coast], where we trusted the playing group and didn't get back there again until 1994."
Collingwood has resumed pre-season training and recently returned from a punishing two-week camp in Arizona. Many believed training on the trip was the hardest undertaken by the club.
Pies officials hope the heavy training load, coupled with the high turnover to the senior list, ensures players remain as resolute in their desire to achieve next season.
"The players have eaten up in Arizona, and eaten up again this week," Malthouse said.
"Players who missed out this year are hungry."
Hunger doesn't appear to be a problem for those who did play in the premiership, either, with Copeland Trophy winner Dane Swan rounding out his acceptance speech by telling fans the Pies were "going to go back-to-back".
Malthouse says every player will be on notice in 2011.
"I have promised this group that names will mean nothing [and] reputations little because what's happened has happened," he said.
"What's in the future has to be worked at. We will give every player the opportunity to display that hunger that will give us the chance to come up again next year and have another cup."
Malthouse thanked several departments within the football club throughout his speech, but took special time to thank skipper Nick Maxwell.
The coach said he doubted whether the Pies could have achieved all they had in 2010 had it not been for Maxwell's contribution.
Malthouse said the captain's vision and willingness to publicly state that Collingwood was shooting for the top had given his teammates the same belief.
He praised Maxwell's optimism and courage, saying he "didn't know whether we could have won it" had it not been for the skipper.
"He didn't take the easy option to say 'we will make the eight or we will make the four'," Malthouse said.
"When an old player came to me in Arizona and said 'this is no disrespect to any previous captain that I've had because all of them are wonderful ... he is the best captain I ever played under' [then that says something].
"When this player said to me 'he is the best captain I've ever played under' and he's played under three at the football club, that is high regard when you've got Nathan Buckley sitting here and Scott Burns over in Western Australia."
