Mick Malthouse is renowned for three things above anything else in the AFL.

He’s an all-time great coach and he inspires ironclad loyalty from his players.

And he’s notorious for his temper.

So captain Marc Murphy and Dale Thomas were the only Carlton players game enough to gatecrash Malthouse’s media conference on Wednesday with a commemorative cake.

This Friday, Malthouse becomes just the second AFL coach to reach 700 games and he had just spoken about how he was uncomfortable with the milestone.

“It becomes too individual when the stakes are so high,” Malthouse said of the upcoming game against Hawthorn.

Once Murphy and Thomas wheeled in the cake, complete with sparklers and balloons, and shook hands with their coach, they couldn’t leave the room quickly enough.

“No need for this … all the things you try not to do and there it is,” Malthouse said with a grin.

Malthouse is now just 15 games short of Collingwood legend Jock McHale.

The game was vastly different when Malthouse started his coaching career in 1984 with the Western Bulldogs – they were still known as Footscray, it was the VFL and there were 12 teams.

But in one respect, nothing has changed.

“The players are all the same – they’re all young men, want to make it,” Malthouse said.

“You don’t plan it, it comes along.

“I’m very proud to have been able to last in the game, I suppose.

“But more importantly, there are so many people who have contributed.”

The three-time premiership coach said the pressure of the job, not the milestones or accolades, keep driving him.

Carlton have had a tough season and are coming off two close losses ahead of Friday night’s game against the reigning premiers.

“I’m not really comfortable with it (reaching 700 games), because if we were sitting in a really good, strong position, I suppose then we can elaborate,” said the Bulldogs, West Coast, Collingwood and Carlton coach.

“You might have a little bit of respite when you have five or six (wins) on end.

“I always maintain the only way I operate at my best is under pressure.

“You don’t sit back and have any comfort … you want the intensity to be increased and stay there.

“That’s when I know I can get the best out of my players.”

Meanwhile, Malthouse said Blues star Chris Judd will play against Hawthorn if he makes it through this week’s training.

Judd returned through the VFL last weekend after an injury-plagued start to the season.

“He didn’t slay them with possession rate, but what he did was get through the game and that was most important for him,” Malthouse said.

“The only thing that will stop him now is how he pulls up.”