AFL teams 'have had enough of Collingwood coach's sideline behaviour' after his controversial moment with Swans star

A number of rival AFL clubs have questioned Collingwood coach Craig McRae's antics after he was involved in another sideline incident with an opposition player on Friday night.

It occurred in his side's six-point loss to the Sydney Swans at the SCG when cameras showed the Collingwood coach collecting a ball near the boundary before appearing to say something directly to Brodie Grundy as the ruckman chased a loose ball.

Grundy finished the match with a staggering 34 disposals, 47 hit-outs, 12 clearances and a goal in a best-on-ground display that earned him the Goodes-O'Loughlin Medal.

Post-game, the Swans ruckman played down the incident.

'There was nothing untoward...he just bobbed up,' Grundy told Channel Seven.

McRae also said it wasn't a big issue when questioned in his press conference.

'I'd love to be able to share but I can't share exactly what I said to him,' he said.

'Trust me, it was all respect. I've got great respect for what he's doing.'

While the two involved didn't want to take the matter further, other AFL clubs, according to journalist Caroline Wilson, have had enough of McRae's behaviour.

'Well, it might have been all respect, but it certainly wasn't "g'day old mate" and I don't think Brodie Grundy was particularly impressed with what Craig McRae said,' Wilson said on Agenda Setters.

'After talking with the Swans, we're not going to reveal what was said. Yeah, it was positive, but it was personal and it happened in the game.'

Wilson said she spoke to four other AFL clubs who all agreed McRae's conduct was not a good look.

'Four other clubs I've spoken to are quite astounded by some of Craig McRae's antics,' Wilson said.

'You see that McRae says something to him. For an opposition coach to go and talk to a player, even if it's with a positive message of a deeply personal nature, I don't believe is on.

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'The view from the other coaches is if you're going to coach from the bench, don't talk to the opposition.'

It's not the first time the Collingwood coach has been involved in an ugly sideline incident.

Last year he had a heated confrontation with GWS coach Adam Kingsley.

During the game, McRae celebrated and shouted towards the GWS bench after Giants player Toby Bedford gave away a costly 50m penalty.

Kingsley immediately intervened, confronting McRae and telling him he was 'better than that'.

The AFL officially warned McRae for the interaction with the opposition player and rival coach. He avoided being fined or suspended, but later issued a public apology.

Despite the uproar, McRae was defended by Hall of Famer Garry Lyon who argued it couldn't have been that bad because the Swans did not put in an official complaint.

'What am I missing here?,' Lyon said. 'McRae said post-game that it was all respect. Caro (Wilson), in her own words, said it was all respect. Caro, in her own words, said it was positive.

'What is the problem? Where has life got to? And tell me the clubs who are outraged by it.

'So if you're not going to complain don't go backgrounding people to whinge. Put your balls on the line and go, "No AFL, we're not impressed but this, we want an investigation".'

Grundy spent just one season under McRae at the Magpies in 2022 before injuries restricted him to six games and ultimately led to his departure.

He was traded to Melbourne before later reviving his career at Sydney, where he has rediscovered the dominant form that once made him one of the AFL's premier big men.