Coach Craig McRae

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Trickster said:
I just hope we stick by him, bring in senior assistants and support him when the chips are down.

We'll have tough times and the last thing I want to see is him hung out to dry like Rhyce Shaw was at NM. That was sad to watch, seeing him so dejected so I hope we bring in not just Leppitsch but another wiser head for support.

My big concern is how he handles the pressure / off field heat when we're down. Not just next year but most likely the one after that.
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Very Well Said.

Just hope we get Good Assistants that will help.

People do Relise take his Whole 1st Contact get us a Finals Competitive Team
 

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Trickster said:
I just hope we stick by him, bring in senior assistants and support him when the chips are down.

We'll have tough times and the last thing I want to see is him hung out to dry like Rhyce Shaw was at NM. That was sad to watch, seeing him so dejected so I hope we bring in not just Leppitsch but another wiser head for support.

My big concern is how he handles the pressure / off field heat when we're down. Not just next year but most likely the one after that.
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What I'd say to that is at least our Board seems accepting of the fact we're in a rebuild and have made comments suggesting that.

For all Brad Scott's faults, he was vindicated in the sense that he identified the need for a rebuild and the Board shut him down on permission to embark on one. By the time they realised it was inevitable Rhyce Shaw had been hung out to dry.

David Noble is now being given the support Shaw should have been given from the start.
 
Transcript of today's presser

Excluding the questions directed to Wright, Korda and Anderson.

Opening statement from Craig McRae
"I'm pretty pumped, this is a significant part of my journey and it's been a long one. I'd like to thank Graham [Wright], Mark [Anderson] and the sub-committee of Paul Licuria, Luke Ball and Peter Murphy, and the board for believing in me to take this club forward.

It was an extensive process, it went for about 6-8 weeks. It did allow me to reflect on my journey. It's been a long one. This one has been 15 years coaching and the ability to be resilient and struggle and get up, fall over and get up again. I was only sharing a story just before our sliding door moments of leaving one club and getting an opportunity at others has been significant in my journey. I bring that all here and I'm looking forward to taking this club forward as I said.

I want to take the opportunity to thank the Richmond Football Club for 5 great years of my life. The experiences there I gained have clearly put me in this position. I'm really grateful for Peggy [O'Neal], Brendan [Gale], Tim Livingston, Damien [Hardwick] and all the staff, particularly the players. It was a great time of my life. I feel like I'm a better person for being at that football club, a better dad and also a better coach so thank you to the Richmond Football Club.

In recent time, Graham [Wright] got me over to Hawthorn and again I'm not sitting here without that opportunity. The ability to work under Clarko was amazing. He's an incredible man and I learnt so much and he's someone I'm really keen to keep in contact with. To Rob McCartney and the other coaches, Brendon Bolton, Chris Newman, Andy Otten and Sam Mitchell we coached hard this year and I'm really confident we got the best out of that group we coached and the also to the playing group at Hawthorn. I will be cheering loudly from afar but also when you play against us we'll probably start a few fights and tag a few, but I wish you all the best and thank you to the Hawthorn Football Club.

I'll just finish by touching on our members. There's 82,000 members out there and not only with Collingwood, but also around the league who have been paying a lot of money to support their clubs and the industry when it's been a difficult time. I sit here and I'm really grateful and thankful for those people who continue to support our club without even being able to go to games. It's going to be difficult to please all of you at the same time but I want to make sure you understand that we're going to work really hard to develop winning habits and behaviours that you will be really proud of us win, lose or draw the way we go about it. I'm really grateful for this opportunity and thanks again for putting me in this chair and I'm looking forward to getting to work and making this club rise up the ladder like we want it to do".
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Congratulations on the appointment and the elevation of your career, COVID is responsible for the understated appointment by Collingwood. Does that suit you as the calm character you are?
"To be honest, I'm not a star of the game, a retiring great, a big name if you like but I wouldn't want it any other way. This is my journey and my story. All the resilience along the way, the hardship and all the successes has shaped me to be the person I am. I sit here really comfortable in the seat to be the best person for the job".
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Do you see this as a long-term project and how many seasons do you think it will be before this group are competing and pushing up the ladder?
"We're in the position to get as good as we can as quick as we can. We don't want to put a ceiling on that. The reality is we're going to get younger in recent times and we're looking forward to getting my hands dirty. I spoke to the playing group before and my appointment offers opportunity and possibilities and we're looking forward to whatever that looks like. The players now go away and comeback and they've got a choice and we get as good as we can as quick as we can. That's our goal".
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Will the first season be a "development phase"?
"We're all aligned in knowing that we've got some work to do to get up the ladder. In terms of the language, we want to get as good as we can as quick as we can".
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What style of coach will you be? What will your game plan look like?
"I'd like to think we're going to play a style that the fans will be proud of. In terms of watching recent games of the finals, everyone played a little different. I'm sitting back at the minute looking at the best versions of every team and seeing the things we can implement in our game plan. I'm certain we'll improve our contest, which is something I've been watching from afar that I am keen to implement. I want to play an exciting brand that the fans will come and watch and cheer us proud".
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The relationship building side of your coaching, how did you acquire those skills?
"Just by being myself. Create relationships, show respect for all people, got great values and high morals. I respect everybody the same regardless of your status in the game or your background. I don't particularly care. I'll treat the property steward the same way as I'll treat Mark [Korda]. That's the person I am. Build good relationships, have strong conversations and show a level of care. That's the person I am".
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Are you confident that will translate into goals and wins on Saturday?
"It's worked okay so far".
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When you look at Collingwood and determining to throw your hat in the ring, what was the biggest challenge you're facing to get them up the ladder?
"When Graham [Wright] rang me and asked me whether I was interested in going through the process, initially I was umming and ahing and whether that was a direction I wanted to go at that moment and just making sure everything was aligned in terms of my private life, work life and balance. Once I reflected, I thought this is an opportunity and this is an amazing football club and having been here for five years and seeing what this club is capable of being at its best I saw great possibility. When Graham sent me the brief, I just thought everything I am as a person and coach it just fit the brief so I thought I would have a crack at it".
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What was Alastair Clarkson's advice. Did you have much of a discussion with Clarko about this?
"Yeah, he's been an enormous asset all year particularly when the process was starting to heat up. Having worked with Clarko I saw whole another level of care for his players and as I have sat here, I'm proud of the coach I've been and I'm always trying to evolve so I'm not a finished product and want to get better. Watching Clarko the way he cared about his people, just the family and the way he embraced my young family into his life and he's an inspiration. If I could be half the coach he is or was I would be really proud. I did have a joking conversation with him if he's not doing anything next year, I'm happy get him over to do our stoppages and he had a laugh at that so I don't think that will happen".
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What's your initial assessment of the Collingwood playing list and what sort of players do you think you need to add?
"I went through that as part of the process. I think there's a couple of little holes in our structure but I won't go into those details now. We've got a period now where we can sit back. I've only spoken to the playing group only half hour ago so I don't know everyone intimately enough. We've got some work to do. We're not happy where we are on the ladder and we want to get better. We'll find some opportunities within that trade period or draft to get those areas amended as best as we can".
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Who's the real Craig McRae? Are you always this measured or can the media expect some grumpiness from time to time?
"I'm going to get grumpy, don't you worry about that. Like I said, there's 82,000 members for our club, you can't keep everyone happy. One thing you know, I'm happy to take the blows and be accountable to our actions on the way we're playing. But when we start winning I'll be quickly passing the buck to others as it's a collective. It's easy to sit here and say it's a one-person job but that's just not reality. Football clubs are built on many numbers and many people. I'm a cultural builder, I'm good with people and that's the club we'll be forging forward with".
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Those Lions sides you played in were ruthless. Is there an aspect of that in your coaching?
"Yes".
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You were coached under Robert Walls and Leigh Matthews, is there an hard-edge to your coaching as well as the soft touch?
"Absolutely, I think that's the basis of building strong relationships. Those conversations become easy. When you've got a relationship to a level when you go 'mate, what you're doing right now doesn't suit the Collingwood Football Club, we need to get better in this area'. I'm a rewarder. I spoke to the playing group before about certain things we want to see in place straight away when we get back. Some of them put their hand up and said there's things they want to make sure they do when they get back and we will hold them to account to that. We will get them to honour their word".
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You spoke about Clarko, how much did you speak to Leigh Matthews and Damien Hardwick?
"Leigh said some kind words about me in the press which I made sure to acknowledge. To be honest and I said this in the process, Leigh is like a father now and I know he probably won't like hearing that. He's just such a great mentor and he shaped me so much in my career as a player and then even the words he said the other day, I text him and he text back and he said if there's anything he can help me with he'll be there for me. It's nice to have someone of his calibre and to be honest a lot of my coaching stems from Leigh's principles and I think you'll see a lot of that, or at the least playing group will anyway".
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From your time at Collingwood, a lot of the leaders such as Scott Pendlebury and Steele Sidebottom are still there, did you touch base with them throughout the process?
"No I didn't, I steered away from that initially. Pendles is the first guy I saw on the way in. He's got a big part to play. I mentioned in front of everyone that I would use Pendles as an example to all the other players that I coached at other clubs about the professionalism, the level of detail he puts into his game. He's going to be integral in developing this young group. I'm organising to catch up with all the players one on one in the next period and get to know them on a deeper level".
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Collingwood's a big club, how will you deal with the noise that surrounds Collingwood particularly after a few losses?
"Yeah, it's all a part of the struggle isn't it. I think that's what makes winning so much more enjoyable. I was at the Richmond Football Club when there was a lot of noise when they weren't performing and they turned that around quickly. I think it's worrying about what you can control. I know it's an old cliche but that's reality. I'm here to coach the football club and make everyone better as quick as we can and that's where I put my energy".
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Did you have any reservations about the role given the uncertainty at board level?
"Having spoken to Graham [Wright] it did make the opportunity come on board a lot easier in terms of what's going on. When you actually get some of the details of what's going on, I had comfort coming in and going for the position. I will use a Leigh Matthews phrase he used when he first got to Brisbane: "Players will play, coaches will coach and administrators will administer" and I'm here to the coach the team"
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If there's a new board that comes in, are you confident that they will be just as aligned with you as the current board?
"Yeah I'm led to believe that's the case and I have great comfort sitting here that's going to be executed".
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Can you confirm your length of tenure? The people around you such as Justin Leppitsch and what role he will play and how many remaining assistants will stay?
"At this stage, I haven't signed the contract. At this stage it's a 3-year offer and in terms of bringing other people in, this is one of the exciting parts of this opportunity is you get to build a really good team around you, not only the playing group and start and build a culture. But also build a great team around that can start together. Justin Leppitsch is a great friend of mine. I just want to say and make it pretty clear that I'm not going to bring just my best mates in, that's not how I operate. I want a diverse coaching group, I want the best people in their roles. Having said that, Leppa is the best I've seen and the best I've worked with in his defensive structures. He's an elite coach. I would like to start conversations with him and see where that goes. But again, there are 2 or 3 other additions that we'll find the best available in the country to make this group better".
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Any concerns about the looming board battle?
"No".
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That never came into calculations at all when you were weighing up about jumping on board with the club?
"No".
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You don't want to elaborate on that at all?
"No".
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You said Scott Pendlebury was a great example to follow. There are a couple of other guys putting their hands up in terms of the right time to hand the captaincy over. Do you see that as a symbolic way to start your journey at Collingwood?
"I'm not sure about that. I want to chat to Pendles. He's the first person I want to talk to and get a gauge of where he's at with this part of his career. We'll make a decision based around on what he wants to do. He's been an incredible player for this football club for a long time and he has the right to decide on what he wants to do around that space".
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On your social media accounts, you've expressed quite a bit love for Mason Cox. Will that extend into a new contract for him?
"Well he's going back to the States on Friday. I'm keen to have a conversation with him. What's best for the football club is paramount and I need to talk with Wrighty and Derek Hine around what his contract status is and where that fits so there's a bit to play out on that".
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Have you heard from Nathan Buckley? Any messages of congratulations?
"No I haven't. I worked with Bucks, and he was a terrific asset to me when I was developing my craft and I've got nothing but respect for Bucks and I look forward to catching up with him soon".
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You spoke about contest being an emphasis in your game plan, how do you solve Collingwood's scoring woes?
"Well I'm remiss to question or challenge what was. This is a time for me to get all the information given to me by the other coaches in the coming days about what's worked and hasn't worked. There's been an extensive review done already so I will get all that information. What I will say is that 18th for inside 50s is not the team we want to be so we'll need to do some stuff in regards to that and then the contest is a big part of that. We want to increase our opportunity to get the ball inside 50 like everyone does and give us the best way to score from that".
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Jordan De Goey had a great second half of the year under Robert Harvey. Have you worked with him or come across him on your travels?
"Yes only briefly when I was first here he started, so it was very brief. He's a quality player of the competition so we want to get the best out of all our players and finding the right balance of his midfield and forward. I need to have a conservation with him but he gets an opportunity to comeback like all other players and first day of pre-season and make a choice of what sort of player he wants to be for us".
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www.collingwoodfc.com.au

Press Conference: Senior Coach Announcement

Craig McRae address the media for the first time alongside Mark Anderson, Mark Korda, and Graham Wright.
www.collingwoodfc.com.au www.collingwoodfc.com.au
 
ANewDawn said:
I don't think he uses 'umm' as often as Harvey, but I did notice his use of them. There were times when he would string a couple of sentences together without 'umming'. He was nervous so I gave him the benefit of the doubt. He even slurred a few words early. He is basically an articulate guy.
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Tiger supporter texted me saying he's a quality guy
 
Very happy, the club have done well just doing what needed to be done with little fanfare.
Something we are not used to.

I like the change.

Fly seems a likeable guy and here’s hoping there is major buy in from the playing group.

Looking forward to trade time and watching the team grow with the new coach.

Exciting times ahead!!




On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app
 
Best wishes.
A great appointment.
I saw Craig coach at VFL level a number of times.
Very impressive.
He motivates the lads.
I liked how he slapped down Tony Jones at the press conference with a one word reply to his self-important questions.
Jones and Caro are repulsive media parasites.
 
I haven't posted on here for a while but was pretty excited after today's presser and staying up way too late as what's the point getting up early with Covid anyway so thought I'd check in to read some reactions. It was great to read a lot of optimism as I was sick of the negativity. I agree with lots of points that have been made but have some other points.

He is far less polished than Bucks with the media but I find that in a way refreshing as strangely I have always felt that I can trust a public speaker that is more honest and matter of fact over someone who almost comes across as acting a role with the media. Not that I think Bucks was acting but I just like his matter of fact, honest and unpolished approach.

The thing I am most excited about is he seems to genuinely be a people person who naturally can build relationships with others but also has built up great football knowledge. I think for Bucks his people side was something that wasn't natural to him but being the uber professional he developed this in time however will never be as good as a natural people person. In my opinion a coach needs to first set the direction and expectations but then secondly know how every player is motivated to get them to align with the direction and expectations.

Lastly I think he is hungry but realistic and willing to put in the hard yards to develop over a few seasons instead of giving the "we will make finals next season" promise. His we will get as good as we can as quickly as we can quote is perfect as isn't specific enough to get caught out if we don't improve but doesn't put a ceiling on performance either.

But as someone else said recently. I'm pretty pumped.
 
Quicky said:
I understand the sentiment but that's a good way to look brattish and make things worse.
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From 50+ years of supporting this club through thick and thin I can unequivocally say that there is no way for anyone associated with Collingwood to look worse.

Like Clint we are the unforgiven.

No amount of open dialogue, no amount of 'being worthy' is enough in the eyes of 3 generations of haters.

We will always be purely and simply . . . THE target of choice.
 

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Chrispiesssss said:
I love the “players can come back and choose what type of players they will be” attitude.

Love it. Put the onus on the players to show their worth. You want to be a midfielder? Put in the hard yards.
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Yeah, really liked the sound of that...

"Tell me, sure but now SHOW me".
 
PonsfordMagpie said:
Any concerns about the looming board battle?

"No".

That never came into calculations at all when you were weighing up about jumping on board with the club?

"No".


You don't want to elaborate on that at all?

"No".
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The best bits! This gave me flashbacks to Malthouse glaring down dickhead journos. McRae has less venom, but same disregard for BS questioning.
 
jonmacTrag said:
That will never happen, this club needs to stand up to the media and ban those that run blatantly biased vendettas against the club - looking at you CARO.
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If I take my Collingwood beanie off for a moment …

I haven’t seen much from Caro that has been wrong. Yeah, she lifts up the rug to reveal all the nasties that are lurking underneath … but that’s her job? And it’s not her fault that there’s stuff being swept under the rug that others want to hide?

And we can be reasonably sure that she’s only revealing a small portion of the stuff she comes across.

I know people accuse journos like Caro of making s**t up. What I think happens a lot more is that people around the industry - player managers and sporting administrators - make s**t up to peddle their own agenda. IMO Caro is the best of the journos at sifting through the mess of stuff she gets fed to get to the bottom of what’s really going on.

All this is generally good for clubs like ours that get targeted.

It effectively keeps our club accountable (how else are they held accountable?). That hopefully helps stop things from getting too sloppy.

And it keeps us relevant. Would we really prefer to be like one of those ‘minnow’ clubs that doesn’t get talked about?

Ignore their questions in pressers and ban them from the club precincts and players instructed to not talk to them.
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The media are a proxy for us, the supporters and members. By banning players talking to the media, that’s tantamount to banning players talking to the fans and members.

Consider what we saw that from McRae yesterday … he clearly understood that there are 82000 members sitting behind Tony Jones, Riley Beverage, etc, etc.

Sure, we could limit it to only good media. Or only internal Collingwood media. But wouldn’t that just make them a propaganda machine?
 
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76woodenspooners said:
If I take my Collingwood beanie off for a moment …

I haven’t seen much from Caro that has been wrong. Yeah, she lifts up the rug to reveal all the nasties that are lurking underneath … but that’s her job? And it’s not her fault that there’s stuff being swept under the rug that others want to hide?

And we can be reasonably sure that she’s only revealing a small portion of the stuff she comes across.

I know people accuse journos like Caro of making sh*t up. What I think happens a lot more is that people around the industry - player managers and sporting administrators - make sh*t up to peddle their own agenda. IMO Caro is the best of the journos at sifting through the mess of stuff she gets fed to really get the bottom of what’s going on.

All this is generally good for clubs like ours that get targeted.

It effectively keeps our club accountable (how else are they held accountable?). That hopefully helps stop things from getting too sloppy.

And it keeps us relevant. Would we really prefer to be like one of those ‘minnow’ clubs that doesn’t get talked about?



The media are a proxy for us, the supporters and members. By banning players talking to the media, that’s tantamount to players talking to the fans and members. We saw that from McRae yesterday … he clearly understood that there are 82000 members sitting behind Tony Jones, Riley Beverage, etc, etc.

Sure, we could limit it to only good media. Or only internal Collingwood media. But wouldn’t that just make them a propaganda machine?
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We won't see eye to eye on this 76 - they are already a propaganda machine but you don't see it so lets move on.
 
Vicky Park said:
Now that I’ve floated back down to earth, some more thoughts on McRae:
  • He is very experienced. Not as a senior coach, obviously, but as a coach at different levels across several clubs. Bucks’ lack of experience held him back in the first few years. This was also an issue with Sam Mitchell, if we’d appointed him.
  • His reputation as a good man manager was backed up by his language and messages today. Very pleased with what we’ve heard so far.
  • I’m excited for the footy department/assistant coach appointments yet to be made, and his involvement in them.
  • In one of his interviews, he talked about the long and ‘layered’ process he went through to get the job. Hooray! This would have included presentations on our list, our gaps, what he sees as strengths and weaknesses, which players need extra work or a change in role. To be a fly (😝) on the wall!
  • But a big question - game day coaching. Obviously will be revealed in 2022, but it wasn’t always a strength under Bucks.
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Great points you've made.

One thing I love about the Mcrae appointment is that he's coached his own side, to a premiership no less.

Stoked with this appointment, I think he can do great things over the coming years.
 
Black_White said:
Trying to lower fan’s expectations from day one.
AFL360 doing exactly the same thing. Makes it sound like finals are 5-8 years away.
Unacceptable.

Will be very happy if he is true to his word and makes me proud of the team, win, lose or draw.
Because I haven’t been able to feel that on many occasions over the last few years.
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Haha wasn't Nick Riewoldt a negative Nancy.

Can still see how 2010 haunts him.

Of course we'll be bottom 4 next season and I think most rational supporters have their head around that.
 
I have a great feeling about this appointment. McRae seems like the type of Coach Grundy, Maynard, Moore and co will thrive under. I think the board have appointed our next Premiership coach.
To all the negative comments, stick your head in a Bucket. Korda is not a media person? Who cares. He is the president. After Eddie it is quite refreshing having a President who is not in the media week in week out. How often do you see Peggy O'Neal front the media? Never, unless it it totally necessary. Mark Anderson, Graham Wright and now McRae are the media front men.
 
Big Bryza said:
Haha wasn't Nick Riewoldt a negative Nancy.

Can still see how 2010 haunts him.

Of course we'll be bottom 4 next season and I think most rational supporters have their head around that.
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The exceptions will be game day threads & post game threads next season.
 
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