McRae’s Lions tackle 2009 grand finalists Mt Gravatt in the QAFL premiership season opener at the Gabba today (3.20pm) and Vultures mentor David Lake is eager to lock horns with a man he greatly admires.
“I enjoy talking footy with ‘Fly’ - he is very open with his ideas and is the ultimate strategist with his football and emotional balance,” Lake said.
“The kids who came through the Queensland Under 18 program with him a few years ago have nothing but respect for him.”
McRae, who coached Coburg for the last 11 games of the 2009 VFL season after Jade Rawlings replaced Terry Wallace in the senior job at Richmond, is looking forward to the experience himself.
“One of the attractions of coming back here was to coach the Reserves,” said the former 195-gamer and Lions triple premiership player.
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The Lions lost all three clashes with Mt Gravatt last year - including a 45-point drubbing in the Elimination Final - so McRae has been busy doing his homework on the Vultures.
“Our philosophy is to make sure we get ourselves right first, but we also need to spend some time on the opposition. You have to know your enemy and respect your enemy,” he said.
Mt Gravatt took a punt by volunteering to play the Lions in the only QAFL game of the weekend, especially as Shane Morrison and Tom Tarrant are missing courtesy of grand final suspensions.
“We traditionally start off the year alright, and the Lions are on a four-day turnaround and their seniors had at least two injuries last week,” Lake countered.
“We will find out a fair bit about where we are at.”
It will be an interesting game for Lions rookie Sean Yoshiura - who was one of the Vultures’ best in last year’s grand final - and Lions International Scholarship Player Don Barry - who was nurtured by Lake at Mt Gravatt before being recruited over the off-season.
