AFL 2023: Craig McRae attends Brisbane’s 20-year premiership reunion day after Pies’ flag win

Craig McRae, fresh from witnessing the birth of his first child with wife Gabrielle and coaching a Pies premiership, had one more stop to finish a weekend to top all weekends.

Magpies head coach Craig McRae speaks on stage during the Collingwood Magpies AFL Grand Final celebrations fan day at AIA Centre on October 01, 2023 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Just when you thought Collingwood premiership coach Craig McRae couldn’t fit anything else into the best weekend of his life….

On Sunday McRae and his fellow 2003 Brisbane premiership hero Justin Leppitsch found time to attend the Lions’ 20-year reunion of that clash - a victory against Collingwood.

McRae’s jam-packed weekend included witnessing the birth of his first child with wife Gabrielle - a daughter named Maggie inspired by the Magpies’ success.

He followed that 7.45am birth with a premiership for Collingwood, telling his players in their pre-match meeting that the day was already the best of his life.

The Brisbane lions 20-year flag reunion featuring Collingwood premiership coach Craig McRae. Picture: Supplied

McRae attended the club’s official premiership celebrations that night - and again back at Collingwood headquarters on Sunday.

But in a reminder of how much his relationship with his Brisbane teammates means, he wasn’t prepared to miss the 20-year reunion.

Fellow Collingwood coach Leppitsch turned 48 on Sunday, with McRae turning 50 on the day the Pies won the preliminary final against GWS.

As triple premiership star and Brownlow Medallist Jason Akermanis said on Monday, McRae has turned this weekend into a bumper celebration every decade given the twin reunions.

McRae and captain Darcy Moore hold up the 2023 premiership cup on Sunday. Picture: Michael Klein

“It just shows you how much ‘Fly’ loves this group. He wouldn’t miss it. It was Lepper’s birthday and they did the Collingwood stuff then they both came together,” he told the Herald Sun.

“It’s hard not to look at his actions and see how much he loves his players and teammates. He loves the Collingwood players but he still came to see the boys.”

Also in attendance was premiership coach Leigh Matthews, who would have handed the premiership cup to the Lions had they won the flag on Saturday.

For the record all players were in attendance apart from the Scott brothers and Clark Keating, with Martin Pike and Akermanis vying for best-afield honours.