'It's horrible': Craig McRae breaks down in press conference amid tribute to Adam Selwood
Updated . First published at
Collingwood Magpies coach Craig McRae shed tears in his post-match press conference as he confirmed he didn't inform his players about the death of Adam Selwood until after the match.
News of Selwood's passing filtered through around midday (AEST) with Collingwood and Adelaide starting at 1:20pm.
Adam's brother Scott is on the Collingwood coaching staff and didn't attend the match.
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The death of Adam comes just three months after the death of his identical twin brother, Troy, who took his own life in February.
Adam Selwood speaks at his twin brother Troy's funeral in February. AFL Photos via Getty Images
After Collingwood's win over Adelaide, McRae was asked a minute into his press conference about how he's feeling but asked to come back to it once the football related questions were finished.
"You've gone straight to my heart, can I come back to that? I'd love to get through some of the other stuff and then talk emotion," he said.
Later in the press conference McRae was asked if he shielded his players from the news before the game.
"Yeah we did. There's no book written on this stuff, we got the news this morning. It's horrible," he said.
"We didn't really know what to do to be honest other than maybe give it space to see where it fits with all of us. I know the coaches knew because we had to get to work on Scott getting on the plane to go back to Perth.
Craig McRae during his press conference. AFL
"It's horrible, there's such sadness. We protected the players thinking that might have been the right thing, I don't know if it was but we told the whole club straight after the game."
McRae then couldn't hold back his tears as he delivered a message to the Selwood family.
"I just want to send my love to the Selwood family," he said before thanking the media and leaving the press conference.
Post-match on the field, Geelong great and former teammate of Adam's brother Joel, Cameron Mooney, interviewed McRae.
Mooney asked McRae about him hugging all his staff and the family culture at the Magpies.
"It's important to us, everyone plays their part," McRae said before struggling to speak.
"We know mate," Mooney simply said before McRae had to walk away.
Mooney had delivered his own special tribute at half time.
"It's a family I've known for nearly 20 years and a family I've grown very fond of over the years and loved," he said.
"To hear the news this morning, it's absolutely tragic ... it was only a few months ago we buried Troy.
"I just want to send all my condolences to a family that I absolutely love and adore and to a teammate that I got to play alongside with and win a couple of premierships. Just letting everyone know we're all thinking of you and we love you, all the best."
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