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Collingwood coach goes public with staggering claim as AFL world rips 'joke' call in Swans win

Craig McRae wasn't happy by the way the Magpies went down to the Sydney Swans.

sam goodwin
Sports Editor
·4-min read

Craig McRae has made the eye-opening claim that Collingwood would have been awarded a late 50m penalty if Friday night's game was at the MCG, but they weren't because it was in Sydney. Controversy erupted after the Swans erased a late 21-point lead to score an incredible AFL win over the Magpies, with many of the belief Tom McCartin should have been pinged for a 50m penalty.

With less than a minute left on the clock and the Swans up by three, Dan McStay took a mark 65 metres out from goal. McCartin wasn't in the marking contest but walked over the mark, which should constitute a 50m penalty.

Craig McRae, pictured here after Collingwood's loss to Sydney.
Craig McRae reckons Collingwood would have got the call at the MCG. Image: Fox Footy

It would have given McStay a relatively easy shot on goal to win the game for the Pies, but the call never came. Fans and commentators were both of the belief the Pies were dudded, and Collingwood coach McRae reckons it was a case of the home team getting the call.

Speaking after the game, McRae said he believes his side would have gotten the call if the game was at the MCG. "There's definitely an advantage with a home ground. I thought it was a 50-metre penalty to letter the law.

"I'm sure the AFL will come out and say it's a free kick or a 50-metre penalty. There were a lot of deliberates tonight, too. That was a bit of a circus so I'm sure they'll come out and justify that too. The umpires don't always get it right. That's fair."

Collingwood players, pictured here after their loss to Sydney.
Collingwood players look on after their loss to Sydney. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Collingwood are now 11th on the ladder and highly unlikely to make the top eight - just one year after winning the flag. The reigning premiers have to beat flag favourites Brisbane and 12th-placed Melbourne, but other results will need to fall their way to play finals footy.

"I'm sure our fans at home are hurting and we're no different. We're human," McRae said. "We have emotions to attach to this. It means a lot to a lot of people. It doesn't feel comfortable right now sitting in this chair because there's a lot at stake in these games."

Sydney Swans players celebrate.
The Sydney Swans pulled off an insane comeback to beat the Magpies. (Photo by Brendon Thorne/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)

McRae said he was "wrestling" with blame after the loss. "We've openly talked about what winning looks like and behaviours like that and then losing behaviours," he said.

"I think blame is a real losing behaviour so I'm wrestling with that at the moment. Wrestling with trying to blame others or blame umpires or blame whatever, because that's really difficult when you lose. Maybe there are consequences at the end that may cost us. Time will tell on that. For most part of the night, we did a lot right and maybe that's what's hurting us the most."

In regards to the McStay and McCartin incident, the general consensus was the Pies were dudded. “I’d be furious if I were a Collingwood fan,” David King wrote on social media. “Exactly the same as the North Melbourne 50m penalty a few weeks back. Just call it – it’s there, have the prunes to administer the rules! Great game – lots to celebrate but gee whiz!!!”

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But Collingwood legend Nathan Buckley suggested the umpire cut McCartin some slack because his momentum meant he couldn't slow down in time. “So the adjudication was he wasn’t able to slow down after the mark was taken,” he said on Fox Footy.

Brisbane Lions champion Jonathan Brown added: "Play on. He was going back, he was listening to the instructions calling him back." Garry Lyon said: “He was going back. The umpire had called him back and he was going back, I think, when he played on."

with AAP