AFL great Nathan Buckley has shared his fears for Melbourne ruck, Brodie Grundy, saying his future at the club looks “muddy”.
Buckley, who coached Grundy at Collingwood, is highly concerned about the Melbourne’s plan to recast the big man as a forward, insisting that forward craft is not Grundy’s go.
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The plan was revealed after the Dees dropped the former Magpie last week for the club’s enthralling game against Brisbane on Friday night.
The Demons came from the clouds to win that clash and Melbourne’s No.1 ruck, and captain, Max Gawn starred in the thrilling comeback.
Gawn had an equal game-high 29 disposals and 10 clearances in one of the best performances of the six-time All-Australian’s already decorated career.
“Max Gawn was huge … the first part of Simon Goodwin‘s comments were fantastic and spot on that ‘the team comes first and we are going to look to be better’,” Buckley said on radio station SEN.
“But then the second half of it is where the grey is in this situation and that is when you go anything beyond what we need this week.
“If you look beyond season 2023, this looks increasingly murky and muddy (for Brodie).
“One statement I‘d like to make is, Brodie Grundy is not a forward and he never will be. He never will be.
“There‘s only one player in the competition that would keep Brodie out of AFL football and that is Max.
“I think it‘ll be quite messy in the next 18 months.”
This is Grundy’s first season at Melbourne after spending 10 years at Collingwood, and now talk is dialing up that the dual All-Australian should move to a third AFL club.
“I know it would be quite unsettling for Brodes to go to another club, but I suspect that there’s still quite a bit to work itself out before that would be an option,” Buckley said.
After the game, Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin insisted Grundy could force his way back into the Demons’ team, even after Gawn’s star ruck turn in his absence.
Goodwin praised Gawn’s impact but declared the high-profile ruck duo could still work long-term once Grundy added more forward craft to his game.
“We love their ruck combination,” Goodwin said.
“But one thing we’re not going to do as a footy club is leave any stone unturned in getting better – and we want more impact forward of the ball.”
Grundy featured in a practice match for Melbourne’s VFL team on Saturday with Casey having the bye.
“We think we can turn that combination into a threat moving forward, and we’re going to work to do it and it doesn’t have to be at AFL level,” Goodwin said.
“We’re still really confident that’ll work, and as we get closer towards the back end of the year, we’re going to need both of them up and going.”
Goodwin said Grundy reaction to be dropped was “brilliant”.
“Outstanding person, outstanding character,” he said.
“He understands he’s in good form in the ruck, but he also knows that we’ve got a responsibility as a club to get better.
“Part of getting better is that forward craft and he needs to do it.”
– With AAP
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