{"id":376623,"date":"2024-03-15T23:54:57","date_gmt":"2024-03-16T00:54:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=376623"},"modified":"2024-03-16T04:03:39","modified_gmt":"2024-03-16T04:03:39","slug":"magpies-coach-denies-title-hangover-amid-slow-start","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=376623","title":{"rendered":"Magpies coach denies title hangover amid slow start"},"content":{"rendered":"

C\ufeffollingwood<\/a> coach Craig McRae<\/a> has denied his side is suffering a premiership hangover after losing to Sydney by 33 points at the MCG on Friday night<\/a>.<\/p>\n

It marked the Pies' second loss in as many games\ufeff to open their 2024 season, after going down to GWS by 32 points in Opening Round<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The failed start to the year raises an early alarm\ufeff for the reigning premiers, but McRae has squashed fears that these losses are serving as a rude awakening.<\/p>\n

READ MORE:<\/strong> Cleary's cheeky Fowler admission after tough start\ufeff<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

READ MORE:<\/strong> 'Remarkable' five-year plan to fix glaring Storm failure<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

READ MORE:<\/strong> Benji slams coaching critics ahead of Tigers opener<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

The coach, however, \ufeffadmits his side does not hold themselves miles above the rest of the league.<\/p>\n

Collingwood won their three finals by slim margins in 2023, with questions now being raised over their ability in 2024.<\/p>\n

\"Craig<\/p>\n

"We're really respectful of the competition. We win three finals by under a goal, we're not thinking that we're miles ahead of anyone," McRae said post match.<\/p>\n

"This season starts 0-0 and … the reality is it's a very tough competition and we've got to keep improving ourselves and the first couple of games are a great example of that."<\/p>\n

The Swans led by as much as 52 points in the final term, as their key forwards took apart Collingwood's backline.<\/p>\n

Another pre season under their belts and the introduction of Brodie Grundy in the ruck \ufeffhas also helped Sydney to improve on the game plan that has seen them reach a 2022 grand final and play in an elimination final a year later.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/twitter.com\/CollingwoodFC\/status\/1768597228363645241<\/a><\/p>\n

It's a scary prospect for McRae's men, who looked slow and were sloppy with ball in hand on Friday night.<\/p>\n

These days, your opposition can work out you game plan in a matter of weeks, compared to the early 2000s, when it took years to unravel champion sides.<\/p>\n

McRae is aware that his game style has been quickly picked apart by both New South Wales based sides, but feels \ufeffthe magpies have the personnel to bounce back.<\/p>\n

"We're fit and well. We're ready to play. Our system might be a bit clunky at the moment," McRae said.<\/p>\n

\"Collingwood<\/p>\n

"We can improve these areas quickly. The numbers aren't horrendous but the way we're moving the ball at times is hurting us.<\/p>\n

"We feel like we control this stuff … we just haven't made those turnovers the last couple of years."<\/p>\n

Collingwood has started their season 0-2, now looking ahead to round two, where they'll face St Kilda at the MCG on Friday night.\ufeff<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

C\ufeffollingwood coach Craig McRae has denied his side is suffering a premiership hangover after losing to Sydney by 33 points at the MCG on Friday […]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":376625,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/376623"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=376623"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/376623\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":376628,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/376623\/revisions\/376628"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/376625"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=376623"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=376623"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=376623"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}