Collingwood boss emotionally opens up on ‘horrible’ family stories and the ‘tough times’ he experienced during his early coaching career
Footy coach Craig McRae has delivered an emotional and honest interview on Channel 7’s Unfiltered.
The 51-year-old Brisbane great opened up on multiple topics during the interview including the struggles he faced in his early coaching career and presenting his grandfather’s war medals to his side, during a speech ahead of Anzac Day.
McRae took over as senior coach at the Magpies back in 2022, succeeding interim boss Robert Harvey following Nathan Buckley’s departure.
The South Australian, affectionately known as ‘Fly’, has one of the best winning records of any coach to manage the side, having overseen 74 matches, winning 50 while losing 22.
The fruits of his labour were actualised in 2023 when he led Collingwood to the side’s first flag in 13 years, securing a dramatic four-point win over his old club, the Lions, in the Grand final.
But his journey is an inspiring and emotional one with McRae, who retired following Birsbane’s 2004 Grand Final defeat by Port Adelaide, revealing he had struggled to initially make ends meet during the early years of his coaching career.
Collingwood senior coach Craig McRae has opened up on the hardships he experienced during his early coaching career
McRae told Hamish McLachlan on Channel 7’s Unfiltered that he had ‘struggled to make ends meet’ during his early years coaching
In 2007, he was appointed as an assistant coach with Richmond under Terry Wallace and would spend the next 15 years working as an assistant for Brisbane, Collingwood, Hawthorn and the Lions, before landing his current role.
‘Did you always want to be a senior coach?’ Hamish McLachlan asked, on Channel 7’s Unfiltered.
‘I don’t think I did,’ McRae replied.
The 51-year-old also opened up on how he was not paid well during several of his early roles, which ground on him noting he had a family to support.
After a spell at Collingwood, he’d join up with Richmond as an assistant coach, but said: ‘It was probably half the salary at Richmond than what it was (at Collingwood) and had to do twice as many hours.’
McLachlan then asked him: ‘Were you struggling to make ends meet at the time? With a young child?’
‘Yes. Tough times. Struggling, not thriving. But I loved coaching, I really did, that was my escape if you like. I have passion for young men to get better and teams coming together and winning and succeeding – the joy of the staff.
‘People volunteer their time, they want to be attached to clubs. That’s all I’ve ever known.
The Magpies boss (pictured with wife Gabrielle) revealed that he had been struggling during that period of his footy journey
McRae is one of the most successful coaches in Collingwood’s history having overseen 74 matches, winning 50 while losing 22
‘So, yeah, I have a passion for that and I have a passion to be better, I really do. Where I am now, I want to be better tomorrow.
‘So that was real at the time. But I was in an environment where, outside of here it was really difficult.
‘So, I wasn’t growing as fast as I would’ve liked, just head above water, probably drowning a little bit. But, being a senior coach was never on my radar then.’
McRae has recently found himself under plenty of scrutiny following an incident that took place during Collingwood’s Opening Round clash against GWS Giants.
He had appeared to sledge GWS star Toby Bedford but copped some flack on the touchline from Giants boss, and his good friend, Adam Kingsley.
McRae avoided a sanction over the matter and subsequently admitted he had crossed the line over the sledge.
But when pressed on whether he found his job worth it, finding himself constantly being scrutinised, analysed and in the spotlight, McRae opened up on the tougher side of being a premiership-winning coach.
He has tasted success with the Pies, notably winning the 2023 Grand Final (pictured left, alongside Darcy Moore), he recounted some of the toughest parts of being a coach
McRae also opened up on how he had once presented his grandfather’s medals from the war to his Collingwood side during a speech ahead of Anzac day
‘I love my job, it’s the best job in the world when you’re winning,’ he said. ‘When you lose it’s the worst job.’
McRae also opened up on the emotional moment back in 2023 where he famously delivered a stirring and speech to his team relating ahead of Anzac Day.
The footy coach brought his grandfather’s medals from the war with him for the match.
‘I never got to meet my grandfather,’ he said. ‘And yeah, I thought I’d get the medals. My dad gave the medals to my my daughter, Chelsea, and I thought: “Oh, I’m gonna bring them in.” It’s a pretty big day, Anzac Day, and we’re all on the calendar looking forward to it.
‘And I’m trying to give [the day] some context and I thought: “Yeah, I’ll just take the medals and tell a story.” And when I stood in front of the players, it just, yeah, it just all came back.’
He took a moment to pause as he welled up, before adding: ‘I just remember having this feeling of these thunderbolts through my arms.
‘I’ve got the medals in my hands, and I’m trying to tell the story about the importance of the day, and I just had this emotion that just came straight through me.
‘War changed my grandfather, which then changed my dad, and then there was a flow-on effect of that,’ he said.
‘So, yeah, I just, I just shared the story about how we decorate our soldiers, and we glorify (them) to some degree, but, you know, there is a side of war that is hard for families.’
Asked whether his father had ever spoken to him about his grandfather’s experience of the war, he began to well up again, stating: ‘Yeah, I heard some of the stories, and they’re not… they’re not great stories. They’re horrible stories.’
