Craig McRae - Assistant Coach

A respected small forward in his playing days, Craig McRae spent 10 years with the Brisbane Bears/Lions from 1995 to 2004. His 195-game career culminated in three premierships, with McRae playing a pivotal role in the Lions' threepeat between 2001-2003.

After hanging up the boots in 2004, McRae turned his attention and football nous to coaching, taking up a development role with Richmond in 2007, commencing a four-year tenure that also saw him take the reins at the Tigers' then-VFL affiliate Coburg.

In 2011, McRae joined Collingwood as its Head of Development, working closely with the club's young players and nurturing their talent. After five years in black and white, McRae returned to Richmond where he would play a key role in one of the club's most successful periods in history. He coached the VFL side to a premiership in 2019 and was awarded VFL Coach of the Year for the feat, while also playing a pivotal hand in the Tigers' 2017, 2019 and 2020 premiers as an assistant coach to Damien Hardwick.

McRae joins the Hawks in 2021 with an impressive resume, and will serve as forward line coach in the upcoming season.