AFL trade news: Melbourne’s Brodie Grundy likely headed to Port Adelaide
Just 12 months after overlooking a move back home to South Australia, Brodie Grundy might land at Alberton. But how does Port get all of its targets over the line?
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Port Adelaide is the overwhelming favourite to secure Brodie Grundy, with Geelong out of the race for the Demons ruckman and Sydney a fading contender.
In an ideal world, Grundy would have been anticipating a clash with former side Collingwood next week as the perfect storyline to the first week of the finals.
Instead, he is cooling his heels in the VFL despite a dominant three-goal, 33-possession hitout in the ruck for Melbourne’s VFL affiliate Casey.
Grundy was unwilling to consider the Power as a future home last year given he had only just purchased a house in Melbourne’s inner east and was well settled in Victoria.
But with coach Simon Goodwin now conceding the Max Gawn-Grundy ruck duo has not worked, he will be on the move.
Sydney is keen to get in front of Grundy, who is yet to meet with any other club, but at this stage their interest has been rebuffed.
Geelong is keen to secure a veteran ruck prospect to help Rhys Stanley and young ruckman Toby Conway, who coach Chris Scott labelled as a “special” talent on Saturday night.
But Grundy is contracted for four more years so is not in the Cats’ plans as they instead focus on going back to the draft and securing more midfield cover.
With over a month remaining until the trade period, there could be plenty of twists and turns.
But it would take a shock turn for the Power to be pushed out of favouritism for Grundy.
The Power traded its first, second and third-round 2023 draft picks in their trade dealings last season.
So they will face a challenge to land Grundy, Ratugolea and Essendon’s Brandon Zerk-Thatcher, with this masthead reporting earlier this month the Cats are likely to ask for a future first-rounder for Ratugolea.
But there are multiple options that could satisfy Melbourne, including even paying more of Grundy’s contract (he is owed $650,000 a year by the Demons) but handing over a later draft pick.
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Originally published as AFL trade news: Melbourne’s Brodie Grundy likely headed to Port Adelaide
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