Pies plot for more AFL flags after epic grand final

He finds people hate the word "change", so Craig McRae uses "growth" instead.

It's a mindset from the Collingwood coach that will continue to fuel the club as they aim to overhaul Essendon and Carlton with a record 17th AFL premiership.

McRae and his team were feted by more than 5000 fans on Sunday at the club's Olympic Park headquarters, a day after outlasting Brisbane by four points in one of the all-time great grand finals.

It capped an all-time big day for McRae, whose wife Gabrielle gave birth to their daughter Maggie on Saturday morning.

After taking over from Nathan Buckley only two years ago, McRae has transformed the Magpies and turned them into the AFL's cardiac kids - no tight game is too tough for them.

Saturday was the 16th time this season they had led at three-quarter time - they won every time.

McRae replied with a firm "no" after the grand final when asked whether this is the start of a dynasty.

"This is today and we're enjoying today," he added.

Instead, McRae is determined that Collingwood keep improving and changing, no matter what.

"Just constant improvement, try to better our list, look to get involved in free agency if there are opportunities, bring better players in," he told AAP.

"Then, without going too far forward, (we create) a new opportunity for some that missed out and getting the right energy levels for those who have tasted."

When Alastair Clarkson was coaching Hawthorn to four premierships, he became renowned for "if it doesn't need fixing, break it anyway" - in other words, being prepared to try something new to improve.

It is a philosophy that sits well with McRae.

"I believe in constant change. Change is really important, but people don't like the word 'change'," he said.

"So we use the word growth. So we're going to continue to grow.

"People get scared of change, but people want to be excited for growth and so that's the language we use around here."

He noted that all the assistant coaches' roles were changed for this season.

"And they'll be changed again. We're just putting people into where their strengths lie and making our department even better than what it is," McRae said.

"We need to keep improving off the field."

While McRae is measured about what lies ahead, his excited and jubilant players are daring to dream of back-to-back.

They joined the Blues and Bombers on a record 16 flags with Saturday's triumph.

"Everyone at this club has helped me and this team to get where we need to be and I tell you what - it's just the beginning," enforcer Brayden Maynard said.

"We're gonna lap it up, we're gonna have some serious fun, I might burn down Melbourne.

"But I'm looking forward to celebrating with the team because it's been two years of getting after it, getting better every day.

"We got better for this moment.

"I don't want to get ahead of myself too much but we've built this culture, we can do anything."

Isaac Quaynor reckons Jack Ginnivan is already talking about repeating next season.

"I have complete belief in this group, but I'm wary of living in the moment and just enjoying it as it is now. But definitely there's belief," Quaynor said.

"So anything's possible. I've always said we're building something special. Why not?"