‘Overwhelming disappointment’ as Pies’ flag dream ends… but McRae refuses to make excuses

Collingwood coach Craig McRae couldn’t hide his “overwhelming disappointment” after his side’s season came to a bitter end in Saturday night’s preliminary final loss to Brisbane at the MCG.

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.

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’s starpower to fall by 29 points, 11.5 (71) to 15.10 (100).

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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.

McRae credited Brisbane’s “dominant” third quarter clearance supremacy and lamented the way his team “overhandballed” as the Pies were knocked out of finals in a year they were among the key flag contenders.

“It comes to an end quick and we have to sit in it now,” McRae told reporters post-match.

“Just overwhelming disappointment, I can only speak for myself.

“Thanks to our fans, our Magpie army for turning up, 96,000 here today. We’re 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.

“You’ll be disappointed, we are. You get to this time of the year and realise how close you are. They’re bloody hard to win and it takes a long time to get back here.”

McRae said Pendlebury’s calf setback occurred “in the first few minutes” 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’s on-ball brigade.

“It doesn’t help, (losing) one of your most experienced players who organises things,” McRae said.

“He did a calf early, which was really strange. But this is what happens this time of year, it is what it is.

“I thought we were really well prepared for this game, physically, emotionally and tactically. Then you’ve got to pivot.

“We had plans to tag McCluggage, but needed Steele to play different roles and there’s a flow-on effect.”

Meanwhile Brody Mihocek, who was held goalless in a quiet showing, played through a toe tendon injury that required painkillers but couldn’t worsen.

McRae said the front-on contact to Elliott deep in Collingwood’s in the fourth term that could’ve got them back within six points “looked like” a free kick, but he wasn’t making excuses for the loss.

“No guarantee he kicks the goal though. This is the world I live in. I never make excuses, I don’t want our fans to see a coach that leads our group through excuses. Because it just doesn’t get you anywhere,” the Pies coach said.

“I think losers make excuses, we don’t, we’re winners. We didn’t win today, clearly beaten by a better team.

“I think they would’ve beaten us anyway, the way they were playing. You could say ‘what ifs’ and ‘if only’, but it’s not the space we live in.

“We didn’t 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.

“They make three grand finals in a row, really well coached, ‘Fages’ (Chris Fagan) had a great year again. They have a few out and it just shows their depth and belief in their system.

“They were just a bit better than us.”

The Collingwood boss noted the club was “buzzing” over the last month and said it falling short of a second grand final appearance under his tenure “wasn’t through a lack of belief”.

“I 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,” he added.

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McRae wasn’t yet sure how to address the players, but stressed he thought the club had a “really good year” despite it missing out on next Saturday’s flag decider.

“I’m sitting here and I haven’t spoken to the players yet. I want to be very deliberate with what I say,” he said.

“Because it takes a long time to get back here and there’s no gurantees you do. We’ve had a really good year, we had 17 wins and finished third.

“We only glorify the one that holds up the cup and it’s not us this year.

“Good 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’t count them out.

“If you don’t hold up the cup, you’re not seen to be winners. There’s a lot of things we’ve won this year and we want to take all those things and then add to the things we need to get better at.

“I’m trying to wrestle with the question with how I approach the players. Not sure how much I say they’ll listen to at the moment, but I want to make sure I get it right.”

Attention will now turn to the Magpies’ off-season moves, with new deals for leading goalkickers Elliott, 33, and Mihocek, 32, a priority.

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.

“We’re hopeful (they’ll re-sign), I think it’s been sort of put to the backburner. Now it’s not on the backburner, it’s the frontburner, let’s get busy and work through that,” McRae said.

“I’ll leave that up to others, that’s their job, to secure our talent.

“Jamie was enormous again tonight, he’s had an incredible year. He’s a wanted player.

“We’ve offered both of these guys two-year contracts, I’m not sure what has been led through the media.

“But we’ll let the people doing their job do their job and I’ll come in when needed.”

McRae said the club would again look be aggressive in next month’s 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.

“I’m not going to stand still trying to get better,” he said.

“Last year I said it was players over picks, it won’t be that extreme this year, but there will be a balance.

“We want to bring talent into this organisation that makes us better, we won’t stand still on that.

“I’m sure our fans want to hear that and our players want to hear we’re not going to stand still and keep improving ourselves.

“As long as there’s an opportunity to bring high talent in, we’ll explore every part of that.”