Collingwood coach Craig McRae and his Sydney counterpart Dean Cox have expressed opposing views about bench etiquette after McCraeโs in-game comment to Swans ruckman Brodie Grundy.
McRaeโs boundary-line antics have raised eyebrows over the past two seasons. He has engaged with a rival coach, supporters and now a rival player โ former Magpie Grundy, during last Friday nightโs clash at the SCG.
McRae said on Thursday he would continue to coach from the boundary line, and insists there is room for interaction with opposition players.
Cox, also speaking on Thursday, said he and his staff would not speak to rival players during a match.
โI think my philosophy on that, is if I was down on the bench, I donโt speak to other players. Thatโs where I would leave it,โ he said.
โWe havenโt spoken at length about being unhappy or happy with it [the Grundy incident], so we havenโt spoken to anyone about it. Itโs just what I would do if I was down there and what I expect my staff that are on the bench to do.โ
Cox said it was not an official policy, but โjust expectedโ.
โWe havenโt sat down and spoken about a direct policy around it – itโs just the way we would handle things might be different to other teams,โ he said.
Ahead of Scott Pendleburyโs record-breaking 433rd game on Saturday, McRae said he had no intention of heading to the coachesโ box on game day.
โI love coaching from the boundary. I feel there is an energy for me on the boundary line with the team, an instant ability to instantly react to situations in the game,โ McRae said after training on Thursday.
The 2023 premiership coach was involved in an exchange of words with Greater Western Sydney coach Adam Kingsley during their Opening Round clash last year and was forced to apologise, although he escaped sanction by the AFL.
He caused a stir against Hawthorn at the MCG last month when there were allegations of time-wasting after he called for the ball from a member of the crowd, only to turn his back when the ball was thrown at him, eating into time on the clock.
The latest incident with Grundy came as McRae scooped up the ball after it had rolled out of bounds ahead of Grundy, who then turned and made his way to the ensuing ruck contest.
Asked on Thursday what he had said, McRae replied: โI canโt articulate what I said, because itโs a personal thing โฆ for me, it was just a moment in time, and we keep moving.โ
Grundy, in an interview with Seven after the match, made light of the incident.
โHe just said: โGโday, old mateโ. It was nothing untoward, all in the spirit of it. He just bobbed up right then and there,โ Grundy said, having already spoken on field with the Swansโ head of media.
However, Age columnist Caroline Wilson told Sevenโs Agenda Setters: โWell, it might have been all respect, but it certainly wasnโt: โGโday, old mateโ, and I donโt think Brodie Grundy was particularly impressed by what Craig McRae said,โ Wilson said.
โYes, it was positive, but it was personal, and it happened in-game.โ
The AFL has chosen not to take action against McRae.
McRae insisted he had a strong relationship with Grundy, the pair having first met when McRae was an assistant at Collingwood when Grundy was drafted in 2012, and there was no reason why a coach could not interact with a rival player in the heat of battle.
โIf you have a strong relationship with someone, I donโt see an issue with it. I coached him when he โฆ first got drafted. I have got a really strong relationship, great respect for Brodie,โ McRae, who also coached Grundy in 2022 before the ruckman left for Melbourne, said.
โThere is nothing untoward. At an appropriate time, I might be able to tell you what I said.โ
McRae, who said he reflects on his behaviour whether that be โgood and badโ, questioned whether it was a โbigโ issue, but said he may now contact Grundy to check in on him.
โI might reach out to Brodie to just make sure he is OK,โ McRae said.
McRae said skipper Darcy Moore (concussion), Patrick Lipinski (concussion), Darcy Cameron (ankle) and Tim Membrey (hamstring) were available for selection. Bobby Hill, whose partner was expecting their third child, did not train.
Amid the hoopla over Pendleburyโs record-breaking game, McRae said the Magpies had done all they could to ensure they honoured their champion midfielder in the right manner – with a win.
McRae noted West Coastโs phenomenal pressure rating they had in a shock win over Greater Western Sydney last weekend, and said it was โnaiveโ to suggest the Magpies had pin-pointed the lowly Eagles as the ideal opponent for Pendlebury to break the games record.
Pendlebury has twice been rested in the past three weeks.
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Jon Pierik is a sports journalist at The Age. He covers AFL and has won awards for his cricket and basketball writing.Connect via X or email.
