Coach Craig McRae

Disappointing that we limited our coaching search to humans. I would have expected a more thorough process.

And not just any humans either …

genuine ridgey didge humans!
 

BuildEmUp

All Australian
Jul 14, 2014
740
756
Melbourne
AFL Club
Collingwood
The word rebuild was not used a single time, the club and McRae seem bullish that they can turn this around pretty quickly. Unless they can recruit a couple of decent key forwards and a quality inside midfielder its just not going to happen.
from the rumours etc that have abound in trade rumours sites / twitter etc that is quite likely to happen . eg dyaln Stpehens alrady aske dto be tarded to us, Crouch Lipinski .Dunstan Hewitt etc. Not forgetting we have two potential good ones in Begg and Johnson - along with Reef Mc as an up and coming inside mid.

So I agree with Fly ... I woudl not be surprised to quick turnaround as motivation among players will be entirely reinvigorated.
 

partypie

Norm Smith Medallist
Nov 26, 2013
7,227
8,775
AFL Club
Collingwood
Other Teams
Chicago Bulls, Green Bay Packers
I was a little concerned about how much praise he was heaping on himself, about how he was very good at thsi and very good at that....not once but on multiple occasions.

We may have a real FIGJAM on our hands.

The question was put to him multiple times via various thinly veiled comments around whether he was good enough for the job as a narrative some of the scummy journos in the call felt the need to push, given he isn't a marquee name and has no senior coaching experience at AFL level.

What did you expect him to do, shy away from the spotlight and say he wasn't qualified for or up to the task?

I'd rather have someone who has confidence in where they have come from and what they can bring to the role personally than a shy, retiring flower who will wilt under the media spotlight and feed whatever piss-poor narrative the journos are trying to push in a desperate effort to get more clicks.
 

peter9789

Club Legend
Aug 25, 2009
2,671
3,807
Melbourne
AFL Club
Collingwood
First of all well done to the Collingwood board and management for running a proper process. Not leaking any stories or any other BS during this period. Just a clear focus on what they were looking for and have come up at the end of this process with Craig McRae.

Love the McRae story, or his journey as he liked to put it. Seems a no nonsense type of fella and apparently excellent relationship builder and developer of your talent.

Wish you every success and hope you coach for the next 10 years with a Premiership or 3 along the way (I wish)
 
Aug 3, 2020
18,076
29,857
AFL Club
Collingwood
Other Teams
Boston Celtics, Liverpool
Who's on the short-list of likely picks for assistant coach roles? Any chance we hire a specialist ruck coach to get the best out of Grundy?
Leppitsch is an obvious candidate for a role given all the smoke around his name recently. However, that might be a coaching/list management hybrid role. Skipworth and Selwood seem likely to stick around. Have also heard rumours about Brendan Bolton. Not sure if we'd retain Jamar as a ruck coach.

I reckon we'll have more money to spend with McRae coaching instead of Buckley - I imagine his initial salary will be quite a bit lower.
 

partypie

Norm Smith Medallist
Nov 26, 2013
7,227
8,775
AFL Club
Collingwood
Other Teams
Chicago Bulls, Green Bay Packers
I can live with that, sick of mm

Better hope we don't bring Constable in then, or you'll get more cutbacks to MM in the stands with a dirty look on his face during our games than you'd probably like.
 
Last edited:

Maggie Greg

Cancelled
Jan 24, 2002
955
1,171
AFL Club
Collingwood
The question was put to him multiple times via various thinly veiled comments around whether he was good enough for the job as a narrative some of the scummy journos in the call felt the need to push, given he isn't a marquee name and has no senior coaching experience at AFL level.

What did you expect him to do, shy away from the spotlight and say he wasn't qualified for or up to the task?

I'd rather have someone who has confidence in where they have come from and what they can bring to the role personally than a shy, retiring flower who will wilt under the media spotlight and feed whatever piss-poor narrative the journos are trying to push in a desperate effort to get more clicks.

No, but the best way to get the same point across was to let Wrigtht sing his praises and say exactly the same things and then he could have said I will let my actions speak. Same point would have gotten across.

It was not a big deal but made me a little uncomfortable. I am old school in that regard.
 

jonmacTrag

Premiership Player
May 27, 2020
3,690
4,051
AFL Club
Collingwood
From that interview . . .

Woe betide any player who shorts the team on game day or on the training track.

This guy seems like a nice type but don't give him bllsht - you won't pull the wool over this ones eyes. Don't come the sob story or try standover tactics with your manager.

Craig's way or the highway.
 
Mar 2, 2011
11,550
20,167
Melbourne
AFL Club
Collingwood
Other Teams
Bushrangers
Leppitsch is an obvious candidate for a role given all the smoke around his name recently. However, that might be a coaching/list management hybrid role. Skipworth and Selwood seem likely to stick around. Have also heard rumours about Brendan Bolton. Not sure if we'd retain Jamar as a ruck coach.

I reckon we'll have more money to spend with McRae coaching instead of Buckley - I imagine his initial salary will be quite a bit lower.
Dale Tapping is the other name that we've been linked to in the media
 

Countrypie

Premiership Player
Apr 10, 2012
3,852
6,022
Rowville
AFL Club
Collingwood
No, but the best way to get the same point across was to let Wrigtht sing his praises and say exactly the same things and then he could have said I will let my actions speak. Same point would have gotten across.

It was not a big deal but made me a little uncomfortable. I am old school in that regard.
I understand that POV but I didn't get the FIGJAM vibe in the presser. What I got was - I'm going to do the best I can, I'm confident in my ability and I'm going to give this a helluva shake. He set the tone of the relationship with the media. They won't have an easy kill here and he let them know.
 
Aug 3, 2020
18,076
29,857
AFL Club
Collingwood
Other Teams
Boston Celtics, Liverpool
I was a little concerned about how much praise he was heaping on himself, about how he was very good at thsi and very good at that....not once but on multiple occasions.

We may have a real FIGJAM on our hands.
Knowing your strengths and being confident in them is not FIGJAM...
 
This is a bloody good appointment. Has a LOT of work to do, but given his resume and skillset he is the perfect man for the job. Thank you Pies for actually running, what would appear like a decent process on this one and best of luck Fly. Go Pies!!!
 
Back