Collingwood coach Craig McRae has dismissed suggestions that the Magpies deliberately selected West Coast as an easy opponent for Scott Pendlebury's record-breaking AFL match, labelling the notion as "pretty naive."
Pendlebury's Milestone Match
Pendlebury is set to play his 433rd game when the Magpies host the Eagles at the MCG on Saturday, after being omitted from the team in two of the previous three rounds. Without Pendlebury, Collingwood drew with Hawthorn and suffered a narrow defeat to Sydney, following his standout performance in the Anzac Day thrashing of Essendon.
McRae has consistently defended the 38-year-old's management plan, which has faced significant criticism as the club prepares for a large crowd. On Thursday, he hit back at accusations that Collingwood had "hand-picked" the 15th-placed Eagles for the milestone match.
"To be honest, I think that's pretty naive to think we would do that," McRae said. "We set a plan in place around what Pendles' milestone could look like. We're not crystal-ballers, we can't predict the future. There's so many things that have to go in to get here to this game."
"He's been rested here and there or managed with a sore Achilles and other parts. If we put him out there he might've done his Achilles or more. There's so many moving parts. No, there's never been a target of certain individuals or competition. That's pretty naive."
Criticism of Management Plan
McRae declined to comment on whether the criticism was "fair" as Collingwood celebrates Pendlebury surpassing retired North Melbourne legend Brent Harvey's games record. "I'm not here to judge fairness. I actually say to my little girl, 'Life's not fair, so get ready for it,'" McRae said. "So I don't live in that space. We're here to high-perform and let the other part be the other part."
Boundary-Line Incident with Grundy
McRae also addressed questions about his boundary-line exchange with Sydney ruckman Brodie Grundy last round, which has come under scrutiny. Both McRae and Grundy initially stated there was "nothing untoward" in the incident, but it has sparked debate about whether coaches should interact with opposition players on the field.
"I can't articulate what I said because it was a personal thing. For me it was just a moment in time and we keep moving," McRae said on Thursday. "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've got a really strong relationship and great respect for Brodie. There was nothing untoward and at the appropriate time I might be able to tell you what I said."
When asked if he had contacted Grundy since the incident, McRae replied: "Is it that big an issue, is it? No, I haven't, but I might actually now. I might reach out to Brodie and just make sure he's OK."
McRae's Coaching Style
McRae prefers coaching from ground level and has no intention of changing his approach. "I love coaching from the boundary. There's a real connection to the players there," he said. "I feel there's an energy for me on the boundary line with the team and an ability to instantly react to situations in the game."
Bobby Hill Update
Meanwhile, McRae hinted that "some news is brewing" regarding premiership forward Bobby Hill, who is likely to miss a second consecutive VFL game this week. Hill has not played an AFL match since last August, having taken leave periods to deal with personal issues. McRae is hopeful that the 26-year-old goal-sneak, whose partner is expecting a baby soon, will return to action at some level this year.
