Contrite Craig McRae apologises for comments on missed 50m penalty as AFL makes call on punishment

Craig McRae generated uproar after declaring a missed 50 metre penalty would have been paid if the game was at the MCG. Here’s what the contrite McRae had to say for himself today as the AFL made a call on punishing him over the comments.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – AUGUST 09: Craig McRae, Senior Coach of the Magpies looks dejected after a loss during the 2024 AFL Round 22 match between the Sydney Swans and the Collingwood Magpies at The Sydney Cricket Ground on August 09, 2024 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Premiership coach Craig McRae maintains Dan McStay should have been awarded a 50m penalty in the dying stages against Sydney – but has conceded his post-match commentary on umpires overstepped the mark.

The AFL issued the Collingwood coach a warning on Monday after McRae said a 50m penalty would’ve been paid at the MCG and described the adjudications of the insufficient intent rule as “a bit of a circus”.

League football boss Laura Kane contacted McRae on Monday, but no sanction was imposed.

Mason Cox and Darcy Moore were pinged for insufficient intent in consecutive plays during the final quarter while McStay was not paid a 50m penalty despite Sydney’s Tom McCartin overstepping the mark by 6.6m

“(I feel like) I’ve been told off by my mum, I’ve been naughty,” McRae said on Monday.

“I was frustrated after the game and you say things and I’ve been an obvious advocate for umpires and how difficult that job is.

“But there’s times when you get into a game and there’s so much on the line and you just get frustrated, and I did and I stepped over the mark. I know that.

“But you’re asked to do a press conference 10 minutes after a game where you feel like you’ve done so much right, and then you get asked a question.

“And then I took it probably to a place that I didn’t need to go from there, but that was my response.

“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.

“Definitely if you asked me a question do I think it was a free kick I stand by that.

“But I don’t need to add other layers, like the crowd affirmation.”

Swans counterpart John Longmire hit back at McRae’s comments that the SCG crowd cost Collingwood on Monday.

“It was an extraordinary admission from a coach of a team that has the biggest home ground advantage in the AFL,” Longmire said.

“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 replied: “Maybe he forgot I played for Brisbane because I do know how hard it is to win interstate. (But) I’m not going to make contrary comments to John because I’ve still got my P-plates on”.

McRae clarified that he did not believe the McStay decision cost the Magpies the match.

“Every time I go to a press conference, I speak to our players and I speak to our fans. I’m deliberate in that,” he said on SEN.

“And I’m sure there would have been a level of frustration watching the game. So then I’m thinking I’m delivering to the players and delivering to the fans and maybe you’re expressing something on their behalf.

“I was asked a question whether I think it’s a free kick. I don’t think that decided the game. No one asked me that.”

Originally published as Contrite Craig McRae apologises for comments on missed 50m penalty as AFL makes call on punishment