Collingwood ruckman Brodie Grundy on track to complete best season since Gary Ablett’s 2009 Brownlow Medal win

It has been 27 years since Scott Wynd was the last ruckman to win a Brownlow Medal. With Brodie Grundy compiling one of the best AFL seasons on record, is the drought about to end?

Brodie Grundy is compiling one of the best statistical years in history in a remarkable season that could see him break a 27-year Brownlow Medal drought for ruckmen.

The Magpie star is closing in on the most prolific season since Gary Ablett’s Brownlow-winning 2009 campaign.

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Scott Wynd, the most recent ruckman to be awarded the Brownlow Medal in 1992, said 25-year-old Grundy was more than a ruckman, he was like an extra midfielder.

The former Bulldog great said Grundy’s career-best form should be rewarded at this year’s Brownlow count.

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“Brodie is not just a ruckman. His ability to be that fourth or fifth midfielder is massive for Collingwood,” Wynd said.

“He’s competitive as a ruckman, that’s for sure.”

Brodie Grundy contests a thrown in with Hawthorn’s Ben McEvoy. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

Grundy is on track to amass the best ranking points average of any ruckman in one season, posting 132.1 per game to Round 19.

Should Grundy maintain his five-round average of 149.2 ranking points during the run home, he would achieve the second-best 22-game season recorded by Champion Data behind Ablett in 2009.

Grundy holds the record for the best rankings points average of any ruckman in one year with 130.7 last season, when he polled 17 Brownlow votes.

Brodie Grundy is enjoying the best year Champion Data has recorded for a ruckman. Picture: Michael Klein.

Another ruck great, 1975 medallist Gary Dempsey, said he hoped Grundy broke the medal trend.

“I think basically they should call it the on-ball medal now, because ruckmen don’t get the recognition that they used to get,” Dempsey, who played 329 games with Footscray and North Melbourne, said.

If he doesn’t win the medal, no ruckman could possibly ever win it again.

— Pete Davey (@Petedavey1979) July 24, 2019

Didn't they say the same thing about Gawn? Best he's managed in recent years was equal 4th last year.

— Peter Keating (@peterk0578) July 24, 2019

Dempsey was one of five ruckmen to be crowned the AFL’s best and fairest player in the 1970s, alongside Graham Moss, Len Thompson, Peter Moore and Graham Teasdale.

“Out of the 10 Brownlows awarded in the 70s ruckmen won five of them, because we were the dominant players on the ground in those days,” he said.

“Nowadays of course, it’s the Gary Ablett medal.”

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Dempsey said he would love to see the dominance of ruckmen such as Grundy and Max Gawn given greater recognition in the count.

Scott Wynd was the last ruckman to win the Brownlow Medal in 1992.

Brodie Grundy and Max Gawn were the top ruckmen in last year’s Brownlow Medal.

“A lot of people bag (ruckmen), but I think when you have got a good ruckman you are a good chance of doing something,” he said.

Gawn was the leading ruckman on Brownlow night last year, polling 20 votes to finish eight behind winner Tom Mitchell.

Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley lauded the barnstorming form of Grundy, who has averaged 21 disposals, four marks and 41 hit outs this season.

“He’s become a better player year on year and he was a Copeland Trophy winner for us last year and an All-Australian,” Buckley said.

“I think his year this year is every bit as good as last.”

Grundy was clearly the Magpies’ best against GWS Giants in Round 18, collecting 31 disposals, laying nine tackles and winning 48 hit outs despite his side going down by 47 points.

Sydney champion Adam Goodes spent time in the ruck during 2003, when he shared the top gong with Mark Ricciuto and Buckley.