Round 20 Talking Points, analysis, Jack Riewoldt regrets berating teammates after Christian Petracca incident with Leo Lombard, Ed Allan future as Craig McRae coaches Collingwood brilliantly

The year’s biggest disappointments were summed up in one ugly sight on Saturday, and it reminded an AFL great of his own “embarrassing” behaviour.

Plus the must-sign Magpie amid Craig McRae’s masterclass and much more as the big issues from Round 20 are analysed in Foxfooty.com.au’sTalking Points!

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‘EMBARRASSED’: GREAT’S REGRET AS SUNS MOMENT IN SPOTLIGHT

Jack Riewoldt says you “don’t grow” from interactions like the Christian Petracca-Leo Lombard incident, with the Tigers champion expressing regret for times in his career when he “berated” teammates.

The tense exchange saw Lombard retort “f*** you” to Petracca after the Suns recruit clipped his younger teammate during the fourth quarter of Saturday’s loss to Carlton.

Vision showed Lombard going for a clearance which was designed for Petracca, the pair running into each other before Lombard was caught holding the ball in a crucial moment.

Suns coach Damien Hardwick brushed off the exchange, saying “the game requires feedback” and “it happens 100 times over the course of the weekend”.

But Riewoldt, who played the majority of his 347-game career under Hardwick, is “embarrassed” by some occasions when he went too hard at his comrades.

“I think I’m quite versed to speak in this space. The reflection on my own career, that was the worst version of me, when I was berating my teammates like that,” Riewoldt said.

“I looked back and probably developed an external character where people had an opinion on me because of how I berated my teammates like that. I look back on that and I’m quite embarrassed about the way I spoke to some of my teammates.

“That was a part of growing up.”

It’s understood Petracca and Lombard smoothed things over in the locker room immediately after the game.

Riewoldt acknowledged there’s times when “hard conversations” need to take place.

But he said it’s a fine line between that and putting down a young player.

“Petracca is 30 years of age, he’s gone to a new club, you don’t grow off that. I’ve seen that first hand, you don’t grow off interactions like that,” Riewoldt added.

“You need to buy in and get the trust of a young group, you need to be a leader.

“Yes, there is times for conversations and hard conversations in the light of day.

“But that there completely deflates a young player’s confidence. I’ve done that to players and they’ve been rarely sighted after it.

“You’ve just got to weigh up the actual value of that point in the game and I don’t think that is of an AFL-standard leaders conversation.”

YOUNG GUN PIES CAN’T AFFORD TO LOSE AS ‘COACHING MASTERCLASS’ PROPELS PIES

No matter what you think of Collingwood’s prospects, Craig McRae is coaching at an A-plus level.

But there’s one young gun the club has to lock away to shore up the future as rivals begin to circle.

Stars have come in and out of Collingwood’s side this season. But irrespective of who’s on the park, you get the same proven product and method that’s built on defence and a recently-improved offence.

That includes a raft of youth getting greater opportunities in recent times including Ed Allan, Angus Anderson, Charlie West, Liam Puncher and Sam Swadling.

Perhaps the kids are better than we thought.

Or perhaps it supports the idea that surrounding young players with experience is the best way to develop them and that good environments breed good players.

Think Hawthorn, Geelong and Sydney.

Allan’s signature has to be Collingwood’s main priority among its players out of contract.

Even after Allan’s clutch heroics against Adelaide, the Pies are yet to start dialogue with the former first-round pick for a new contract beyond 2026.

It’s prompted rival clubs to ask the question of Allan, who’s coming into his own as a defensive midfielder that’s finally getting consistent reps at AFL level.

Allan has nullified the likes of Jordan Dawson, Luke Davies-Uniacke and Noah Anderson over the past month in the most promising stretch of the 22-year old’s career.

The athletic young gun stands at 194cm but has wheels Nick Daicos described as “Kozzy Pickett”-like, revealing Allan is quicker than Beau McCreery.

While veterans Scott Pendlebury, Jeremy Howe, Steele Sidebottom and Tim Membrey are also out of contract, Allan is one they most can’t afford to lose as the future of the club and a player they can stick next to Nick Daicos in the midfield long term.

Allan’s two-goal, five-minute stretch against Adelaide in the fourth quarter was his brightest moments on an AFL field yet in a proper ‘I’ve arrived’ statement.

It helped extend Collingwood’s winning streak to six games as the club finally claimed a scalp in huge road win over Adelaide, who was going as well as any side.

It was a statement to the rest of the AFL that Collingwood needs to be taken seriously and a danger side flag contenders wouldn’t want to run into in finals.

Daicos described it as a “coaching masterclass” from their brain’s trust.

“It was a bit of a coaching masterclass, to be honest,” he said post-match.

“‘Fly’ (McRae) and the coaches have been unbelievable all year — and in particular, the second half of the season with setting us up to be really attacking.

“Coming into the night, they said, ‘If we can’t really score, we want to send Howey as one of our levers potentially forward.

“And you saw him straight away kick one, so that’s on the coaches.”

McRae’s side trailed Adelaide by as much as 27 points in the second term as the Crows tall forwards looked ominous, before some cpaching tweaks ignited an epic turnaround at Adelaide Oval.

That included Howe getting swung forward to kick an important goal, while the Pies defenders shifted to a more aggressive approach after they appeared vulnerable earlier.

“Totally on top, big (Crows) forwards dominating, and then the shift came,” Kangaroos great David King said.

“McRae threw Howe forward, he took one big mark and all of a sudden, they changed their positioning.

“Defenders got aggressive on the big boys, and they just ran them.”

Collingwood has also been among the best sides at moving the ball in the second half of the season.

It’s led to the Pies putting up their biggest scores for the year with a makeshift forward line including dropping 108 last Thursday night — Collingwood’s second-best return this season — at the stingy Crows’ Adelaide Oval fortress.

“It times, we back our guys to win the footy and then get forward,” Pendlebury said.
“Or, if we see guys like Nick (Daicos) win the ball, you just take off because you know he’s so quick and he’ll find you.

“There’s a fine balance with that, but our ability tonight to transition the ball from the contest was pretty impressive.”

‘NAUGHTY’ HARLEY WARNING AS EAGLES’ FRUSTRATIONS GROW

Harley Reid is now a genuine West Coast barometer – which is why he must rid himself of the ill-discipline issues that plagued his game against Fremantle on Friday night.

With little help from his teammates, Reid was prolific in his side’s 70-point western derby loss to the Dockers, finishing with 30 disposals, 15 contested possessions, 12 clearances and 485m gained.

But he gave away two off-the-ball free kicks in the opening quarter and at times appeared frustrated by the treatment he received.

The second free kick was for a little knee into Docker Luke Ryan over the boundary – an action the AFL has firmly warned players against.

Reid also let his frustrations get the better of him in the third quarter, delivering an elbow to the stomach of Fremantle’s Matthew Johnson that cost him a $2000 fine.

“He’s been a bit of a naughty boy,” Fox Footy’s Sarah Jones said on Saturday afternoon. “A kneeing incident. It’s not awful, but it’s not good.”

Western Bulldogs games record-holder Brad Johnson added: “It’s just not needed, is it? You can’t punch in the gut – and can you drop your knee on opponent like that?

“You’ve got to start walking away from the contest, Harley. He puts himself in these situations … it’s purely on him as a player.

“He’s too good of a player now in the competition to be doing that sort of stuff.”

Asked if Reid should be in MRO trouble, premiership Eagle Will Schofield told Fox Footy post-match: “There’s two parts to this answer. Yes I think he’ll be in trouble with the MRO. Do I think he should be? No I don’t.

“It’s pretty mild contact, it’s a glancing blow, very low impact. It probably gets him in a good spot, the right spot. The AFL doesn’t want to see this in the game, but I think it’s play on to be honest.”

Meanwhile, West Coast coach Andrew McQualter said the Eagles will review the umpiring of Reid from Friday night’s game and seek clarification from the AFL if they believe the young star is being officiated inconsistently.

McQualter stopped short of criticising the umpires, but indicated West Coast would examine the vision before deciding whether to approach the AFL.

“I can’t talk to it specifically, I’m not allowed to,” McQualter said. “But we will definitely look closely at it and look to get some clarity if we think there’s some inconsistency in the way Harley’s been treated.

“We’ll just work with the AFL.

“We’ll go and look at the tape and if we think there’s something there that’s worth asking, we’ll do it.”

Despite the frustration, McQualter praised Reid’s influence around the contest.

“I thought he was our best ball-winner,” he said.

“I loved the way he went about it.”

D-DAY APPROACHING BLUES CARETAKER AS SHORTLIST FORMS, DONS CONTENDER EMERGES

D-Day is fast approaching for Josh Fraser.

Carlton is narrowing its search for a senior coach as decision time nears for caretaker boss Fraser and whether he wants to throw his hat in the ring.

The Blues are about to go to the next stage of interviews, with assistant coaches James Kelly, Jaymie Graham and Corey Enright on that shortlist.

But there remains a “question mark” on Fraser.

That comes after Carlton improved to 8-2 under the interim coach in a remarkable turnaround since he replaced Michael Voss in May.

Fraser himself admitted after the win over Gold Coast he’ll need to soon consider his next move and the possibility of entering the Blues race after previously being non-committal.

He might have to make that decision in a matter of days.

“Carlton is ready to basically go to its second stage of interviews. They’ve had all the more information coffee catch ups, I believe that list has been whittled down to four or five,” chief Herald Sun reporter Jay Clark said on Fox Footy.

“Expect James Kelly, Jaymie Graham and Corey Enright to be a part of that. The big question mark is Josh Fraser.

“Expect there to be some meetings on Monday and Tuesday to determine whether Josh Fraser is really keen on applying for this job on a permanent basis.

“He’s done a great job from everything we can gather and it would be a major surprise if he doesn’t put his hand up.”

Tigers champion Jack Riewoldt believes Fraser is currently “best placed” of those Blues candidates given his track record as caretaker coach and thus proof of concept.

“I still think he’s best placed out of all of those to be the man to do it. Because he’s had the steering wheel,” Riewoldt said.

“I think he’s best placed at the moment. Clearly, there’s another round of interviews to go and further on to that.

“But they’ve had a good look at him.”

It’s one of two coaching vacancies remaining after Tasmania last week officially appointed Ken Hinkley.

The Bombers are a few steps behind Carlton as they work through their catch ups with multiple candidates.

It emerged that Enright had prioritised the Blues gig over Essendon’s, while there’s been a groundswell of support for a James Hird return to Tullamarine.

Meanwhile Clark thinks Swans assistant and ex-Bomber Mark McVeigh, who was GWS’ caretaker coach in 2022, is a legit contender.

“Essendon is looking at Mark McVeigh, I feel like he’s really firm in this race,” Clark said.

“A lot’s been said about James Hird and Dean Solomon. But I think McVeigh is someone we really need to watch there.”

‘FRACTION BELOW’: CONTRACT DILEMMA OVER STAR AS DEES PONDER NEXT MOVES

Once again, the Demons are faced with the prospect of losing a premiership midfielder.

But unlike last year, when Melbourne dealt two star ball-winners who had little more to give in Dees colours, the ascending Tom Sparrow is in the midst of a career-best campaign.

And he’s finally getting the centre-bounce time he’s craved.

In his eighth year in the system, the South Australian product has burst onto the midfield scene, proving a clearance weapon as well as a tackling force under Steven King.

He’s upped his disposal numbers from 13.0 per game last year to 22.7 in 2026, clearances from 1.2 to 5.7, and inside-50s from 2.3 to 4.8.

The 26-year-old has more than hit his straps in a potent and well-balanced starting Melbourne midfield brigade that also boasts Kysaiah Pickett and Jack Steele.

Justifiably, he’s attracted significant rival interest this year as an unrestricted free agent, with Port Adelaide posing the biggest threat.

A long-term engine room role alongside Jason Horne-Francis and Connor Rozee is on offer in the post-Zak Butters era.

But while Essendon has also been linked, if Sparrow wanted to stay in Victoria, there’d be no feasible reason to switch allegiances to a rebuilding club.

That is, if the Demons are willing to meet the price tag Sparrow would likely command on the open market.

“He can probably write his own contract, can’t he? He’s been fantastic,” Thursday Night Footy on Fox’s Jon Ralph said.

“As a free agent, he’s got everyone coming at him, from Essendon – if he wants to stay in Melbourne – (to) Port Adelaide (back home) …

“I’ve spoken to Melbourne’s new football boss, Ned Guy, who says the club is ‘very, very, very hopeful’ that he will stay.

“He said, ‘We want him to stay, he wanted to make sure he got the midfield minutes, his character is through the roof, we think he’s a Melbourne person’.

“They’ve got the cap space to pay for him. And of course they’ve got two first-rounders – Gold Coast’s pick as well.

“Both those are on the table for someone out there in acquisition mode. Of course, Bailey Humphrey is the man that they would love.

“So, you can’t try and bring that bloke in and then lose Tom Sparrow. He’s probably a $1m player on the open market – that’s a lot of money for a bloke who’s only just proven himself this year.”

Lions legend Jonathan Brown doesn’t believe Sparrow is quite worthy of seven figures a year.

“(He) might be just below; a fraction just below,” he said on Fox Footy on Friday night.

“I think the pull of Melbourne is they’re a rising team – no doubt (Sparrow) would see a bright future for them.

“I think that would be enough to just keep him there with a little bit of a discount – a hometown discount, even though he’s an Adelaide boy, if that makes sense.

“But I think he would see a brighter future at the Demons.”

But if Sparrow opts for greener pastures back home, Humphrey could be an x-factor replacement. And he appears gettable as Gold Coast languishes in the bottom eight.

Humphrey is still contracted at the Suns through 2028, but he’s again being tipped to explore a move home to Victoria, almost 12 months after secretly meeting with Steven King post-season.

The Dees own Gold Coast’s first-rounder after last October’s Christian Petracca trade – currently No.5 overall – while their natural selection sits 13th.

They’ve got ample trade capital if they can persuade Humphrey to commit, while if Sparrow does leave, a decent compensation pick would also be in the offing.

But if Sparrow stays and Humphrey arrives in October, we’re talking about a Melbourne team with the upside of a silverware contender in 2027.