Is trading for Collingwood superstar Brodie Grundy worth the risk for Adelaide Crows?
Brodie Grundy is the best ruckman in the game. And if Adelaide attempts to lure him back, he won’t come cheap. Warren Tredrea asks whether the Crows might be better off investing in their long-term future.
Warren Tredrea
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Is recruiting All-Australian ruckman Brodie Grundy in the Adelaide Crows’ best interests going forward?
That’s the questions Crows football department must ask themselves right now.
As the Collingwood big man approaches free agency (at the end of the 2020 season), he has a big decision to make — stay put in Melbourne and re-sign with Magpies? Or consider a move home to Adelaide to be closer to family?
Money won’t be a problem for the Collingwood superstar, if he stays he’ll earn over $1 million per season for between five to seven years, if he comes home he’ll demand between $1.2-1.4 million per year over a similar term.
With Port Adelaide not interested after acquiring Scott Lycett in the last off-season, Adelaide appears set to go it alone.
But a deal for the reigning Copeland Trophy winner won’t come cheap should he choose to come home.
Collingwood will demand eye-watering compensation including Adelaide’s 2019 first round draft pick, currently pick one, acquired famously from Carlton during last year’s AFL draft, as well as their first-round selection in the 2020 draft as a minimum.
And while some may see it as overs, we can’t forget in 2017 Adelaide traded two first round picks (10 and 16) to acquire 28-year old Bryce Gibbs on a big money four-year deal from Carlton.
No doubt Adelaide needs to improve their ruck depth, and while the emergence of Reilly O’Brien to number one ruck duties has been a positive in season 2019, Sam Jacobs’ battered body has many believing the end is near.
But before moving for Grundy, Adelaide must take a deep breath.
The Crows list demographics aren’t kind, they have the third oldest list in the competition with key players locked into long-term high-priced deals — Rory Sloane (five years until 2023), Taylor Walker (2021), Josh Jenkins (five years until 2022), Daniel Talia (five years until 2021), and Gibbs (2021).
And aside from Sloane and Talia, the others have struggled to perform consistently well at the top level.
Right now, Adelaide sit fifth on the ladder and in finals contention. But they appear below the competitions best, that’s why it’s not as simple as putting all your eggs in the one Brodie Grundy basket.
It takes clear eyes and guts to step back and admit the Crows list needs a refresher.
That’s why Adelaide must consider trading players with real market value who won’t impact on their next premiership run.
Ruthless teams win flags, just ask Alastair Clarkson, he hasn’t been afraid of making big calls to retire premiership stars Luke Hodge, Jordan Lewis, Sam Mitchell, Brian Lake and Josh Gibson while transitioning the Hawks’ playing list.
His acquisition of Chad Wingard was daring, giving up young gun Ryan Burton and pick 18 (Xavier Duursma) to acquire the former Port Adelaide star.
Adelaide will be well aware of young gun Matthew Rowell, he’s the best under 18 player in the country, currently plying his trade for Oakleigh in the Victorian TAC Cup.
He’s been described as being “Rory Sloane plus more”, a young midfielder possessing the complete package, he has speed, an engine, plays inside and outside, possesses elite skills and decision making and is hard at it.
The Crows must ask themselves would Rowell and the other talented kids be better for the club than acquiring the high-priced Grundy?
We can’t forget making a play for Grundy would almost certainly cost the Crows Rowell and a whole lot more.
That’s why Adelaide’s future is in the draft, and they must go back to it to refresh their playing list.
Take a look at what cross-town rival Port Adelaide did last off-season, they made the ruthless call to move on Wingard to Hawthorn, in the process refreshing their list by drafting and blooding Burton, Connor Rozee, Zak Butters and Duursma at AFL level with great success.
Kids are the best way forward, and as hard as it is to ignore the lure of the best ruckman in the game in Grundy, Adelaide must back themselves in to secure and develop the next crop of Crows superstars — it’s the best way forward.
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