Collingwood’s Brodie Grundy reveals his struggles with hub life during 2020 AFL season

Ruckman Brodie Grundy has opened up on his 2020 form struggles and given insight into what it’s like to live with “100 colleagues for 100 days”.

Brodie Grundy and his dogs Ava and Sam

Collingwood ruckman Brodie Grundy has opened up about the struggles of hub life last year which impacted his form.

Grundy, an All-Australian and Copeland Trophy winner, said 100 days away from home took its toll.

“It was certainly a unique experience to say the least,’’ Grundy said.

“With 100 of your colleagues for 100 days … and by no means was it a prison.

“But it certainly wasn’t how I’d like to spend 100 days of my time when I’m in season.

“I’m pretty structured and pretty routine in the things I do and like to get away when I’m not playing football.

“It makes it pretty hard to do that when you’ve got a bunch of rowdy teammates. It was a good learning experience, and I got to learn a lot about myself and about my teammates.

“We had a lot of guys who had some challenging moments there and we were able to lean on each other and in the long run the team connection and team dynamics can certainly be improved.”

Grundy, who likes travel, reading, surfing, wine and some trashy reality TV, graduated with a health science degree at the end of last year. It took him seven years and is one of his proudest achievements.

He has recently started his MBA and is starting to feel self assured again.

“I won’t sit here and say because I’m back in Melbourne I’m going to be kicking goals, it’s more feeling better mentally and actually enjoying myself,’’ Grundy said.

“A lot of players play better football when they’re happy and enjoying themselves away from the game.

Brodie Grundy with in partner Rachael in 2019

“I finished my undergrad halfway through last year and spent a lot of the time, because (my partner) Rachael didn’t come with me — she did come for a few weeks — but I spent most of the time in the hotel room by myself not really having anything to put my mind to away from the game.

“When you’re not dominating and you’re not at a level people expect you to be, you start dwelling on that and it’s not the best for playing optimal footy when you can’t have some balance away from football.”

Grundy, who grew up in Adelaide, said footballers had to take the good with the bad.

“It’s part and parcel,’’ said Grundy who is a Wolf Blass Chase the Finals ambassador, the promotion this year is giving football fans the chance to win tickets, flights and accommodation for them and a mate to every round of the 2021 AFL Finals Series.

“For a long time people can build you up and at one point it’s inevitable that these things happen and it’s just about having a support network around you.

“I’m lucky to have that in Melbourne. Friends and family away from football give you really good perspective.

“It’s just being able to acknowledge that issue and accept the good things people say about you but also opening yourself up to equally accept the criticism as well.

“The player or athlete or any person can decide how they want to interpret people’s comments.”

Grundy said he is looking forward to coming up against former teammate, new Bulldog Adam Treloar, next Friday night, who he has nothing but respect for.

“He was probably one of my best friends at the club and I really miss seeing his smiling face,’’ Grundy said.

“He’s only two or three lockers down from me and we had a pretty special connection and I’m sure he’ll know exactly where I’m hitting it Friday night and will probably shark all my hits.

“It will just be an acknowledgment before the game and after the game as well.

“I just want to wish him all the best. He’s such a down to earth, humble and genuinely beautiful person. People don’t really realise, they forget to think about footballers as human beings at times.

“Someone like Adam Treloar is just a fantastic person and whether he’s playing for Collingwood or not, you just hope they get looked after.”