‘If you’re smart enough to say it on the bench, say it in the presser’: Lewis calls out lack of transparency

Four-time premiership Hawk Jordan Lewis says he found it “a little disappointing” Collingwood coach Craig McRae brushed over his bench interaction with the Giants on Sunday, declaring: “If you’re smart enough to say it on the bench, say it in the press conference and own up to it.”

McRae on Monday was handed an official warning by the AFL for his sideline behaviour during the Magpies’ loss to the Giants in Sunday’s Opening Round clash in Sydney.

The AFL said McRae had been “reminded of his responsibilities while coaching from the bench” after a review of his verbal altercation with Giants counterpart Adam Kingsley, in which the Magpies mentor clapped Toby Bedford after he gave away a 50m penalty.

Watch your club in the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season. Stream every round LIVE in 4K, with no ad-breaks during play, on Kayo Sports. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer.

Despite claiming post-match he was “stirring” former coaching colleague Kingsley and said to him “we’re coming”, McRae earned a rebuke from league headquarters.

An AFL statement read: “McRae said ‘well done’ to an opposition player who gave away a free kick as he came to bench. GWS coach Adam Kingsley saw the interaction and then told McRae ‘he was better than that’, with McRae then sitting down.

“When on the bench or on-field, interactions between officials, coaches and/or opposition players need to continue to be conducted in a professional manner.”

Speaking on Fox Footy’s On The Couch, Lewis said McRae should’ve been more transparent post-game.

“We’re in a different era now and times have changed,” Lewis told On The Couch. “There are coaches that are on the bench and they are there for a specific reason to coach their sides.

“If it’s coach talking to another coach, I don’t have a huge problem with it – I probably don’t want to see it – but as soon as a coach tries to interact with a player, I think that is overstepping the line. It could potentially escalate.

“Now understanding and knowing Toby Bedford, it wouldn’t because he’s a soft soul, he’s a really great human. But ‘well done, great free kick’ is pretty much what he said – so if you’re going to say it on the bench, don’t then lie to us in the press conference and say ‘oh yeah we’re coming’. That’s the thing that doesn’t sit well with me. If you’re smart enough to say it on the bench, say it in the press conference and own up to it. Own your actions and don’t try and brush over it. That was a little disappointing thing about it.

“It hasn’t been a thing that we’ve seen about Collingwood. They’ve been gracious in defeat and gracious in victory and that has been a real hallmark of Craig McRae.”

Fellow Couch panellist Jonathan Brown, who played alongside McRae in three consecutive Lions premierships, questioned Lewis’ views, leading to this interaction.

Jonathan Brown: But isn’t that downplaying things though? ‘Fly’ in the press conference, he’s not wanting the story to escalate – and that was pretty passive. Like, you know …

Jordan Lewis: But why do you need to do it?

JB: Yeah, the emotions. It’s human emotion and you get caught up in it. We saw last year with Kenny (Hinkley) and the Hawthorn boys …

JL: Well coach in the box.

JB: But they don’t, which is natural … Don’t we like a bit of emotion, though?

JL: I draw the line when it’s a player and a coach … I don’t like it (coach addressing coach), but for me it’s just different, I don’t know whether that’s right or wrong. As soon as a coach interacts with a player from an opposition (club) – in a smart-arse way – it doesn’t sit well with me. And that’s why Adam Kingsley said something back and Craig McRae was quick to sit down. So he (Kingsley) clearly didn’t like it.”

Seven-time All-Australian and ex-Magpies coach Nathan Buckley said interactions between coaches and their counterparts or rival players is “going to happen more often than not” when on the bench, but added: “I don’t have an issue, I thought the AFL handled that alright.

“I think you just put this in the category of ‘a bit of theatre’. If it gets abusive at any point, I think then you’re held to account because that then becomes ‘conduct unbecoming’.

“I think the natural give-and-take and to-and-fro – even between a coach and an opposition player in gest or in a competitive spirit, but not abusive – I think that’s OK.”

Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley last season was charged with conduct unbecoming and fined $20,000 by the AFL for targeting Hawthorn players with verbal taunts after his team’s semi-final win over the Hawks.

Herald Sun journalist Jon Ralph reported the “family-friendly language” used by McRae helped him escape with a warning and that the Hinkley incident was on a “totally different scale”.

“I asked the AFL: ‘What are the rules? Are you happy for these coaches to coach from the bench?’ They said their view was there’s a responsibility that comes from coaching on the bench, so if you want to be down there, have a little bit of theatre but pull your heads in, guys,” Ralph told On The Couch.