Pies make call on Buckley's coaching successor

Collingwood's coaching sub-committee has opted for triple-premiership Lion Craig McRae arsenic the club's caller coach.

AFL.com.au has reported that Nathan Buckley's successor volition beryllium confirmed arsenic soon arsenic this week, erstwhile the assignment is approved by the Magpies board.

McRae and Richmond adjunct manager Adam Kingsley were the lone remaining contenders to instrumentality connected the apical occupation connected the weekend, but AFL.com.au has reported that Kingsley has since been told helium was unsuccessful.

Sydney adjunct and ex-Adelaide manager Don Pyke had already bowed retired of the race, portion erstwhile St Kilda and Fremantle mentor Ross Lyon had antecedently opted against chasing the position, citing "instability" astatine the club.

McRae joined Hawthorn arsenic an adjunct manager nether Alastair Clarkson astatine the opening of the 2020 pre-season, pursuing stints with Richmond, Brisbane and Collingwood.

The 195-game AFL great's determination to Hawthorn came nether then-football brag Graham Wright, who departed for Collingwood successful January and headed up the Magpies' hunt for a caller coach.

McRae retired from the crippled aft Brisbane's 2004 expansive last triumph implicit Port Adelaide, which completed the Lions' premiership three-peat.

The South Australian served arsenic a improvement manager astatine Richmond betwixt 2007 and 2009, earlier spending 2010 successful the aforesaid relation astatine Brisbane and joining Collingwood arsenic improvement main for 5 years.

McRae was appointed to manager Richmond's VFL broadside up of the 2016 play and steered his charges to a premiership successful 2019.

The 47-year-old successful 2020 coached Hawthorn's guardant enactment for the club's top-tier side.

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