Collingwood coach Craig McRae digs in over Brodie Grundy comment, as Sydney Swans coach Dean Cox takes a stand, AFL fixture 2026 released
Updated ,first published
In today’s AFL briefing:
- Pies coach Craig McRae said on Thursday he would continue to coach from the boundary line after his interaction with Brodie Grundy last week.
- AFLW will feature heavily on a jam-packed AFL grand final weekend. Scroll down for the full fixture.
Collingwood coach Craig McRae and his Sydney counterpart Dean Cox have expressed opposing views about bench etiquette after McRae’s in-game comment to Swans ruckman Brodie Grundy.
McRae’s boundary-line antics have raised eyebrows over the past two seasons. He has engaged with a rival coach, supporters and now a rival player – former Magpie Grundy, during last Friday night’s clash at the SCG.
McRae said on Thursday he would continue to coach from the boundary line, and insists there is room for interaction with opposition players.
Cox, also speaking on Thursday, said he and his staff would not speak to rival players during a match.
“I think my philosophy on that, is if I was down on the bench, I don’t speak to other players. That’s where I would leave it,” he said.
“We haven’t spoken at length about being unhappy or happy with it [the Grundy incident], so we haven’t spoken to anyone about it. It’s just what I would do if I was down there and what I expect my staff that are on the bench to do.”
Cox said it was not an official policy, but “just expected”.
He caused a stir against Hawthorn at the MCG last month when there were allegations of time-wasting after he called for the ball from a member of the crowd, only to turn his back when the ball was thrown at him, eating into time on the clock.
The latest incident with Grundy came as McRae scooped up the ball after it had rolled out of bounds ahead of Grundy, who then turned and made his way to the ensuing ruck contest.
Asked on Thursday what he had said, McRae replied: “I can’t articulate what I said, because it’s a personal thing … for me, it was just a moment in time, and we keep moving.”
Grundy, in an interview with Seven after the match, made light of the incident.
“He just said: ‘G’day, old mate’. It was nothing untoward, all in the spirit of it. He just bobbed up right then and there,” Grundy said, having already spoken on field with the Swans’ head of media.
However, Age columnist Caroline Wilson told Seven’s Agenda Setters: “Well, it might have been all respect, but it certainly wasn’t: ‘G’day, old mate’, and I don’t think Brodie Grundy was particularly impressed by what Craig McRae said,” Wilson said.
“Yes, it was positive, but it was personal, and it happened in-game.”
The AFL has chosen not to take action against McRae.
McRae insisted he had a strong relationship with Grundy, the pair having first met when McRae was an assistant at Collingwood when Grundy was drafted in 2012, and there was no reason why a coach could not interact with a rival player in the heat of battle.
“If you have a strong relationship with someone, I don’t see an issue with it. I coached him when he … first got drafted. I have got a really strong relationship, great respect for Brodie,” McRae, who also coached Grundy in 2022 before the ruckman left for Melbourne, said.
“There is nothing untoward. At an appropriate time, I might be able to tell you what I said.”
McRae, who said he reflects on his behaviour whether that be “good and bad”, questioned whether it was a “big” issue, but said he may now contact Grundy to check in on him.
“I might reach out to Brodie to just make sure he is OK,” McRae said.
McRae said skipper Darcy Moore (concussion), Patrick Lipinski (concussion), Darcy Cameron (ankle) and Tim Membrey (hamstring) were available for selection. Bobby Hill, whose partner was expecting their third child, did not train.
Amid the hoopla over Pendlebury’s record-breaking game, McRae said the Magpies had done all they could to ensure they honoured their champion midfielder in the right manner – with a win.
McRae noted West Coast’s phenomenal pressure rating they had in a shock win over Greater Western Sydney last weekend, and said it was “naive” to suggest the Magpies had pin-pointed the lowly Eagles as the ideal opponent for Pendlebury to break the games record.
Pendlebury has twice been rested in the past three weeks.
AFLW fixture revealed
AFLW will feature heavily on a jam-packed AFL grand final weekend with four matches scheduled in Victoria on the public holiday before the men’s premiership decider.
The women’s fixture, released by the league on Thursday, features six games in Victoria around the men’s grand final.
The league hopes to cash in on the Friday September 25 public holiday in Melbourne by pulling in crowds after the traditional men’s grand final parade.
A women’s double-header at Ikon Park is the highlight, with Carlton hosting Richmond and defending back-to-back premiers North Melbourne taking on Melbourne.
Geelong take on Hawthorn on the Thursday night, Essendon and the Western Bulldogs will host West Coast and Port Adelaide respectively on the Friday, and Collingwood do battle with GWS on the Sunday.
The men’s grand final is on Saturday September 26, with no women’s matches scheduled that day.
As previously confirmed, the AFLW season will start when St Kilda host Carlton on Sunday August 9 as part of a double-header with an AFL clash between the clubs.
The remaining eight round one fixtures will be played the following week, starting with a Hawthorn-Melbourne clash on the Thursday night.
Two more AFL/AFLW double-headers will feature in round one: North Melbourne-Geelong and GWS-West Coast.
The fourth confirmed AFL/AFLW double-header is a Sydney-Essendon women’s clash at the SCG in round two ahead of a Swans-Kangaroos men’s game.
The Brisbane Lions will host North Melbourne in an AFLW grand final re-match in round two, while Indigenous Round (rounds three and four) and Pride Round (rounds nine and 10) will both be celebrated across two weeks.
The season will again span 12 home-and-away rounds, followed by a four-week finals series, culminating in the grand final on the last weekend of November.
“The fixture is another exciting step forward for the competition, featuring a strong mix of traditional rivalries, marquee moments and fan-focused scheduling, as well as new ways to showcase AFLW across the country,” AFL head of scheduling Josh Bowler said.
“The inclusion of AFL/AFLW double-headers during the season crossover period will provide a unique experience for fans and clubs alike, and we’re especially excited to launch the season at Marvel Stadium as part of Spud’s Game.”
Two new AFLW venues will be used this season, with Fremantle playing home games at Cockburn ARC Oval and Hawthorn hosting matches at the Kennedy Community Centre.
AAP
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Jon Pierik is a sports journalist at The Age. He covers AFL and has won awards for his cricket and basketball writing.Connect via X or email.
