AFL Trades 2022: Collingwood trades Brodie Grundy to Melbourne
Collingwood has traded Brodie Grundy to Melbourne, and the superstar ruckman has sent an emotion-charged departing message.
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Collingwood has traded superstar ruckman Brodie Grundy to Melbourne for pick 27.
After weeks of talks on a deal the Magpies will send the dual All-Australian big man to the Dees and contribute some of his wage.
The move helps clear salary cap space at Collingwood to bring in Hawthorn midfielder Tom Mitchell, who could come across in exchange for a second-round pick.
Grundy departs after 177 games and two Copeland Trophies, and he said on Tuesday afternoon he thought he would play out his career at Collingwood after signing a monster seven-year contract in 2020.
“When I was drafted to the Collingwood Football Club in 2012, I felt proud to be a Collingwood player. When I signed my contract in 2020, my dream was to be a Pie for life,” Grundy said in a statement on Twitter under the caption “Thank you”.
“My desire to remain at Collingwood did not change this year. However, after recent conversations with the club, this dream could no longer be a reality.
“Thank you to my teammates who have made my time at Collingwood so special. Over the 10 years, we’ve gone from teammates, to mates, to family.
“And thank you to the Magpie Army for the unconditional love and support you’ve showed me over the past decade, it has made my time at Collingwood infinately better.
“Signing with the Melbourne Football Club today, I am deeply committed to my new club. I’m looking forward to the contribution I can make to Melbourne and their fans in 2023 and beyond.
“Time to dream a different dream and get to work ahead of the season.”
On Tuesday Collingwood also snared Adelaide defender Billy Frampton for a future third-round pick.
Frampton will play a Jordan Roughead-style role deep in defence for the Magpies.
The Grundy move has polarised Collingwood fans as it means Darcy Cameron and Mason Cox will lead the ruck in Grundy’s absence.
At Melbourne, Grundy will take the lion’s share of the ruck duties, meaning six-time All-Australian Max Gawn will play more minutes in a key forward role next year.
“We thank Brodie for his great contribution to our football club over the past decade,” Collingwood football manager Graham Wright said.
“Brodie has been an outstanding club person in his time with Collingwood and he should be commended for his professionalism and the support he’s shown to his teammates despite facing his own injury challenges this season.
“We have remained in open and honest discussions with Brodie for some time now around his future – he is a quality person and leaves our football program with everyone wishing him all the very best.
“While decision-making relating to list management can be difficult, we have a duty to make decisions that best positions our club moving forward.”
A man I have the highest respect for on and off the field. Learnt so much from him and one of those people that every time you chat you leave a better person. Someone who makes this world better. Going to miss you fam. https://t.co/u3FZp5GBra
— Mason Cox (@masonsixtencox) October 11, 2022
Jackson deal paves way for Grundy, Lobb moves
– Jay Clark
Melbourne believes its premiership window is still wide open despite the loss of Luke Jackson as it cashed in on his departure despite still haggling on a deal for replacement ruckman Brodie Grundy.
The Demons believe Grundy will be an upgrade on Jackson in the short-term future despite the departing premiership player’s undoubted potential and cherished place in the club’s premiership history.
The flow-on effect from the trade will also see the Western Bulldogs step up their chase for Rory Lobb, with the Dockers now expected to seriously consider a trade with the Dogs.
They will play hard ball on that trade but the Herald Sun understands they are now prepared to at least ask the Dogs would they would hand over for the key position tall.
Melbourne secured Fremantle’s No. 13 draft pick, their future first-rounder and their future second-rounder but lost Toby Bedford and handed pick 67 back to the Dockers in a three-way deal.
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Fremantle secured premiership ruckman Jackson and picks 44 and 67, with Melbourne confident it can keep two first-round picks and hand over the No.27 draft selection to Collingwood.
On Monday the Pies were still unrelenting that dual All Australian Grundy was worth more than pick 27, having initially asked for a selection between 20 and 25.
Melbourne’s pick swap with Brisbane saw it secure only 27 despite attempts to secure an earlier pick and the Demons maintain they will not offer any more.
In yet another game of AFL brinkmanship it is the Demons who have the power because Collingwood must get Grundy’s salary off their books.
Melbourne has lost Bedford and will lose depth player Sam Weideman to Essendon for a likely future third rounder.
But in a year where the AFL might bring in a five-man interchange that allows clubs to play two pure ruckmen, the Demons believe they can bounce back hard next year.
They could secure Grundy for 27, have pick 13 after trading their own first-rounder last year to Sydney and have Fremantle’s first-rounder and their own next year.
Out of a terrible situation out of losing a No.3 overall pick that the Demons believed could be a Melbourne champion they have done relatively well even if they didn’t secure the top-10 selections they wanted.
Fremantle’s decision to trade out one of its future second-round picks in the Jackson trade will raise hopes the Dockers will also have to move on one of Lobb or Lloyd Meek if they are to secure Gold Coast’s Jeremy Sharp.
The Suns are after a future second rounder for Sharp and although the Dockers have North Melbourne’s future second-round pick, they can’t trade it under the AFL’s draft rules.
The Dockers could get a pick to satisfy the Sharp trade if they offload Lobb or Meek.
The Dogs are prepared to offer up their current pick 30 or their future second rounder for Lobb.
The Dockers could then hand that onto Gold Coast for Sharp if they prioritised a long-term wingman over Lobb, who has one more year on his contract at the Dockers.
Meek has strong interest from Fremantle but the Dockers would likely only secure a later selection from the Hawks past pick 40 for the back-up ruckman.
DOCKERS GET DEAL DONE FOR YOUNG GUN DEE
—Jon Ralph
Melbourne’s premiership ruckman Luke Jackson has finally found his way to Fremantle after the Dockers secured the former No.3 overall pick with an improved offer.
Jackson will become a Dockers ruckman and hybrid midfielder for pick 13, a future first-rounder and a trade of later picks.
In the deal Melbourne gets a future second-round pick tied to the Dockers and Fremantle receives pick 44 and 67 back.
The No.44 selection came from GWS in a three-way trade that also sent Toby Bedford to the Giants on a three-year deal.
While Melbourne was keen to secure a pick win the top 10 this year the Dockers could not satisfy Melbourne on that front and were never likely to in the coming days.
So the Demons will take two first-round selections and the extra later pick, aware they may never be able to compensate for the loss of the brilliant ruckman who helped change the course of the 2021 Grand Final.
The Herald Sun reported on Sunday night the clubs had finally made significant progress on a deal after Fremantle had made clear last week they would not improve upon their offer of two first rounders.
Jackson is set to secure a deal of up to seven seasons and $900,000 per year at the Dockers.
Fremantle have many other trade considerations including landing Gold Coast’s wingman Jeremy Sharp as they ponder whether to allow Rory Lobb and Lloyd Meek to move to Victorian clubs.
The Demons will now be able to move on and secure Collingwood’s Brodie Grundy, although the Pies might have to accept pick 27 from Melbourne to get that deal done.
Fremantle’s decision to trade out one of its future second-round picks in the Jackson trade will raise hopes the Dockers will also have to move on one of Rory Lobb or Lloyd Meek if they are to secure Gold Coast’s Jeremy Sharp.
The Suns are after a future second rounder for Sharp and although the Dockers have North Melbourne’s future second-round pick, they can’t trade it under the AFL’s draft rules.
The Dockers could get a pick to satisfy the Sharp trade if they offload Lobb or Meek.
The Dogs are prepared to offer up their current pick 30 or their future second rounder for Lobb.
The Dockers could then hand that onto Gold Coast for Sharp if they prioritised a long-term wingman over Lobb, who has one more year on his contract at the Dockers.
Meek has strong interest from Fremantle but the Dockers would likely only secure a later selection from the Hawks past pick 40 for the back-up ruckman.
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Originally published as AFL Trades 2022: Collingwood trades Brodie Grundy to Melbourne
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