Collingwood coach Craig McRae shredded after Brownlow Medal swipe backfires at club’s best-and-fairest awards

Collingwood coach Craig McRae has ended up with a little egg on his face after poking fun at the AFL umpires’ Brownlow Medal votes during his club’s best-and-fairest event on Friday night.

There was a major boilover at the club with ruck Darcy Cameron winning the E.W Copeland Trophy (best and fairest), and superstar Nick Daicos finishing in second place, 13 votes behind Cameron.

But during the count McRae raised eyebrows when he made a joke about the Brownlow Medal (which was won by Gold Coast’s midfield gun Matt Rowell, with Daicos again the runner-up).

After the Brownlow, a mini storm erupted, with many people questioning some of the games where Rowell was awarded three votes despite what appeared to be a modest output.

And McRae decided to make a joke about it on Friday night, which aged terribly.

“Maybe a few more 16 disposal games might get you there next year,” McRae said to Daicos, who has been runner-up in the past two Brownlow Medal counts and was a hot favourite this year.

Needless to Gold Coast was one of the first to take aim at McRae, sharing a picture of the quote, the coach, and Collingwood’s votes on social media.

“This aged soooo well,” the club said, mocking McRae with a laughing emoji.

The famed Giants social account was also highly amused: “HAHAHA,” they roared.

Veteran WA sports journalist Tim Gossage said: “Not a great night for Craig McRae’s one liner repertoire 🤷🏼.”

While sports presenter Stephen Quartermain said: “A bit disrespectful and disingenuous given the fact he didn’t even win his B&F… jog on.”

Former Fremantle champion Paul Hasleby: “Darcy Cameron beating Nick Daicos in the club best and fairest is one of the most bizarre counts I have ever seen!

“Throw in Harry Perryman over Josh Daicos and I wonder whether the coaching staff have a clue.”

Fans also called out McRae.

“Definitely a silly comment. Embarrassing in the end. Although Darcy had a tremendous year, l expected Nick to win the Copeland easily,” one said on social media.

“Poor Craig…🥲🥲🥲,” another said.

And another: “Is Fly increasingly exposed as playing the nice guy but really being a bit of a sniper?”

And another: “He can be very awkward and this leads to not being in control.”

Fans were also quick to remind McRae of another one of his quotes: “We want to act like winners even when we lose.”

And another: “I thought they always act like winners even when they lose?? Don’t boo oppo either hmmm.”

McRae is well respected in the industry and a very popular AFL figure, but his gaffes are starting to mount.

Carlton coach Michael Voss was left surprised by McRae’s public admission that he had spoken to his wantaway star Jack Silvagni during the year.

McRae later joked with media that he would have a “second date” with Jack which did not go down well with Voss and others in the industry.

“Regardless of what Craig did, it’s not something we would do. We will respect the privacy of the player,” Voss later said.

“It’s not for me to announce something like that on behalf of someone, because they’re the ones that have to walk back into the locker room.”

In 2024, McRae admitted that he still had his “P-plates on” as a coach and apologised after making comment about Sydney’s home ground advantage following his team’s narrow loss the Swans.

Then Sydney coach John Longmire said at the time: “It was an extraordinary admission from a coach of a team that has the biggest home ground advantage in the AFL.

“This year they play 14 games at the MCG, they play three at Marvel (Stadium). That’s 17 games essentially in front of their home crowd and they play finals and obviously the grand final on their home deck.”

McRae later said: “I understand our roles in this industry is to promote and I stepped over the mark so I’ve got to take accountability for that ... I don’t need to add other layers, like the crowd affirmation.”