How Sturt draft prospect Riley Grundy is asking the big questions and answering his challenges
THIS time last year Sturt AFL prospect Riley Grundy ‘didn’t have a chance of playing state footy’. But as he struts his stuff at the AFL Draft Combine, the brother of Collingwood star Brodie is fast turning into the prototype AFL defender.
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RILEY Grundy won’t die wondering.
It is not in his nature.
“I won’t deny it, I love asking questions,’’ the Sturt key defender and younger brother of star Collingwood ruckman Brodie Grundy said.
“Ever since I was young I’ve been told I like to ask a lot of questions and it’s true because I think it’s the best way to learn.
“My family isn’t big on the question thing but for me it's important. I like to have a deep and thorough understanding of things before I attempt them, with school, sport or life in general.
“I’ve always thought that you learn more from listening than talking. Even with drills at football training I want to make sure I know exactly what I am doing before they start so I don’t stuff it up.
“With chemistry lessons at school, I want to know how equilibrium works so I can get the answer right in tests. It’s all about getting better.’’
Grundy, who in just three years has gone from playing his first football match at age 15 to being one of just 13 SANFL players invited to this week’s AFL Draft Combine in Melbourne, is so inquisitive that he drove SA under-18 coach Tony Bamford mad during this year’s national carnival.
But Bamford said he loved every minute of question time.
“This kid is a really different personality — and I guess Brodie’s the same — but the thing I found most intriguing about Riley was that almost after every training session he would come in after I’d be packing up my computer or putting stuff away and he’d want to revisit the training session with me,’’ Bamford said.
“He just wanted clarity and to know that when he was going home that night that he was 100 per cent clear on what we were trying to teach him, that there was no grey area.
“I loved that about him because it is quite rare to be questioned by players like that. He’s switched on and I really enjoyed working with Riley.’’
Grundy, who showcased his mental ability at the combine by recording the highest score in the psychomotor test, said without all of his questions and the resulting feedback he would not be in draft contention.
“I’ve come from a long way back, not playing football until three years ago, so without seeking so much feedback I would have struggled to get to this point,’’ he said, adding that he had also leaned on Crows All-Australian backman Brodie Smith for advice in his role as under-18s defensive coach.
The 18-year-old, who at 194cm has been transformed from a high-leaping ruckman into a lockdown defender, only took up football at 15 because of Brodie’s success with Collingwood.
Like Brodie, he had focused on basketball as a child.
“I wasn’t really enjoying basketball and saw Brodie achieve some great things with his football and thought I want to reach that (AFL) level too,’’ Grundy told The Advertiser.
“I am very proud to say that he has made me realise that anything is possible if you put in the work and have a competitive nature.’’
Bamford said if SA handed out a most improved player award after the under-18 titles, Grundy “would have won it hands down’’.
“This time last year Riley had no hope of playing state footy,’’ he said.
“Now he is the prototype AFL defender — tall, with great reach, a terrific leap and speed.’’
A Year 12 student at Cabra College who has designs on studying medicine, Grundy says while he enjoys playing down back he prefers to ruck like his brother.
“People say I’m not tall enough to ruck in the AFL but I won’t rule that out because I’ve got a good leap and I can out-ruck people,’’ he said.
“And I might grow a bit more yet.’’
Considered a late national draft pick, Grundy could end up alongside Brodie at the Magpies, who are in the market for key defenders.
“It would be interesting, wouldn’t it, the Grundy brothers at Collingwood,’’ he said.
“It would be funny if we got to play together and I’m sure Brodie would give me a little bit of biff.’’
andrew.capel@news.com.au
