Melbourne recruit Brodie Grundy is excited to crack in with his new club this season.
After 10 years with Collingwood where he became a two-time All-Australian and two-time Copeland Trophy winner, Grundy was dealt to the Demons in somewhat of a salary dump trade as the Magpies looked to offload the remaining five years of his monster seven-year contract.
Still in his prime at 28 years old, Grundy has described his move across Olympic Park as a fresh change as he finds his place in one of the AFL’s best teams.
“It is bizarre in many respects, but I’m super excited,” Grundy told SEN Whateley.
“It’s a fresh change and a great opportunity to write some history and be a part of a very strong team.”
Given his resume, Grundy had several options at his disposal once it become obvious that Collingwood were looking to trade him.
While the Cats and Power were among the clubs interested, Grundy says he ultimately chose the Demons due to their presentation to him and his desire to continue living in Melbourne.
“It was an interesting one, it wasn’t something I thought heading into the 2022 season that it’d be a decision I’d have to make,” Grundy said.
“Look it just boiled down to their presentation which was all class, Max (Gawn) was in the room, ‘Richo’ (Alan Richardson) and Simon (Goodwin).
“It was just their vision as a club that really stood out and obviously I’m really well settled in Melbourne and trying to set up a life here.
“That made things really easy for me and my partner.”
Moving to Melbourne may not have been the obvious move for Grundy if he wanted to remain a number one ruck though, given that the Demons possess Max Gawn, the 2021 premiership captain and six-time All-Australian ruckman.
The pair have since formed a partnership that’s been coined the ‘Tap Brothers’ and Grundy says he has loved bonding with his new teammate.
“It’s been really great, to be honest,” Grundy explained.
“I’ve really enjoyed my time so far, Max is a really charismatic person … he’s great fun to be around and as a teammate now I’m learning lots from him individually as well.
“His aerial marking I think is his number one strength, it’s a real asset for him personally and us as a team.
“I’ve just been picking his brain … to be able to go into the change rooms, I’m not too proud to ask him, ‘What do you think in these situations?’, that’s the opportunity I’ve got now to learn and visa versa.
“I think where we are in our careers personally we’re really open and really keen to chase long-term success.”
Now spending time both up forward and in the ruck, Grundy says he’s more than okay with relinquishing time in the middle to Gawn and visa versa as the pair chase team success over individual accolades.
“As athletes, we all have an ego, it’s something you need to temper from time to time or sometimes it’s something you need to wake up and use to your advantage,” Grundy said.
“For me, it was a sign of Max being really encouraging in having me come across, I thought that was a really strong show of faith.
“We were able to meet in the middle, he’s obviously been a champion player for a long time … it was more a show from his side that he wanted me to come and play with him.
“There’ll be an element where I’ll spend less time in the ruck and I’m okay with that.
“It’s just the evolving nature of my career personally and professionally and I think that comes with age, maybe I’m a little bit wiser and I’ll spend less time bashing and crashing which might be a good thing.”
Grundy is set to run out officially for the first time in his new colours when Melbourne face the Western Bulldogs at the MCG on March 18.