SYDNEY coach John Longmire has lambasted Craig McRae's comments about home-ground advantage, labelling them "an extraordinary admission" from the Collingwood coach.
The Swans resurrected their ailing form with a sensational five-goal surge in the final term to beat the Pies at the SCG, but Collingwood and Dan McStay had strong claims for a 50-metre penalty late in the game when Tom McCartin stepped over the mark, which would have likely handed them back the lead in the final minutes.
That prompted McRae to claim that a free kick 'would have been paid at the MCG' and the Pies coach on Monday received a warning from the AFL for his comments.
On Monday, before the AFL cautioned McRae, Longmire delivered a stinging rebuke to his Pies counterpart.
"It was an extraordinary admission from a coach of a team that has the biggest home ground advantage in the AFL," Longmire said.
"This year they play 14 games at the MCG, they play three at Marvel (Stadium). That's 17 games essentially in front of their home crowd and they play finals and obviously the Grand Final on their home deck."
After Brisbane lost last year's Grand Final to Collingwood at the MCG amid some late umpiring controversy, Longmire added: "I wonder what (Brisbane coach) Chris Fagan thought of those comments. That was my initial thought - I wonder what Chris Fagan thinks of this?
"I was at a North Melbourne-Collingwood game this year (in round 14) when a couple Collingwood boys went over the mark and it could have been a fifty and it wasn't paid.
"I just think from the coach of a team with the biggest home-ground advantage, including Grand Finals at the MCG ... geez.
"You don't often hear it from the team with the biggest home-ground advantage, do you?
"I can't say whether I agree with it or not because I'm going to stay out of that."
McRae conceded on Monday that his comments about the umpiring had gone too far.
"I was frustrated after the game and you say things," McRae said on SEN on Monday afternoon.
"I have been a real obvious advocate for umpires and how difficult their job is. But there are times when you get into a game, there's so much on the line and you just get frustrated. I did and I stepped over the mark, I know that.
"I stepped over the mark and I have to take accountability for that."
The war of words will only serve to further spice up the long running rivalry over inequality in the AFL between the Swans and Magpies.
The Sydney coach was still buoyant after Friday night's win as his side responded in emphatic fashion to their heaviest defeat in 31 years the week before, and overcame doubts over their mental and physical state at this stage of the season.
"The players feel terrific about it. That they were able to finish off the game so strongly with our run and contest, being able to think clearly in important moments," Longmire said.
And the Swans coach was still revelling in the party-like atmosphere inside the SCG that went to a level he feels has rarely been seen before.
"It was awesome, wasn't it? It rivalled the preliminary final win (also against Collingwood in 2022) that we had a couple years ago. The whole place was rocking. They've been enormous for us and we go to Melbourne (to play Essendon on Friday night) this week hopefully with our South Melbourne followers."
The Swans are likely to be reinforced down back by the return of Lewis Melican from a hamstring strain for the clash with the Bombers.
Sydney only need to win one of their final two games to guarantee a top-two finish and a home qualifying final.
"We're looking forward to a red hot one against the Bombers this week. They didn't kick as accurately as they'd have liked on the weekend (in the loss to Gold Coast), which may have had an impact. But they're a very good team."
The coach also called for calm over captain Callum Mills's form as he battles to have an impact at AFL level after missing a huge part of the season due to injury.
Mills made an impact with six final-term disposals on Friday night, but he is averaging just 12 touches a game since returning from shoulder surgery.
"It's to be expected, it's a tough game to play no matter how good of a player you are," Longmire said.
"He's still got an enormous presence in our team without necessarily doing it through kicks, marks and handballs. He's a vital member of our team in the way he leads the team.
"He sees the game so well and gets stuff done."
