Craig McRae Wife: Meet Gabrielle McRae and Their Family

Craig McRae is widely known in Australian football as the premiership-winning coach of Collingwood, but away from the pressure of the AFL, family plays an equally important role in his life. His wife, Gabrielle McRae, has been beside him through some of the biggest moments of his coaching career, including one extraordinary day that changed their family forever.

Craig and Gabrielle married in 2022 after their wedding plans were delayed several times. They later welcomed their first child together, a daughter named Maggie, on September 30, 2023. The timing could hardly have been more memorable. Maggie arrived on the same morning Craig was preparing to coach Collingwood in the AFL Grand Final.

Craig was already a father before his marriage to Gabrielle, with daughters Chelsea and Charlie from earlier relationships. His family life has become closely connected to the philosophy he brings to coaching, where relationships, support and responsibility remain central to the way he leads.

Who Is Craig McRae’s Wife Gabrielle McRae?

Gabrielle McRae is best known publicly as the wife of Collingwood senior coach Craig McRae. Unlike her husband, whose career places him in front of cameras almost every week during the AFL season, Gabrielle generally maintains a much quieter public profile.

There is limited public information about her professional background or early life. Craig has also avoided sharing too many private details about their relationship, choosing instead to occasionally speak about Gabrielle when discussing family and important personal moments.

What is clear is that Gabrielle has been a significant source of support during a demanding stage of Craig’s career.

Their relationship has overlapped with his rise to one of the most prominent coaching positions in Australian football. Craig became Collingwood’s senior coach ahead of the 2022 AFL season, bringing with him a coaching style strongly focused on relationships and building a healthy environment around players.

Gabrielle has largely stayed outside that spotlight, although she has occasionally appeared alongside Craig at football events and major celebrations.

Craig and Gabrielle McRae’s Marriage

Craig McRae and Gabrielle married in 2022, but reaching the wedding day took longer than they originally planned.

The couple faced repeated disruptions to their wedding arrangements during the pandemic. Their ceremony was reportedly postponed several times as restrictions and uncertainty made it difficult to settle on a final date.

Craig previously spoke about hoping to marry Gabrielle on several different occasions before their plans were pushed back again.

Eventually, the couple were able to go ahead with their wedding and officially begin married life together.

Their relationship attracted more attention once Craig became Collingwood’s senior coach. Even then, both appear to have preferred keeping most of their marriage away from regular media coverage.

That privacy has continued even as Craig’s profile in Australian sport has grown considerably.

Craig and Gabrielle Welcomed Daughter Maggie

One of the most unforgettable moments in Craig and Gabrielle McRae’s marriage came with the arrival of their daughter Maggie.

Maggie was born on September 30, 2023, making her Craig and Gabrielle’s first child together.

The date became extraordinary for another reason. It was AFL Grand Final day, with Craig preparing to lead Collingwood against the Brisbane Lions at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Gabrielle went into labour around the biggest professional moment of her husband’s coaching career. Craig later explained that she initially allowed him to sleep rather than immediately telling him what was happening.

Early that morning, he received a call telling him he needed to get to the hospital.

Maggie arrived shortly before 8 a.m.

Only a matter of hours later, Craig was at the MCG coaching Collingwood in front of more than 100,000 supporters.

Collingwood defeated Brisbane by four points, giving the club its first AFL premiership since 2010.

For Craig, however, becoming a father again remained the biggest event of the day. He openly said that the birth gave him perspective before one of the most stressful games of his professional life.

It was a day where his private and professional worlds came together in a way that could never have been planned.

Craig McRae Is a Father of Three Daughters

Maggie is Craig McRae’s third daughter.

Before welcoming his youngest child with Gabrielle, Craig was already father to Chelsea and Charlie.

Charlie has occasionally been seen publicly with her father at AFL matches and Collingwood events. Craig has spoken warmly about spending time with his children and has repeatedly emphasized that his responsibilities as a father extend far beyond football.

His children have also appeared around the club at different moments, showing how closely family has become connected with McRae’s approach to life as an AFL coach.

Craig has made it clear that coaching is only one part of who he is. Football careers can change quickly, but he views being a father as something permanent.

That perspective became particularly clear after Maggie was born.

Even after winning a premiership on the same day, Craig spoke about returning to his family and celebrating with Gabrielle and their newborn daughter.

Craig McRae’s Previous Marriage

Before his relationship with Gabrielle, Craig McRae had been married previously.

His earlier family life has remained relatively private, and Craig has not publicly discussed many details surrounding the end of that relationship.

That approach fits with how he generally handles personal matters. While he is open when talking about the importance of family, leadership and fatherhood, he rarely gives extensive details about past relationships.

His daughters from earlier relationships remain an important part of his family.

As his relationship with Gabrielle developed, the pair formed a blended family before eventually welcoming Maggie together.

Rather than putting his home life constantly into the public eye, Craig appears to have tried to maintain some separation between his highly visible AFL position and his family’s private world.

Why Craig McRae Calls His Players His Sons

Craig’s approach to fatherhood has also influenced the language he uses around his football players.

During his time coaching Collingwood, he became known for referring to members of his playing group as his “sons.”

The phrase was never intended to suggest that football players were literally replacing family. Instead, it reflected the responsibility McRae believes coaches have toward the people under their leadership.

His philosophy goes beyond tactics, training sessions and winning games. He has regularly spoken about creating strong relationships with players and helping them deal with difficult periods in their lives.

That approach became particularly visible when players experienced mistakes or off-field problems.

McRae believes support does not mean ignoring poor decisions. A coach can care deeply about someone while still demanding accountability.

It is similar to how many parents view their own role. There can be affection and encouragement, but there also needs to be honesty when something goes wrong.

That thinking became one of the defining features of McRae’s early years at Collingwood.

Family Is Central to Craig McRae’s Coaching Style

Craig McRae’s family-first attitude has become more visible as his coaching career has developed.

The pressure surrounding an AFL senior coach is enormous. Seasons involve long hours, travel, constant media attention and responsibility for a large group of players and staff.

Craig has spoken about the importance of creating room for family despite those demands.

For him, success does not seem to be measured only through premierships and win-loss records.

His experience on September 30, 2023 probably demonstrated that better than almost anything else.

Within the space of a few hours, he watched Gabrielle give birth to their daughter and then coached Collingwood to an AFL premiership.

Most coaches might consider winning a Grand Final the defining moment of their career. Craig openly placed the birth of Maggie above it.

Who Is Craig McRae?

Craig McRae was born on September 22, 1973, in South Australia and became known throughout football by his nickname, “Fly.”

Before moving into coaching, he enjoyed a successful playing career as a small forward.

McRae joined the Brisbane Bears after being selected in the 1994 AFL Draft. He later became an important part of the Brisbane Lions team during one of the most successful periods in the club’s history.

He was a member of Brisbane’s three consecutive premiership-winning teams in 2001, 2002 and 2003.

McRae retired from AFL football following the 2004 season and gradually moved into coaching and player development.

His coaching journey included roles with Richmond and other football programs before he was eventually appointed senior coach of Collingwood.

His impact at Collingwood came quickly. He earned AFL Coaches Association recognition in his first season before guiding the Magpies to the 2023 premiership.

Craig and Gabrielle McRae Keep Family Life Private

Despite Craig McRae’s high-profile position, he and Gabrielle have avoided turning their relationship into a public spectacle.

Gabrielle rarely seeks media attention, and Craig generally limits what he shares about their home life.

Still, the moments he does discuss reveal how significant his wife and daughters are to him.

The story of Maggie’s arrival remains the clearest example. On a day when Craig achieved one of the greatest milestones possible in Australian football, his attention repeatedly returned to Gabrielle and their newborn daughter.

Craig and Gabrielle’s marriage has now become part of a larger blended family that includes his daughters Chelsea, Charlie and Maggie.

Football may have made Craig McRae a household name among AFL supporters, but his own comments over the years suggest his roles as husband and father carry a different kind of importance. For the Collingwood coach, premierships can create unforgettable memories, but family is the part of life he expects to carry long after his coaching career is finished.