Craig McRae Biography

Craig McRae becomes a premiership coach after leading Collingwood to a record-equalling 16th premiership in front of 100,024 people at the MCG.

However, ten hours before achieving premiership glory, spent the morning inside St Vincent's Hospital where he and his wife, Gabrielle, welcomed the arrival of their daughter, Maggie.

Craig McRae signs a contract extension to continue coaching Collingwood until the end of the 2026 season.

"Leading this team and being a part of this great club is something I am incredibly grateful for and I look forward to continuing on this journey," McRae said.

"In my 16 years of coaching I haven't seen a group quite like this one. There is an incredible fight and real belief but above all there is a genuine support and care for each other."

Craig McRae is crowned the AFL Coaches Association coach of the year after steering Collingwood's incredible rise from 17th to a preliminary final in his first season at the helm.

"It is a reflection of the combined efforts of everyone involved in the football program and the wider club this season, and affirmation of their hard work and perseverance," McRae said.

"I have enormous pride in our people and, as a club, we will continue to strive to be better each and every day over the course of the pre-season and into 2023."

Collingwood appoints Craig McRae as its 16th VFL/AFL coach. After three premierships as a player with Brisbane, McRae joins the Pies following a glittering 15-year career as a development and assistant coach at the Pies, Lions, Richmond and Hawthorn.

"We want to get as good as we can, as quick as we can. We're in the position of just getting as good as we can as quick as we can - we don't want to put a ceiling on that," an excited McRae said.

"I spoke to the playing group before and my appointment offers opportunity and possibility. I'm pretty pumped, let's face it, this is a significant part of my journey and it's been a long one."

Craig McRae will join Hawthorn's coaching staff in 2021 after finishing his duties as a Richmond assistant coach in 2020.

"I am extremely grateful for my five years at Richmond, and in that time being part of changing the culture at VFL and AFL level," McRae said in a statement.

"To the leave the club seeing so many young players develop into AFL premiership players makes me very proud.

"Winning the VFL premiership last year as coach will be something I will cherish for the rest of my life, and want to thank all the staff and players for their years of hard work."

Collingwood has moved quickly to fill vacant coaching positions, signing Matthew Lappin and Craig McRae.

"I'm really excited to come to a club that has set the benchmark, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to work under Mick in 2011 and Nathan beyond that," McRae said.

"I'm passionate about working in player development and looking forward to working closely with what is an impressive Collingwood playing list, and helping the club improve further."

Graham Polak needs to prove he can still hold down key position if he is to win senior berth with Richmond.

Polak, who was put in a medically induced coma for two days after being hit by a tram just over a year ago, received glowing praise from Coburg coach Craig McRae after his outstanding weekend performance playing in the ruck and on a wing.

"He was sensational. Just the way he's gone about it over the last couple of weeks, he looks like the 'Polly' of old ... I'm not on the match committee at Richmond but if you just talk solely on Polly's form, his last couple of weeks have been terrific," McRae said.

Jason Akemanis has called on the Tigers to appoint his former teammate Craig McRae as their caretaker coach.

"Wayne Campbell was an assistant coach over with the Western Bulldogs ... he would be a fine inclusion, David King knows his stuff. Craig McRae is a personal friend of mine, he would be my favourite, only because he's had his own team. He's done very, very well, he's a very, very switched on man when it comes to footy," Akermanis said