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ipswichpies said:
Did you like TD noosa holiday thread I remember we used to get people coming here just to read how TD,s latest day on his holiday went, great days,
Click to expand...

I didn’t invest the time into that one, unfortunately, but the notoriety it achieved was impressive nonetheless.
 
domus said:
I have a long true story that might interest you.

Way back in the late 80's I wrote a letter to Don Scott who had a column in the old Herald. He had written a piece saying the players of his era were much tougher and more courageous than the current players of the late 80's. I disagreed and happened to mention Peter McKenna in my arguments. I said Macca was my childhood hero and still was, but he was not the bravest player I'd ever seen. he rarely tackled or won his own footy which is what Scott said players of his era had to do.

This was just a private letter to Scott. I wasn't even sure he'd read it.

About a week later my phone rang. It was Don Scott. He asked me if I would be happy for him to publish my letter to him in next week's Herald and he would write a response to my points alongside it. I was thrilled. I had forgotten the details of my letter. They actually promoted the article on the back page of the Herald saying Don Scott responds to readers letter on page whatever!

I read the two letters and thought I won the argument. I cut the article out and thought that was the end of it.

A couple of weeks later I was playing with my little boy at the local indoor pool in Kilsyth when I saw Don Scott finishing a lap and standing at the end of the lane. It was too good a chance to pass up. I made my way over to him and saw the pissed off look on his face as he clearly thought I was an annoying fan come to bother him.

When I reached him I told him I was the bloke whose letter he had published a couple of weeks before.

He shook his head and said, "You have no idea the trouble that letter has caused me!"

I asked him to explain. He said Peter McKenna was furious when he read my letter and said I had called him a jib or coward. He said he wanted to sue the paper. Scott said they were meant to commentate the army reserve cup game and Macca had stormed out of the box and said he didn't want to commentate with Scott.

He said he eventually calmed him down and said footballers have to expect this sort of thing. I was pissed off because Scott had basically agreed with me in his response so I didn't see why I should wear the blame. I was shattered because I worshipped McKenna and the idea I had hurt him made me feel sick.

I remember asking Scott if I should write to him and clarify what I meant. He rolled his eyes and said "Don't even think about it!"

I shook his hand and went on my way, stunned by the strange coincidence of meeting Scott and hearing how my letter had hurt my hero.

There was one more twist to the tale. I was a primary school teacher. I taught a girl with the surname Mckenna. I adored her and we had a really lovely connection and I also had a good relationship with her mum. One day she came into the room before school and said,

"Hi Mr D. last night mum was talking to Uncle Peter and she mentioned your name and Uncle Peter asked if your first name was ##### and mum said yes and he said he knew you."

My heart thumped. I didn't probe for fear of hearing how upset he still was but this was about five years after my letter had appeared in the paper.

I still feel sad about the hurt I may have caused him though I stand by my comments. He was the best lead and kick I've ever seen play the game, but was never a pack crunching, physical beast. Many people have told me what a gentleman he is. I bumped into him in the underground carpark at the G and he smiled and said hello. I had this unnatural fear he was going to ask me my name or start a conversation. I would have frozen and failed to come up with a fake name.
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Hello John Smith…
I think in that era, it just wasn’t his role to do the hard stuff.
Like American Football…he was like the punter.
Lead, mark & kick a bag of goals.
Other blokes, like Tuddy, had to do the tough in & under stuff.
Look what happened in the 1970 Grand Final…McKenna takes a hit…the rest is history.
Players today are expected to attack & defend, tackle, run both ways etc.
I’m sure Jeff Cliftons role was simply…stop the Full Forward from scoring goals.
Not judged on how many tackles etc.
He could finish with Doughnuts as long as the FF finished with Doughnuts.

ps lucky you weren’t on The Front Bar last night…he was in top form & would have taken you to the cleaners…Mr Smith
 
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domus said:
I have a long true story that might interest you.

Way back in the late 80's I wrote a letter to Don Scott who had a column in the old Herald. He had written a piece saying the players of his era were much tougher and more courageous than the current players of the late 80's. I disagreed and happened to mention Peter McKenna in my arguments. I said Macca was my childhood hero and still was, but he was not the bravest player I'd ever seen. he rarely tackled or won his own footy which is what Scott said players of his era had to do.

This was just a private letter to Scott. I wasn't even sure he'd read it.

About a week later my phone rang. It was Don Scott. He asked me if I would be happy for him to publish my letter to him in next week's Herald and he would write a response to my points alongside it. I was thrilled. I had forgotten the details of my letter. They actually promoted the article on the back page of the Herald saying Don Scott responds to readers letter on page whatever!

I read the two letters and thought I won the argument. I cut the article out and thought that was the end of it.

A couple of weeks later I was playing with my little boy at the local indoor pool in Kilsyth when I saw Don Scott finishing a lap and standing at the end of the lane. It was too good a chance to pass up. I made my way over to him and saw the pissed off look on his face as he clearly thought I was an annoying fan come to bother him.

When I reached him I told him I was the bloke whose letter he had published a couple of weeks before.

He shook his head and said, "You have no idea the trouble that letter has caused me!"

I asked him to explain. He said Peter McKenna was furious when he read my letter and said I had called him a jib or coward. He said he wanted to sue the paper. Scott said they were meant to commentate the army reserve cup game and Macca had stormed out of the box and said he didn't want to commentate with Scott.

He said he eventually calmed him down and said footballers have to expect this sort of thing. I was pissed off because Scott had basically agreed with me in his response so I didn't see why I should wear the blame. I was shattered because I worshipped McKenna and the idea I had hurt him made me feel sick.

I remember asking Scott if I should write to him and clarify what I meant. He rolled his eyes and said "Don't even think about it!"

I shook his hand and went on my way, stunned by the strange coincidence of meeting Scott and hearing how my letter had hurt my hero.

There was one more twist to the tale. I was a primary school teacher. I taught a girl with the surname Mckenna. I adored her and we had a really lovely connection and I also had a good relationship with her mum. One day she came into the room before school and said,

"Hi Mr D. last night mum was talking to Uncle Peter and she mentioned your name and Uncle Peter asked if your first name was ##### and mum said yes and he said he knew you."

My heart thumped. I didn't probe for fear of hearing how upset he still was but this was about five years after my letter had appeared in the paper.

I still feel sad about the hurt I may have caused him though I stand by my comments. He was the best lead and kick I've ever seen play the game, but was never a pack crunching, physical beast. Many people have told me what a gentleman he is. I bumped into him in the underground carpark at the G and he smiled and said hello. I had this unnatural fear he was going to ask me my name or start a conversation. I would have frozen and failed to come up with a fake name.
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Cute story - didn't Peter McKenna release a hit single at one stage?

Bit earlier than that era my mother stood up for Murray Weideman when some Cwood supporters were bagging him during a practice match. Lady next to mum said "thank you he's my son"!

Bumped into Murray outside the MCG in 2011 when our 2010 flag was being unfurled (we played Carlton 💪).

Recounted that story to Murray - he said " thanks for that story about my dear mother". Quite the gentleman our Murray.
 

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domus said:
I have a long true story that might interest you.

Way back in the late 80's I wrote a letter to Don Scott who had a column in the old Herald. He had written a piece saying the players of his era were much tougher and more courageous than the current players of the late 80's. I disagreed and happened to mention Peter McKenna in my arguments. I said Macca was my childhood hero and still was, but he was not the bravest player I'd ever seen. he rarely tackled or won his own footy which is what Scott said players of his era had to do.

This was just a private letter to Scott. I wasn't even sure he'd read it.

About a week later my phone rang. It was Don Scott. He asked me if I would be happy for him to publish my letter to him in next week's Herald and he would write a response to my points alongside it. I was thrilled. I had forgotten the details of my letter. They actually promoted the article on the back page of the Herald saying Don Scott responds to readers letter on page whatever!

I read the two letters and thought I won the argument. I cut the article out and thought that was the end of it.

A couple of weeks later I was playing with my little boy at the local indoor pool in Kilsyth when I saw Don Scott finishing a lap and standing at the end of the lane. It was too good a chance to pass up. I made my way over to him and saw the pissed off look on his face as he clearly thought I was an annoying fan come to bother him.

When I reached him I told him I was the bloke whose letter he had published a couple of weeks before.

He shook his head and said, "You have no idea the trouble that letter has caused me!"

I asked him to explain. He said Peter McKenna was furious when he read my letter and said I had called him a jib or coward. He said he wanted to sue the paper. Scott said they were meant to commentate the army reserve cup game and Macca had stormed out of the box and said he didn't want to commentate with Scott.

He said he eventually calmed him down and said footballers have to expect this sort of thing. I was pissed off because Scott had basically agreed with me in his response so I didn't see why I should wear the blame. I was shattered because I worshipped McKenna and the idea I had hurt him made me feel sick.

I remember asking Scott if I should write to him and clarify what I meant. He rolled his eyes and said "Don't even think about it!"

I shook his hand and went on my way, stunned by the strange coincidence of meeting Scott and hearing how my letter had hurt my hero.

There was one more twist to the tale. I was a primary school teacher. I taught a girl with the surname Mckenna. I adored her and we had a really lovely connection and I also had a good relationship with her mum. One day she came into the room before school and said,

"Hi Mr D. last night mum was talking to Uncle Peter and she mentioned your name and Uncle Peter asked if your first name was ##### and mum said yes and he said he knew you."

My heart thumped. I didn't probe for fear of hearing how upset he still was but this was about five years after my letter had appeared in the paper.

I still feel sad about the hurt I may have caused him though I stand by my comments. He was the best lead and kick I've ever seen play the game, but was never a pack crunching, physical beast. Many people have told me what a gentleman he is. I bumped into him in the underground carpark at the G and he smiled and said hello. I had this unnatural fear he was going to ask me my name or start a conversation. I would have frozen and failed to come up with a fake name.
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I met Macca at a high school reunion & had a chat with him - just a lovely bloke!
 
The Royal Sampler said:
Mattys is a good bloke, he was in a fantasy NFL league with me for years and I’ve met him in person at the VFL. A few take exception to stuff he’s posted on Twitter, but the platform is all about posting hot taeks, I don’t get concerned about it one way or the other.

I get the same vibe on Knightmare, I’ll leave it at that.
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Main Reason Matty told me he left was it can be Very Negative on here

I see him at Most VFL Games
 
ipswichpies said:
Did you like TD noosa holiday thread I remember we used to get people coming here just to read how TD,s latest day on his holiday went, great days,
Click to expand...

I am hoping to go to Noosa this year but at Moment does not look Promising I/We are Going
 
domus said:
I have a long true story that might interest you.

Way back in the late 80's I wrote a letter to Don Scott who had a column in the old Herald. He had written a piece saying the players of his era were much tougher and more courageous than the current players of the late 80's. I disagreed and happened to mention Peter McKenna in my arguments. I said Macca was my childhood hero and still was, but he was not the bravest player I'd ever seen. he rarely tackled or won his own footy which is what Scott said players of his era had to do.

This was just a private letter to Scott. I wasn't even sure he'd read it.

About a week later my phone rang. It was Don Scott. He asked me if I would be happy for him to publish my letter to him in next week's Herald and he would write a response to my points alongside it. I was thrilled. I had forgotten the details of my letter. They actually promoted the article on the back page of the Herald saying Don Scott responds to readers letter on page whatever!

I read the two letters and thought I won the argument. I cut the article out and thought that was the end of it.

A couple of weeks later I was playing with my little boy at the local indoor pool in Kilsyth when I saw Don Scott finishing a lap and standing at the end of the lane. It was too good a chance to pass up. I made my way over to him and saw the pissed off look on his face as he clearly thought I was an annoying fan come to bother him.

When I reached him I told him I was the bloke whose letter he had published a couple of weeks before.

He shook his head and said, "You have no idea the trouble that letter has caused me!"

I asked him to explain. He said Peter McKenna was furious when he read my letter and said I had called him a jib or coward. He said he wanted to sue the paper. Scott said they were meant to commentate the army reserve cup game and Macca had stormed out of the box and said he didn't want to commentate with Scott.

He said he eventually calmed him down and said footballers have to expect this sort of thing. I was pissed off because Scott had basically agreed with me in his response so I didn't see why I should wear the blame. I was shattered because I worshipped McKenna and the idea I had hurt him made me feel sick.

I remember asking Scott if I should write to him and clarify what I meant. He rolled his eyes and said "Don't even think about it!"

I shook his hand and went on my way, stunned by the strange coincidence of meeting Scott and hearing how my letter had hurt my hero.

There was one more twist to the tale. I was a primary school teacher. I taught a girl with the surname Mckenna. I adored her and we had a really lovely connection and I also had a good relationship with her mum. One day she came into the room before school and said,

"Hi Mr D. last night mum was talking to Uncle Peter and she mentioned your name and Uncle Peter asked if your first name was ##### and mum said yes and he said he knew you."

My heart thumped. I didn't probe for fear of hearing how upset he still was but this was about five years after my letter had appeared in the paper.

I still feel sad about the hurt I may have caused him though I stand by my comments. He was the best lead and kick I've ever seen play the game, but was never a pack crunching, physical beast. Many people have told me what a gentleman he is. I bumped into him in the underground carpark at the G and he smiled and said hello. I had this unnatural fear he was going to ask me my name or start a conversation. I would have frozen and failed to come up with a fake name.
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I was always a big admirer of McKenna's kicking skills but my problem was the inefficiency of trying to get the ball to him. I still remember barry price or one of the richardson boys coming out the centre and then turning right to kick it to mckenna who was leading up the half forward flank on the members' side.... and that was quite a kick to make. The reason McKenna used to lead so wide was that he had plenty of room out there ...coming down the centre of the ground towards the kicker and he would likely to have been picked off by one of the backmen.

And the midfielders were pretty good at making that kick during the home and away games, especially against the lesser sides, but when it came to finals, the degree of difficulty went up a few notches.

It was no surprise that when mckenna returned to footy in 77, he did it with carlton. I think Tom Hafey was not a big fan of putting all your goal kicking eggs in one basket and of course, peter had dropped his standards quite a bit. Peter Moore had taken over at the Pies and kicked twice as many goals as Pete.

So my beef was never about how manly Peter was, I just thought the effort to get the ball to him on his chest was just too difficult to do when the pressure of finals was high.
 
Markfs said:
I was always a big admirer of McKenna's kicking skills but my problem was the inefficiency of trying to get the ball to him. I still remember barry price or one of the richardson boys coming out the centre and then turning right to kick it to mckenna who was leading up the half forward flank on the members' side.... and that was quite a kick to make. The reason McKenna used to lead so wide was that he had plenty of room out there ...coming down the centre of the ground towards the kicker and he would likely to have been picked off by one of the backmen.

And the midfielders were pretty good at making that kick during the home and away games, especially against the lesser sides, but when it came to finals, the degree of difficulty went up a few notches.

It was no surprise that when mckenna returned to footy in 77, he did it with carlton. I think Tom Hafey was not a big fan of putting all your goal kicking eggs in one basket and of course, peter had dropped his standards quite a bit. Peter Moore had taken over at the Pies and kicked twice as many goals as Pete.

So my beef was never about how manly Peter was, I just thought the effort to get the ball to him on his chest was just too difficult to do when the pressure of finals was high.
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He kicked quite a few bags in finals. He kicked nine in a second semi against the Blues and six in the losing grand final in 1970. That's a decent haul in the cauldron of big finals.
 
domus said:
He kicked quite a few bags in finals. He kicked nine in a second semi against the Blues and six in the losing grand final in 1970. That's a decent haul in the cauldron of big finals.
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yeh, I accept that but I was just telling you how I felt at the time. I just hated seeing barry price break out of the centre and reach about 50 metres out and then kick it to mckenna leading up the flank. And some days, McKenna was pretty good catching them and his kicking was always remarkable, but a lot of centre breaks were wasted. I remember thinking that at the time.
 

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Markfs said:
yeh, I accept that but I was just telling you how I felt at the time. I just hated seeing barry price break out of the centre and reach about 50 metres out and then kick it to mckenna leading up the flank. And some days, McKenna was pretty good catching them and his kicking was always remarkable, but a lot of centre breaks were wasted. I remember thinking that at the time.
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I think it was fine in the late 60's early 70's for Pete to lead up at the ball and go back and slot it. He did it very well and lets face it the system worked. In 1970 Collingwood were far and away the best side in the VFL and 5 minutes before half time in the granny they were looking at another 10 goal win. Pete had kicked 5 by that stage (I think) and we were 8 goals up and humming. Then Tuddy just had to line up Kevin Hall and miss and he smacked Pete right down the middle by mistake. Pete was heavily concussed, Tuddy corked a thigh at the same time and nobody noticed it as half time took their attention away from the incident.

The media portrays that Barassi instigated the Carlton comeback but my recollection was that we continued to win the ball out of the middle in the third quarter and continued to try and kick it to Pete...but he was in "fairy land" and was running on smelling salts so he rarely took possession of the ball and his third opponent "Raggsy" Goold realised what was going on and started running off Pete. Meanwhile, Tuddy (as brave as always) was trying to play on one leg but was hopelessly limping around and was like McKenna just a witches hat out on the ground. Playing effectively 2 men down for the second half the Pies gave the Blues all the encouragement they needed to make a comeback.

Bobby Rose, (my hero) was too loyal to his own players and left the injured duo on the ground far too long to our detriment. He was criticised for coaching from the bench rather than as Barassi did (from the stand) but it was his loyalty/stubbornness that couldn't abide removing his captain and leading goalkicker from the contest. In fact both played out the game though Pete never remembered the last half!

We'd had options on the bench too...Bob Heard a 7 foot giant could have come onto full forward, Robbie Dean was an excellent replacement forward and had filled the role before, Greening could have gone forward and Ricky Watt come off the bench to a wing...but none of it occurred.

Barassi has long been lauded for "Changing the way Football is played forever" with his run from behind and handball (though in truth most sides did this when they were way in front and showing off) and Ted Hopkins did have a day out when he came on at half time and kicked 4 but in reality, Had Bobby Rose altered his troops after the "friendly fire" incident before half time, The Pies would have won the 1970 GF.
 
Robroy22 said:
I think it was fine in the late 60's early 70's for Pete to lead up at the ball and go back and slot it. He did it very well and lets face it the system worked. In 1970 Collingwood were far and away the best side in the VFL and 5 minutes before half time in the granny they were looking at another 10 goal win. Pete had kicked 5 by that stage (I think) and we were 8 goals up and humming. Then Tuddy just had to line up Kevin Hall and miss and he smacked Pete right down the middle by mistake. Pete was heavily concussed, Tuddy corked a thigh at the same time and nobody noticed it as half time took their attention away from the incident.

The media portrays that Barassi instigated the Carlton comeback but my recollection was that we continued to win the ball out of the middle in the third quarter and continued to try and kick it to Pete...but he was in "fairy land" and was running on smelling salts so he rarely took possession of the ball and his third opponent "Raggsy" Goold realised what was going on and started running off Pete. Meanwhile, Tuddy (as brave as always) was trying to play on one leg but was hopelessly limping around and was like McKenna just a witches hat out on the ground. Playing effectively 2 men down for the second half the Pies gave the Blues all the encouragement they needed to make a comeback.

Bobby Rose, (my hero) was too loyal to his own players and left the injured duo on the ground far too long to our detriment. He was criticised for coaching from the bench rather than as Barassi did (from the stand) but it was his loyalty/stubbornness that couldn't abide removing his captain and leading goalkicker from the contest. In fact both played out the game though Pete never remembered the last half!

We'd had options on the bench too...Bob Heard a 7 foot giant could have come onto full forward, Robbie Dean was an excellent replacement forward and had filled the role before, Greening could have gone forward and Ricky Watt come off the bench to a wing...but none of it occurred.

Barassi has long been lauded for "Changing the way Football is played forever" with his run from behind and handball (though in truth most sides did this when they were way in front and showing off) and Ted Hopkins did have a day out when he came on at half time and kicked 4 but in reality, Had Bobby Rose altered his troops after the "friendly fire" incident before half time, The Pies would have won the 1970 GF.
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Pretty accurate - that was one painful day.

Cwood supporters around me cracking open the champagne at half-time. I asked them to put it away as I "didn't trust that xxx Barassi".
🥵
 
Robroy22 said:
I think it was fine in the late 60's early 70's for Pete to lead up at the ball and go back and slot it. He did it very well and lets face it the system worked. In 1970 Collingwood were far and away the best side in the VFL and 5 minutes before half time in the granny they were looking at another 10 goal win. Pete had kicked 5 by that stage (I think) and we were 8 goals up and humming. Then Tuddy just had to line up Kevin Hall and miss and he smacked Pete right down the middle by mistake. Pete was heavily concussed, Tuddy corked a thigh at the same time and nobody noticed it as half time took their attention away from the incident.

The media portrays that Barassi instigated the Carlton comeback but my recollection was that we continued to win the ball out of the middle in the third quarter and continued to try and kick it to Pete...but he was in "fairy land" and was running on smelling salts so he rarely took possession of the ball and his third opponent "Raggsy" Goold realised what was going on and started running off Pete. Meanwhile, Tuddy (as brave as always) was trying to play on one leg but was hopelessly limping around and was like McKenna just a witches hat out on the ground. Playing effectively 2 men down for the second half the Pies gave the Blues all the encouragement they needed to make a comeback.

Bobby Rose, (my hero) was too loyal to his own players and left the injured duo on the ground far too long to our detriment. He was criticised for coaching from the bench rather than as Barassi did (from the stand) but it was his loyalty/stubbornness that couldn't abide removing his captain and leading goalkicker from the contest. In fact both played out the game though Pete never remembered the last half!

We'd had options on the bench too...Bob Heard a 7 foot giant could have come onto full forward, Robbie Dean was an excellent replacement forward and had filled the role before, Greening could have gone forward and Ricky Watt come off the bench to a wing...but none of it occurred.

Barassi has long been lauded for "Changing the way Football is played forever" with his run from behind and handball (though in truth most sides did this when they were way in front and showing off) and Ted Hopkins did have a day out when he came on at half time and kicked 4 but in reality, Had Bobby Rose altered his troops after the "friendly fire" incident before half time, The Pies would have won the 1970 GF.
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I agree that the old full forward system worked pretty well for us during the mckenna years but it had a weakness ....well a couple i think. One was if mckenna was hit...and the other was the pressure of finals footy made it hard on the midfield to deliver the ball onto Pete's chest. You're probably right that if mckenna wasn't hit then we would have gone on to win, but I still think that we lost other finals to teams like carlton and richmond who had more options up forward and weren't as reliant on precise kicking.

And while I agree with you that answers to why teams win games are rarely as simple as history makes out, I think the run/handball "new" methods made the old school full forward approach problematical.

I was just thinking that as a comparison, the modern day richmond/collingwood direct chaos approach has made the kick backwards style redundant....

But in the end I'm not critical of mckenna. He did a good job within his skill range. You could argue that we needed to recruit a few more blokes other than tuddenham to do the "heavy work", which was a method used in those days. I dont think Rose was on board.
 
Supporting Collingwood would be a last resort for most rival supporters. But, this inspiring story involving coach Craig McRae might change your mind about the Magpies.

Craig McRae might have saved Shane Harris‘s life.

He certainly revitalized it.
In 2016 Harris, Richmond’s VFL property steward, was overweight and unmotivated and McRae was the Tigers’ new VFL coach.
So McRae would meet Harris at 4.45pm to walk laps of Punt Rd for an hour before training.
They would talk footy, team selection and life. At first it was one or two laps and Harris‘s legs and body would ache for days afterwards.
Three years later and they were powering through 10-12 laps.
“In 2019 walking those laps with him I lost 50kg,” Harris, 59, said this week.
“It was four sizes in shirts. I felt amazing. Whatever he gets out of football he deserves.”

Life is different for Harris thanks to McRae. He is happier and he is healthier.
“(McRae) just got me out of my shell and motivated me,” Harris said.
“It mentally got me going again. I’ve always said he’s my hero and my idol.
“I can’t thank him enough. Really, I can’t thank him enough.”
Everywhere McRae goes he makes people feel special. He is authentic, polite and a damn good football coach.

When McRae‘s AFL360 interview ended last week ‘Fly’ didn’t fly out of the Fox Footy studios.

Instead, he looked every cameraman in the eye and shook their hand before departing.

This year McRae, 48, has offered that same respect to several journalists after press conferences.

It might sound simple, but in that moment McRae makes you feel important. If that’s the media’s vibe, imagine how his own players must feel?

Probably like they want to play desperately for him. Like they don’t want to let him down. Like they will fight for every second until the siren sounds.

McRae and his Magpies have emerged as the story of the season. From 17th to fourth, this magic carpet ride has swept up football supporters of all clubs.
They’ve won 11 games by 11 points or less and they practice close finishes at the end of their training sessions.
They pretend there’s two minutes to go and ingrain how to play in various scenarios.
There’s a lot of yellow and black about the black and white game plan, too, as Tiger Jack Graham told the Herald Sun after the clubs faced off in round 8.“It was Richmond v Richmond, really, the way ‘Fly’ (Craig McRae) and ‘Leppa’ (Justin Leppitsch) coach,“ Graham said.

“How they move the ball with the corridor, we wanted to own it but they wanted to defend it and vice-versa.”

McRae recounted this week how he played Shakira‘s 2005 hit ’Hips Don’t Lie’ when showing a series of edits to his players where their hips were not in line with the goals.
At the Tigers, McCrae gifted his own 2019 VFL premiership medal to Jake Aarts, who missed the grand final through suspension.
It was a private Luke Beveridge-Bob Murphy moment between a coach and his devastated player.
Aarts has credited McRae with connecting Richmond — both the VFL and AFL programs and players and staff.
“It’s probably the biggest reason why we were so successful, both at AFL and VFL level, through Fly’s (McCrae) connection,” Aarts said last year.
One player coached by McCrae at the Tigers said: “It doesn’t matter if you’re the toilet cleaner or the reigning best-and-fairest – he treats everyone the same“.
Another said it felt like McRae was only coaching him – and not a long list of VFL and AFL players – such was his care factor.

When you mix McCrae‘s teaching tricks with his emotional bond it becomes clearer why you have to play every minute to beat his miraculous Magpies.
McRae‘s media bites are brilliant because they are so real. There’s countless examples.
When Jack Ginnivan became a human headline at the start of the season, McRae said: “To be honest I don’t care if he’s got Pink hair as long as he keeps playing his role and putting pressure on and getting under the opposition’s skin. There’s a role for that within the rules”.
Three weeks later and Ginnivan was the Anzac Day medallist, the teenager torching Essendon with five goals in front of 84,205 screaming fans.
When the Tigers beat the Magpies, McRae said: “I said to the players, I feel we are eight rounds in and it‘s eight dates into a relationship. (Richmond) are more like married with three kids”.

After the Magpies’ only real poor performance for the season, a 48-point loss to the Western Bulldogs under the Friday night nights, McRae texted his assistants on Sunday and decided to drill into the positives rather than dwell on what went horribly wrong.
Bingo. They won their next 11 games, becoming just the second Collingwood team in 57 years to get on such a roll.

Last week McRae offered up a windscreen wiper analogy to his troops when Carlton led by four goals at the final change.
“I’m really big on, to use this windscreen wiper analogy, moving things to the side,” McRae said.
“A lot of stuff was out of our control in the third quarter. I thought the rub of the green sort of went their way with decisions that were maybe not there.
“Oh well, that happens, wipe it away, stay present, move on. It was a bit of removing what was and then let’s get our eyes on hey, this is what we do, let’s be really aggressive with our ball movement and see what happens.”

Footy legend Leigh Matthews, who coached McRae at Brisbane, loved its simplicity.

““I just was really taken with that analogy,” Matthews said.

“ You can’t be too complicated with players. It was a fantastic choice of words.”
 

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