What stands out about Craig McRae’s training?
He has Collingwood sitting in the eighth after 15 rounds with a 9-5 win and loss record and in a position not many experts predict before the season.
McRae has come in and given new life to the Magpies after finishing 17th in 2021, but what about the Brisbane champion who has had such a positive impact on the AIA Center?
Midfielder Taylor Adams explained why McRae, also known as ‘Fly’, has been ‘amazing’ for the club, giving the hat to the AFL first-year coach.
“I think the authenticity of him, he’s done things his way,” Adams told SEN Breakfast.
“He’s given a great opportunity to his senior assistants and he relies on them a lot to allow them to organize meetings and have their say on the game plan. Obviously he has some experience in Justin Leppitsch, Hayden Skipworth and Brendon Bolton.
“He just trains the DNA, what we really stand for, the Collingwood union. He does a really good job of motivating us. He’s a very creative guy, he raises his issues every week.
“He’s been fantastic for us. I love playing with him and what he’s brought to the football club has been fantastic.”
Adams says some of the issues McRae raises have been a bit “curious,” including holding a “milestone” from Darcy Cameron in round 12 against Hawthorn.
“He does very quirky things,” he added.
“I’m not sure if you’ve heard of the Darcy Cameron 40 game we entered a few weeks ago. We celebrated Darcy Cameron’s 40th game, which sounds very weird.
“He likes to focus on us more than on the opposing team. Obviously, we do a lot of work to understand what they do well and where their strengths lie.
“Ultimately, their focus is on us as a team. He likes to make fun of what we are doing and make it very enjoyable. It takes, not seriousness, but it makes you feel more comfortable, especially before the game when these things happen. “
McRae will take the Pies into action against the Gold Coast Suns at Metricon Stadium this Saturday night.
A win would make six on the black and white bounce and keep them knocking on the door of the top four.