Collingwood coach Craig McRae has opened up on the all-consuming nature of being an AFL head coach, admitting he hasn’t found the right balance between work and family yet. McRae has been Magpies coach since 2022 and famously led the team to the flag in 2023.
The premiership success came on the same day that wife Gabrielle gave birth to baby girl Maggie – their first child together. But McRae, who has two other daughters from a previous relationship, is finding it a bit tougher in 2024.
The Magpies have been ravaged by injuries and were ninth on the ladder heading into Monday’s clash with Melbourne. As well as trying to help his team recover from a disappointing start to the season, McRae revealed this week that he’s struggling to find enough time for his family
“The biggest thing I’ve realised… is the relentless nature of the job. It doesn’t stop, it never ends,” McRae said on SEN radio. “I go to Bunnings and I’m working. I go to my daughter’s football, I’m umpiring and I’m working, it’s just the job. I’m representing, taking photos and greeting people. The job never stops.”
As a club, Collingwood have made a point of highlighting that family comes first for all players and staff. It was epitomised by the fact Oleg Markov was allowed to miss the Round 11 game against Fremantle to attend his brother-in-law’s wedding – a match that Collingwood ended up drawing after a fourth-quarter collapse.
“I definitely want my family to be first and I say that to our players as well,” McRae said. “Oleg Markov goes to a wedding a couple of weeks ago. (We say) ‘family first mate, if you think this is important to you, you do it’.
“I think that stuff pays you back. We talk about winning on the scoreboard, we’ll be criticised or rewarded. That scoreboard is our feedback and the industry wants us to win.
“But I and we at Collingwood want to win at all levels, so we have better husbands, better fathers, so Oleg becomes a better brother for his brother-in-law, whatever it looks like. There’s always a line – performance versus family – I get that. But when there is an easy choice, we’re choosing family.”
