Navigating the Wildcard Reality
Collingwood coach Craig McRae is navigating a complex end-of-season scenario as his side officially prepares for the AFL’s inaugural “wildcard” round. Following a dramatic 92-92 draw against Hawthorn at the MCG—the second such result between the two clubs this season—the Magpies find themselves locked into a precarious ladder position. With the team sitting in eighth or ninth place, the focus has shifted from securing a top-four finish to managing player fatigue and injury recovery before the high-stakes knockout phase begins.
McRae has been firm in his public stance: he will not rest players “just for the sake of it.” Despite pressure from the league, evidenced by a memo from football boss Greg Swann cautioning clubs against resting players en masse for the final home-and-away round, McRae maintains that performance capability dictates selection. “If they’re really sore and they can’t perform, well they won’t play next week. But right now there’s an energy that everyone wants to play,” McRae stated following the Hawthorn clash.
The Selection Puzzle
The Magpies are facing a significant influx of returning talent, which adds both depth and difficult decision-making to the coaching staff. Jeremy Howe, Brayden Maynard, Steele Sidebottom, Harry Perryman, and Pat Lipinski are among those potentially available for the upcoming blockbuster against the Brisbane Lions. Managing these players—some coming off significant soft-tissue injuries—requires a delicate balance between needing a competitive lineup for momentum and ensuring long-term availability for the sudden-death wildcard format.
McRae’s emotional coaching style has again come under the spotlight. His enthusiastic celebration with fans after the draw—a result that objectively hurts the club’s ladder standing—drew mixed reactions. Supporters see it as a testament to the “spirit and fight” of a youth-heavy, injury-depleted squad, while critics question whether such emotional investment masks the underlying reality of the team’s challenging path to the premiership.
Looking Ahead
The match against Brisbane on Friday night serves as a final litmus test. While Brisbane is playing for a top-four spot and the double chance, Collingwood must weigh the risk of injury against the need to maintain match fitness. As the season enters the “pointy end,” McRae remains resolute: “Once you get to the pointy end, it’s just knockout and it’s match play. Let’s see where we land and we’ll give it everything we’ve got.”