Collingwood coach Craig McRae, was visibly emotional as he revealed he unsuccessfully attempted to reach out to troubled star Bobby Hill.
The Magpies are currently attempting to navigate the delicate issue of the former Norm Smith Medallist’s departure from the club.
But McRae used Tuesday’s press conference to tell Hill that he will always have a home with Collingwood given his contribution to the Magpies – where he famously won the Norm Smith Medal as they claimed the premiership.
It seems that Hill, as a player at least, will certainly not be returning to the club, but McRae wanted to make it clear that Hill, the person, would feel the love from within the team and its fans.
Hill has been away from the club for the better part of the last year as he deals with some personal issues.
And McRae made a direct call out to Hill saying, ‘If you are out there, Bobby, we have a lot of love and care for you.’
Craig McRae was visibly emotional as he made a public plea to troubled Magpies star Bobby Hill
Hill was famously part of the team that brought the Magpies a championship back in 2023
It seems Bobby Hill will not be returning to Collingwood as a player but McRae wants his soon-to-be former player to know his door is always open
‘He is a premiership player and a Norm Smith medallist and he will forever be welcome in our four walls for the future,’ he continued.
‘We want to make sure we love this guy for the rest of our lives.
‘There is an emotion attached to it … absolutely. There’s the playing part and the high-performance (part) of what he’s capable of doing for our team and for our supporter base, and then there’s the other personal part.
‘You know he is a father … I am getting emotional even thinking about it … I think of that young man with three kids. You want the best for them, for all our players to come into our environment and be good humans and be a good father and a good husband; those things that we’re trying to instil.
‘But [the] environment changed and shifted, but (we have) lots of love and care for Bobby.’
Collingwood is currently discussing an exit from Hill’s $750,000-per-season contract with his manager Anthony McConville from Mac’s Sports Promotions.
If a settlement can be finalised – with reports it could be completed within the next month – it would bring an abrupt end to his four-year extension as well as the four seasons he spent wearing the black and white guernsey.
Hill has been away from the club for the better part of the last year as he deals with some personal issues
McRae has made it plain that whatever happens with his contract situation, Hill will always have the support of people at the club despite his extended absence.
Earlier this year, the 26-year-old split from his long-term partner Georgia Devlin who moved back to Perth with their two children.
Hill had also returned to Perth briefly to attend the birth of his third child before making a short return to training with Collingwood.
McRae has been on the outside looking in when it comes to the club negotiating Hill’s release, saying he is not privy to any potential payout if the contract is voided.
He said the situation was ‘totally out of my hands, I am not privy to any conversations like that, I will leave others to do those things.
‘But I’ll just try to provide a platform where people feel safe and a sense of belonging that we ought to be doing.’
The Collingwood coach has been a constant in his support of Hill through his struggles and it’s clear those lows have had an impact on McRae as he struggled to hide his sadness at the situation.
But he reaffirmed his position saying ‘we won’t waver in our love and support for the young man.’
