McRae was announced as the winner with 249 votes, ahead of Sydney Swans’ John Longmire (201 votes), and Geelong Cats’ Chris Scott (174 votes), after an incredible first year as Senior Coach.
 
The Award is voted on by more than 150 coaches across the competition and is named in honour of coaching legend Allan Jeans, who won four premierships with St Kilda and Hawthorn in the 1960s and 1980s.
 
McRae, who was awarded the Assistant Coach of the Year and VFL Coach of the Year in 2019, has enjoyed a remarkable campaign in his first season, guiding the Magpies to a Preliminary Final.
  
Collingwood CEO Mark Anderson congratulated McRae on receiving the prestigious award.
 
“On behalf of everyone at Collingwood, we congratulate Craig on being recognised as the Senior Coach of the Year by his peers,” Anderson said.
 
“It was evident from the start that Craig valued people and has a great ability to develop deep relationships with all of his players and across every area of our Club. His genuineness, positive influence and clear expectations have been evident to all. To see him recognised with this award in his first season as a senior coach is a real credit to him and to the team around him.”
 
General Manager of Football Graham Wright said it was deserved recognition for his work this season.
  
“Under Craig’s leadership, and through the support of the wider coaching group and football department, ‘Fly’ has developed a strong winning culture on and off the field. His energy and coaching style have resonated across the football program, and we are looking forward to building on that next season,” Wright said.
 
Upon accepting the award, Craig McRae said:
 
“I’m very grateful to receive this award. It is a reflection of the combined efforts of everyone involved in the football program and the wider Club this season and affirmation of their hard work and perseverance.
 
“I have enormous pride in our people and, as a Club, we will continue to strive to be better each and every day over the course of the pre-season and into 2023.”
 
AFL Coaches Association CEO Alistair Nicholson congratulated McRae on his first season in the top job. 
 
“What Craig has been able to achieve in his first year as senior coach of Collingwood is remarkable, and he should be proud of being voted by his peers as the 2022 Monjon Allan Jeans AFL Coaches Association Senior Coach of the Year. Whilst there’ll be some disappointment after narrowly missing a Grand Final appearance, the belief and will to win he has instilled in his playing group in such a short time to see them rise back up the ladder this season has been thrilling to watch,” Nicholson said.
 
“This Award has been determined by his peers and we know it is held in high esteem. Congratulations Craig, what an honour to be recognised by your peers in this way, and well done to the assistant and development coaches and those around and above him at Collingwood.”
 
McRae becomes the third Collingwood coach to receive the award after Nathan Buckley was recognised in 2018 when the Magpies reached the Grand Final and Michael Malthouse recognised in 2010 in a premiership-winning season for the Club.
 
The 2022 AFL Coaches Association Awards announced throughout the night included the Neale Daniher Lifetime Achievement Award, AFL Coaches Association Assistant Coach of the Year, Career and Education Award, Media Award and included the reintroduction of Development Coach of the Year for the first time since 2012.