Coach Craig McRae

[Maggie Greg]

With this article McCrae is pumping his own tyres up again - he may very well be great at everything as he claims to be and I desperately hope he is.

But telling us all this now is pretty pointless.

He has only been coach for 5 minutes.

I dont like it.

Hubris.

 

[Apex36]

You're right, we should stop being positive.

Way to miss the point

 

[Apex36]

Of course. But he does have something Bucks didn't at the time. A real decent amount of experience and success.

I can definitely agree with that.

 

[Apex36]

With this article McCrae is pumping his own tyres up again - he may very well be great at everything as he claims to be and I desperately hope he is.

But telling us all this now is pretty pointless.

He has only been coach for 5 minutes.

I dont like it.

Hubris.

He’s a new coach, he’s literally required to sell himself and hope to the supporter base, and he’s doing a good job of it.

 

[Fruit]

I for one hopes he gives Cox a 1 year deal...one last roll of the dice.

Same. I think we keep him until we can bring in another KPF who’s ready to go. We need a target to kick to.

 

[Dead Eye Didak]

Thank you for posting the HS article Dead Eye Didak

 

[BringouttheGimp]

I just want the Fly to be himself.. if he wants to beat his chest at times.. talk shit the truth.. whatever.. go for it. Be clever about it.

This whole 'we don't want to be a chest beating culture club'. it's all bs.

Natural natural natural.

What looks better and wins in the end when you're dancing the Zorba re.. counting your steps.. 1 2 3 4.. kick.. 1 2 3 4.. kick? Or just going with the flow.. letting it rip.. feeling in it re?

 

[76woodenspooners]

I don’t recall hearing so much in the media about, or from, a newly appointed senior coach. It’s been a busy and content heavy few days. Struggling to keep up with all the coverage!

Is it just a Collingwood thing? Surprising level of interest in the middle of a finals series, although the finals not being in Melbourne may partly account for it.

The closest I’m aware of is when Carlton brought on Bolton. They went through a similar process to what we went through with McRae. There was a similar narrative around the process delivering a low profile, highly credentialed outsider; and much was made of the contrast with previous coaches who had been big names or favourite sons.

Obviously things didn’t work out for Bolton at Carlton, and there will always be that risk. But where we are hopefully a bit different is that we have Wright / Licuria / Murphy overseeing things - all people who we have good confidence will get the best out of our new senior coach.

On the subject of Bolton, and the talk of him being an assistant. I have as much appetite as anyone here for the stench of a Carlton castoff (ie: none), however he has had strong endorsements from two of the best coaches in this country - Alastair Clarkson was very happy to take him back at Hawthorn; and Ange Posticoglou (had been Socceroos manager, current manager of Celtic) had been on Carlton’s coach selection panel that picked him. People who know more about coaching than I do reckon he’s decent, so that’s good enough for me.

 

[Aussie pie]

Same. I think we keep him until we can bring in another KPF who’s ready to go. We need a target to kick to.

Yep agreed, not in our next finals team but until we have a key forward we need him. Won’t blame him if he goes if a team offers him 2 years and ruck duties. Love how Craig is talking to every player and I hope he is selling the new era. Maynard is on board and maybe this might get in a few trades.

 

[magpies42]

So far his comments have amounted to not much really…he may as well have said we are just gonna play better by doing things better. Anyone of us could have pointed out the issues.

What he has identified, which we all know also, is that the list has some massive deficiencies. Fix that and the wins will come.

Still excited, but just tempering the hype…all he has done is pick up the obvious issues. He will manage to get some extras enthusiasm from the group over the preseason, a change is as good as a holiday…but he needs to convert that into a winning culture otherwise it will dissipate pretty quick.

 

[jackcass]

Eddie had a Crack at the AFL about the Soft Cap so he Refused to go over it just to stick it up the AFL and held us back

Every team that has won a premiership under the soft cap has done so adhering to the soft cap.

 

[Leviathan Pie]

Every team that has won a premiership under the soft cap has done so adhering to the soft cap.

Agreed, Jackcass - doesn't mean anything tangible.

Constraints everyone have operated in, essentially.

 

[ClaytonM]

Chronic ball butchers like Adams may be in trouble if we're worried about our ball use.

We need to be strong at the contest. Adams will be fine.

 

[Kings_Gambit]

Eddie had a Crack at the AFL about the Soft Cap so he Refused to go over it just to stick it up the AFL and held us back

We still aren’t going over the soft cap! Nothing to do with Eddie it is a board decision.

 

[JLC]

“[Ollie] Henry, [Caleb] Poulter, [Trent] Bianco and Finn [Macrae]. They’ve all had exposure but the thing that stood out for me, and this is no disrespect to all those guys, it’s that, I won’t name names but they played 12 games had nine tackles, 13 games eight tackles, five games four tackles.

“For me, it’s not enough and I don’t want to denigrate the past but in the future we need that to look better.”

Five games for four tackles = Ginnivan
Rantall was Five games for three tackles

The other two appear to be Macrae and Henry but the numbers are not accurate. Poulter was 22 tackles in 11 games. Bianco 21 tackles in 12 games.

 

[76woodenspooners]

Five games for four tackles = Ginnivan
Rantall was Five games for three tackles

The other two appear to be Macrae and Henry but the numbers are not accurate. Poulter was 22 tackles in 11 games. Bianco 21 tackles in 12 games.

+ McCreery 43 tackles in 10 games being the other end of the spectrum.

 

[gouki88]

+ McCreery 43 tackles in 10 games being the other end of the spectrum.

McCreery is the best tackler inside 50 in the comp. Reckon McRae will love him.

 

[The Royal Sampler]

Very happy with McRae as our appointment, and he says all the right things in interviews.

However, people have already gotten carried away. It’s not as though Nathan Buckley wouldn’t have preached elite standards. This is Nathan Buckley FFS, does anyone really think he would have given lazy players a free pass? Does anyone think he wouldn’t have set challenges for Grundy and Moore?

I hope we see improvement in those players, and in particular I hope our gameplan gets simplified and we stop overcomitting to the contest. I hope we are a little less defensive, and that having a “cheaper” head coach and better assistants and development coaches reaps rewards….

… but anyone thinking that there is going to be a massive improvement in standards across the board amongst the playing group under McRae, because that was an area we were deficient, is barking up the wrong tree.

 

[jonmacTrag]

Very happy with McRae as our appointment, and he says all the right things in interviews.

However, people have already gotten carried away. It’s not as though Nathan Buckley wouldn’t have preached elite standards. This is Nathan Buckley FFS, does anyone really think he would have given lazy players a free pass? Does anyone think he wouldn’t have set challenges for Grundy and Moore?

I hope we see improvement in those players, and in particular I hope our gameplan gets simplified and we stop overcomitting to the contest. I hope we are a little less defensive, and that having a “cheaper” head coach and better assistants and development coaches reaps rewards….

… but anyone thinking that there is going to be a massive improvement in standards across the board amongst the playing group under McRae, because that was an area we were deficient, is barking up the wrong tree.

Too right TRS talk is cheap but Craig strikes me as someone who can get the point across to the common man, Bucks never had that touch.

We will know by the end of next season one way or the other.

 

[well left]

Very happy with McRae as our appointment, and he says all the right things in interviews.

However, people have already gotten carried away. It’s not as though Nathan Buckley wouldn’t have preached elite standards. This is Nathan Buckley FFS, does anyone really think he would have given lazy players a free pass? Does anyone think he wouldn’t have set challenges for Grundy and Moore?

I hope we see improvement in those players, and in particular I hope our gameplan gets simplified and we stop overcomitting to the contest. I hope we are a little less defensive, and that having a “cheaper” head coach and better assistants and development coaches reaps rewards….

… but anyone thinking that there is going to be a massive improvement in standards across the board amongst the playing group under McRae, because that was an area we were deficient, is barking up the wrong tree.

Completely correct. I think the point that impresses me is that he wasted no time. Could easily have had that first introduction meeting with the players and been a bit fluffy but looks like he was straight to business and process and setting expectations.

The key is going to be seeing how the rubber hits the road and how the players react ie if Jordy comes back in ripping Nick and you see Grundy really engaged then we’re on the right track.


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[ANewDawn]

Very happy with McRae as our appointment, and he says all the right things in interviews.

However, people have already gotten carried away. It’s not as though Nathan Buckley wouldn’t have preached elite standards. This is Nathan Buckley FFS, does anyone really think he would have given lazy players a free pass? Does anyone think he wouldn’t have set challenges for Grundy and Moore?

I hope we see improvement in those players, and in particular I hope our gameplan gets simplified and we stop overcomitting to the contest. I hope we are a little less defensive, and that having a “cheaper” head coach and better assistants and development coaches reaps rewards….

… but anyone thinking that there is going to be a massive improvement in standards across the board amongst the playing group under McRae, because that was an area we were deficient, is barking up the wrong tree.

You certainly like to bring people back to earth with a thud. You have just drained the euphoria from the appointment leaving it parched of joy and exposed to all sorts of harsh objective scrutiny. Your words have flushed out last night's dream of a 2022 GF B&W win on the back of a faultless home and away performance. You are telling us that Buckley has not gone but simply returned in the guise of Craig McCrae! Thanks for popping all the party balloons, sitting on the cake and stealing all the presents!

 

[gouki88]

Very happy with McRae as our appointment, and he says all the right things in interviews.

However, people have already gotten carried away. It’s not as though Nathan Buckley wouldn’t have preached elite standards. This is Nathan Buckley FFS, does anyone really think he would have given lazy players a free pass? Does anyone think he wouldn’t have set challenges for Grundy and Moore?

I hope we see improvement in those players, and in particular I hope our gameplan gets simplified and we stop overcomitting to the contest. I hope we are a little less defensive, and that having a “cheaper” head coach and better assistants and development coaches reaps rewards….

… but anyone thinking that there is going to be a massive improvement in standards across the board amongst the playing group under McRae, because that was an area we were deficient, is barking up the wrong tree.

While I do have a developing mancrush on him it is true that he hasn't even picked a 22 yet. Patience everyone

 

[jimmy35]

He‘s driven, articulate and learned. A lot to love about the man.
Im pleased as Pies supporters we now have some excitement and bounce again and I’m going to enjoy it immensely.
A total breath of fresh air about the club with so many new appointments.

 

[MyManLynch]

Careful, you can’t say those sort of things in this thread without someone trying to slap you down for not being positive…

We are on Spring break.
It’s a McRave party…will last months.
You are welcome to join, unless you have other things to do.

 

[jimmy35]

With this article McCrae is pumping his own tyres up again - he may very well be great at everything as he claims to be and I desperately hope he is.

But telling us all this now is pretty pointless.

He has only been coach for 5 minutes.

I dont like it.

Hubris.

Shit mate let him get in the door before you turn on him.