Collingwood Head coach Craig McRae Has finally revealed a Shocking secret about Scott Pendlebury and the entire Collingwood that…
Collingwood Head Coach Craig McRae Finally Reveals Shocking Secret About Scott Pendlebury and Entire Magpies Team
Melbourne, Australia – May 6, 2025 — In a revelation that has sent shockwaves through the AFL community, Collingwood Football Club head coach Craig McRae has finally come forward with a stunning secret involving club legend Scott Pendlebury and the entire Collingwood team. The veteran coach, known for his calm demeanor and strategic brilliance, disclosed the behind-the-scenes truth in a candid interview on Tuesday morning — and it’s a story that has stunned fans and insiders alike.
McRae, who has been at the helm of the Magpies since 2021, revealed that for the past two seasons, the club had been operating under a carefully crafted leadership structure and internal culture model that was largely orchestrated by none other than Scott Pendlebury — even after he stepped down from the captaincy in 2022.
“What most people don’t know is that Scott never really stopped being the captain,” McRae admitted. “Official titles aside, he’s been the glue holding this team together behind closed doors.”
Pendlebury, a six-time Copeland Trophy winner and the club’s games record holder, relinquished the captaincy to Darcy Moore at the beginning of the 2023 season. While Moore has thrived in the role publicly and led the team with passion and class, McRae confessed that Pendlebury quietly remained the emotional and tactical leader within the locker room and beyond.
“Darcy has done a phenomenal job, don’t get me wrong,” McRae clarified. “But Scott has continued to mentor not only Darcy, but every young player that walks through those doors. He’s run training sessions, studied film late at night, and even helped me design plays during critical moments. The boys still look to him when the pressure is on.”
What’s more surprising is that Pendlebury has done much of this while downplaying his involvement to the public. According to McRae, it was Pendlebury’s own idea to keep his ongoing leadership role under wraps in order to empower Moore and foster a new generation of leaders within the club.
The revelation paints a new picture of the 2023 premiership-winning campaign — one that McRae now says would not have been possible without Pendlebury’s influence.
“He’s been like a player-coach for two years now,” McRae said. “And no one outside the inner circle had any idea.”
Even more shocking, McRae revealed that Collingwood’s much-discussed “team-first” culture — credited with their close-knit chemistry and relentless work ethic — was heavily shaped by Pendlebury, whose off-field leadership involved personal development workshops, private mentorship for first- and second-year players, and even mental resilience training led by external professionals he helped bring in.
“Scott came to me in early 2023 and said, ‘We need to build something that lasts beyond me, beyond you,’” McRae recalled. “That’s when we started meeting weekly, sometimes daily, to design a culture system that was bigger than the sum of its parts.”
Some of these behind-the-scenes decisions included a “no hierarchy” training policy, which saw rookies and veterans rotate leadership duties during drills, and the creation of small player-led committees responsible for morale, communication, and off-field engagement.
While some clubs have flirted with such models, Collingwood’s approach — spearheaded secretly by Pendlebury — has proven revolutionary.
In the wake of the reveal, current captain Darcy Moore publicly praised Pendlebury for his humility and vision.
“There’s no one like Pendles,” Moore said. “He could’ve made this about himself, but instead he quietly made all of us better. I owe him more than I can say — we all do.”
Fan reactions have ranged from awe to emotional gratitude. Social media exploded with praise for both McRae and Pendlebury, with hashtags like #CaptainInTheShadows and #PendlesLegacy trending across Australia.
Former players also chimed in. Nathan Buckley, former head coach and Collingwood legend himself, tweeted: “None of this surprises me. Scott has always been about team first. He’ll go down as one of the greatest leaders the club has ever seen — official title or not.”
The disclosure may also reshape the conversation around leadership in the AFL. Experts now argue that the Magpies’ recent success wasn’t just about talent, but about a deep, sustained culture driven by selflessness and psychological strength — with Pendlebury at its core.
Despite being 36 years old and nearing the twilight of his career, Pendlebury shows no signs of stepping away from the club’s internal dynamics. While he remains noncommittal about retirement, McRae hinted that a formal coaching role could be next.
“If Scott wants to stay in footy — and I hope he does — there will always be a place for him at Collingwood,” McRae said. “He’s already been coaching in every way that matters.”
For now, fans will simply savor the chance to celebrate a silent legacy that helped bring Collingwood back to the top of the AFL mountain — one quiet act of leadership at a time.