True story behind Collingwood coach Craig McRae’s on-field exchange with Sydney star Brodie Grundy

Nearly five months after Sydney star Brodie Grundy and Collingwood coach Craig McRae exchanged words on the field, it can finally be revealed what was said.

The confrontation became a big talking point back in May with neither side revealing exactly what was said.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Craig McRae’s animated exchange with Brodie Grundy

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McRae had collected the ball to give back to the boundary umpire and had a few words with Grundy, who had been chasing the loose ball.

The coach had a few words to Grundy, who had a little smile on his face at the time.

“He just said, ‘G’day old mate’ ... it was nothing untoward, the spirit of it ... he just bobbed up right then and there, it was good,” Grundy told Channel 7 after the match.

McRae wouldn’t be drawn either when asked what was said at his post-match presser.

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

“But it was all respect, trust me, it was all respect. I’ve got great respect for what he’s doing. Nothing untoward.”

Seven’s Caroline Wilson later revealed it was a “personal” comment but wouldn’t go into detail out of respect to Grundy and the Swans.

It turns out McRae had actually congratulated Grundy on his wife’s pregnancy.

But the reason it was kept quiet was because neither Grundy or his wife Rachael had publicly shared the news yet.

Rachael was over 20 weeks pregnant at the time, but it still confused both Grundy and the Swans given McRae and the former Collingwood ruck didn’t really have a close relationship.

The happy couple have since welcomed the safe arrival of a baby boy named Darcy in August.

“So Craig McRae congratulated Brodie Grundy on the impending birth of his and his partner’s baby,” 7NEWS reporter Tom Morris revealed on AFL trade radio.

“Now, at the time, Brodie Grundy hadn’t announced that his partner was pregnant. Brodie Grundy didn’t want it to be public and it wasn’t out there anywhere.

“But he has since put it on Instagram that he’s had a baby. In fact, he’s put a couple of posts up.

“Baby Darcy, congratulations to Brodie and his partner.

“So McRae, on the boundary line, said to Brodie Grundy, congratulations on the impending birth of your baby or words to that effect.

“And the Sydney Swans were going, why is he doing this? He’s not that close to Brodie Grundy.

“Grundy didn’t want to make anything off at the time but thought it was a bit weird.

“And then the general public really didn’t understand it because all us in the media didn’t want to disrespect Grundy’s privacy by revealing that he was going to be a dad soon.

“But now he has revealed it himself, we can bring you that today.

“And from McRae’s perspective, it was out of respect. Like he was trying to be nice. But the Swans didn’t like it.”

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AFL great Tom Mitchell, who played under McRae at Collingwood, said there would have been nothing untoward by McRae’s comment.

“I know Fly’s character. He’s just a genuine guy. And maybe that was his opportunity. I get it was a weird, quirky time to do it. But he does like funny little quirky things like that,” he said.

“I don’t think he would have done that with any ill intention.

“I think Fly’s genuine. Trust me, he’s genuine. And I think at the time he would have purely done that just as that’s probably his only opportunity is going to run past. He must have heard of the news. And that’s when he would have said it. But he’s a good character.”

Morris added: “At the time, there was a lot of frustration from footy fans about why can’t anyone tell us what Craig McRae said? And that is the reason because Grundy hadn’t announced it. But he has now. Congratulations to him. And it puts a bow on that story from May 15.”