Malthouse had previously expressed concern that the AFL hadn't shown leadership on the issue, but when he fronted the media on Thursday morning he described the saga as "totally irrelevant" to the Blues' quest for a finals berth.
Asked how such off-field turbulence might affect a team, a game-focused Malthouse was wary of the seventh-placed Bombers, who have suffered heavy defeats in their past four games.
"They've had this sort of stuff all year (and) they've been able to cope pretty well to win the games they've won," Malthouse said at South Wharf, where he had performed ambassadorial duties at a YMCA breakfast.
"Not being in the club, I'm not too sure how it's affected them. Only they would know how all this stuff goes. We can't be concerned with that...
"The events of yesterday really is an ongoing saga, the way I see it. We're not part of it so we just step back now and let what's to be, to be. It's an AFL issue with the Essendon Football Club, so our concern is playing the Essendon Football Club and not worrying … (about) these other things (that are) no doubt hanging over their head."
Pressed on whether the game had been damaged by the scandal, Malthouse replied: "Today is to prepare for Saturday. Anything beyond that is way out of anything I need to worry about. Anything else is irrelevant right now for us. Totally irrelevant."
The Blues, who are ninth, need to win both of their remaining games against Essendon and eighth-placed Port Adelaide, and also hope the Power loses to fourth side Fremantle in Perth on Saturday night.
Malthouse described the clash with the Bombers as "a mini-final" and emphasised the importance for his side to maintain its "urge to want to win".
"It may well get down to the last game, but we've got to worry about the second-last game, and this one here is so important to us," he said.
Malthouse said he wasn't feel any pressure regarding his team's plight.
Asked how much it would hurt him if the Blues didn’t make the finals in his first season, Malthouse said: "It's not even a consideration. I don’t get caught up in what's going to happen on Monday; I get caught up in what's going to happen on Saturday night."
The Blues coach also hinted that veteran Chris Judd could return from a medial ligament injury in the final round against Port Adelaide, a week ahead of schedule.
"He's going well," Malthouse said. "He'd like to be out there but he's not, so he'll miss another week and we'll see how he goes."
With Carlton's VFL affiliate Northern Blues also in ninth position, Malthouse was enthused by a refreshing urgency among his entire playing list.
"We can’t slip up … so the whole club has got this mentality that it's now or never. It's a great feeling," he said. "I’d rather be in (the eight) but not being in there and having this challenge presents something new."
