Collingwood coach Craig McRae says he would be “honoured” to coach South Australia at next year's State of Origin match against Western Australia.
The fixtures for the next three State of Origin clashes were confirmed earlier this week, with the 2023 premiership-winning coach emerging as an obvious candidate after being drafted out of Glenelg and growing up in the state.
“I'd love to do the job. A pretty special team,” McRae said.
He represented South Australia at State of Origin in 1999 and has fond memories of watching the spectacle growing up.
The Crow Eaters midfield would contain Adelaide skipper Jordan Dawson, Sydney star Brodie Grundy, Port Adelaide captain Connor Rozee and St Kilda dynamo Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera – an enticing proposition for McRae.
"I'd be honoured if that was the case. I'm a proud South Australian. I spent time with Mum when I stayed over in Adelaide over the weekend," McRae said.
"I'd be honoured, growing up watching South Australia play as a young lad, a footy buff on the silver seats, Kernahan kicking 10 goals; all those memories are vivid for me and something I aspired to do as a player and was lucky enough to do that, and if I was asked to do it, I'd jump at it."
Asked about the time commitment, the Pies coach said: “If I was asked to do it, (I'd) find a way.”
McRae has been lauded as one of the best coaches of the 2026 season, having taken the Magpies to the edge of the top six with four rounds remaining despite several key players missing, a forward line that was badly misfiring early in the season and a midfield centred on one player.
