{"id":156890,"date":"2025-09-20T15:56:06","date_gmt":"2025-09-20T15:56:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/156890\/"},"modified":"2025-09-20T15:56:06","modified_gmt":"2025-09-20T15:56:06","slug":"craig-mcrae-post-match-press-conference-after-collingwoods-preliminary-final-loss-to-brisbane-scott-pendlebury-injury-jamie-elliott-free-kick-jamie-elliott-and-brody-mihocek-contract-talks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/156890\/","title":{"rendered":"Craig McRae post-match press conference after Collingwood\u2019s preliminary final loss to Brisbane, Scott Pendlebury injury, Jamie Elliott free kick, Jamie Elliott and Brody Mihocek contract talks, latest news"},"content":{"rendered":"

Collingwood coach Craig McRae couldn\u2019t hide his \u201coverwhelming disappointment\u201d after his side\u2019s season came to a bitter end in Saturday night\u2019s preliminary final loss to Brisbane<\/a> at the MCG. <\/p>\n

But McRae thinks the Magpies went in well prepared, despite a calf injury to Scott Pendlebury in the opening minutes, and he refused to make excuses after a controversial non-free kick to Jamie Elliott in the fourth quarter that denied the hosts a key opportunity to stay alive.<\/p>\n

Collingwood led the grand final qualifier by 13 points at half-time but gave up 11 goals in the second half as its midfield was overwhelmed by Brisbane\u2019s starpower to fall by 29 points, 11.5 (71) to 15.10 (100). <\/p>\n

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It included a failed Steele Sidebottom tag on Hugh McCluggage, who was best on ground with 37 disposals and a goal, while Zac Bailey added two majors from 21 touches. <\/p>\n

McRae credited Brisbane\u2019s \u201cdominant\u201d third quarter clearance supremacy and lamented the way his team \u201coverhandballed\u201d as the Pies were knocked out of finals in a year they were among the key flag contenders.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt comes to an end quick and we have to sit in it now,\u201d McRae told reporters post-match. <\/p>\n

\u201cJust overwhelming disappointment, I can only speak for myself.<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks to our fans, our Magpie army for turning up, 96,000 here today. We\u2019re so grateful for their ongoing support, so loud and I just want to make sure I appreciate those out there that supported us this year. <\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ll be disappointed, we are. You get to this time of the year and realise how close you are. They\u2019re bloody hard to win and it takes a long time to get back here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Collingwood’s contract decisions | 02:03<\/p>\n

McRae said Pendlebury\u2019s calf setback occurred \u201cin the first few minutes\u201d of the game and he downplayed suggestions the Magpies champion carried the issue into the contest in what was a tough blow given the influence of Brisbane\u2019s on-ball brigade.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt doesn\u2019t help, (losing) one of your most experienced players who organises things,\u201d McRae said. <\/p>\n

\u201cHe did a calf early, which was really strange. But this is what happens this time of year, it is what it is. <\/p>\n

\u201cI thought we were really well prepared for this game, physically, emotionally and tactically. Then you\u2019ve got to pivot.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had plans to tag McCluggage, but needed Steele to play different roles and there\u2019s a flow-on effect.\u201d <\/p>\n

Meanwhile Brody Mihocek, who was held goalless in a quiet showing, played through a toe tendon injury that required painkillers but couldn\u2019t worsen. <\/p>\n

‘It’s a Free kick everyday’ Riewoldt | 01:10<\/p>\n

McRae said the front-on contact to Elliott deep in Collingwood\u2019s in the fourth term that could\u2019ve got them back within six points \u201clooked like\u201d a free kick, but he wasn\u2019t making excuses for the loss. <\/p>\n

\u201cNo guarantee he kicks the goal though. This is the world I live in. I never make excuses, I don\u2019t want our fans to see a coach that leads our group through excuses. Because it just doesn\u2019t get you anywhere,\u201d the Pies coach said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think losers make excuses, we don\u2019t, we\u2019re winners. We didn\u2019t win today, clearly beaten by a better team.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think they would’ve beaten us anyway, the way they were playing. You could say \u2018what ifs\u2019 and \u2018if only\u2019, but it\u2019s not the space we live in. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe didn\u2019t control the things we could control well. We had great momentum going into half-time and we just let it slip real quick against really good opposition. <\/p>\n

\u201cThey make three grand finals in a row, really well coached, \u2018Fages\u2019 (Chris Fagan) had a great year again. They have a few out and it just shows their depth and belief in their system. <\/p>\n

\u201cThey were just a bit better than us.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Collingwood boss noted the club was \u201cbuzzing\u201d over the last month and said it falling short of a second grand final appearance under his tenure \u201cwasn\u2019t through a lack of belief\u201d. <\/p>\n

\u201cI thought we had everything we needed to do it, just got beaten by a team that executed a bit more in the big moments than us,\u201d he added. <\/p>\n

Frame by Frame! “Impossible to overturn” | 00:42<\/p>\n

out<\/p>\n

McRae wasn\u2019t yet sure how to address the players, but stressed he thought the club had a \u201creally good year\u201d despite it missing out on next Saturday\u2019s flag decider.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sitting here and I haven\u2019t spoken to the players yet. I want to be very deliberate with what I say,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n

\u201cBecause it takes a long time to get back here and there\u2019s no gurantees you do. We\u2019ve had a really good year, we had 17 wins and finished third. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe only glorify the one that holds up the cup and it\u2019s not us this year. <\/p>\n

\u201cGood luck to Geelong, they were outstanding last night and will be extremely hard to beat. Brisbane is going t0 have to come back again, which is a big ask, but you wouldn\u2019t count them out.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you don\u2019t hold up the cup, you\u2019re not seen to be winners. There\u2019s a lot of things we\u2019ve won this year and we want to take all those things and then add to the things we need to get better at. <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m trying to wrestle with the question with how I approach the players. Not sure how much I say they\u2019ll listen to at the moment, but I want to make sure I get it right.\u201d<\/p>\n

“RATTLED”: Double 50 pen – Umpire down! | 00:46<\/p>\n

Attention will now turn to the Magpies\u2019 off-season moves, with new deals for leading goalkickers Elliott, 33, and Mihocek, 32, a priority.<\/p>\n

Both Elliott, who booted a career-best 60 goals this season and made the All-Australian squad, and Mihocek had been offered two-year extensions as Collingwood tries to fend off rival interest in the veteran forwards.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re hopeful (they\u2019ll re-sign), I think it\u2019s been sort of put to the backburner. Now it\u2019s not on the backburner, it\u2019s the frontburner, let\u2019s get busy and work through that,\u201d McRae said. <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll leave that up to others, that\u2019s their job, to secure our talent. <\/p>\n

\u201cJamie was enormous again tonight, he\u2019s had an incredible year. He\u2019s a wanted player. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve offered both of these guys two-year contracts, I\u2019m not sure what has been led through the media. <\/p>\n

\u201cBut we\u2019ll let the people doing their job do their job and I\u2019ll come in when needed.\u201d<\/p>\n

McRae said the club would again look be aggressive in next month\u2019s trade and free agency period, but suggested it would strike more of a balance after giving up first-round picks in each of the last two off-seasons.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not going to stand still trying to get better,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n

\u201cLast year I said it was players over picks, it won\u2019t be that extreme this year, but there will be a balance. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe want to bring talent into this organisation that makes us better, we won\u2019t stand still on that. <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure our fans want to hear that and our players want to hear we\u2019re not going to stand still and keep improving ourselves.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs long as there\u2019s an opportunity to bring high talent in, we\u2019ll explore every part of that.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Collingwood coach Craig McRae couldn\u2019t hide his \u201coverwhelming disappointment\u201d after his side\u2019s season came to a bitter end…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":156891,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[104527,684,104529,5340,88710,91124,10143,104532,11288,32923,104528,47999,43,12138,36878,104535,42714,13126,104533,104296,44,69018,104530,104531,104327,82581,104534,84662,19083,62647,36848,14419,104536,41,39,42,40],"class_list":["post-156890","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-headlines","tag-agency-period","tag-ben-cotton","tag-bitter-end","tag-calf-injury","tag-calf-setback","tag-contract-decisions","tag-craig-mcrae","tag-flag-decider","tag-grand-final","tag-grand-final-appearance","tag-grand-final-qualifier","tag-grand-finals","tag-headlines","tag-hugh-mccluggage","tag-jamie-elliott","tag-key-flag-contenders","tag-magpie-army","tag-mason-cox","tag-media-post-match","tag-metre-penalty","tag-news","tag-nick-riewoldt","tag-organises-things","tag-overwhelming-disappointment","tag-prelim-clash","tag-preliminary-final-loss","tag-quarter-clearance-supremacy","tag-reporters-post-match","tag-scott-pendlebury","tag-sides-loss","tag-steele-sidebottom","tag-tim-membrey","tag-toe-tendon-injury","tag-top-news","tag-top-stories","tag-topnews","tag-topstories"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/156890","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=156890"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/156890\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/156891"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=156890"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=156890"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=156890"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}