Three years after their last full meeting, Brodie Grundy and Nic Naitanui’s ruck stoush will be one to savour

Strap yourselves in for a Friday night ruck battle to savour. Brodie Grundy has dominated West Coast in recent years, but what impact will Nic Naitanui have on that?

Brodie Grundy will clash with Nic Naitanui in a tantalising ruck battle. Picture: Michael Klein.

Two of the AFL’s ruck colossuses will go toe-to-toe tomorrow night in a battle to savour.

It has been more than three years since Brodie Grundy and Nic Naitanui clashed for a full match, with ACL injuries in both knees twice grounding the high-flying Eagle.

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Naitanui suffered the second of his ACL blows in Round 17 last season against Collingwood, when he fell awkwardly while contesting a boundary thrown in against Grundy.

Grundy went on to dominate the ruck duel in last year’s grand final as Naitanui watched on, amassing 49 hit outs to Scott Lycett and Nathan Vardy’s combined 29.

But the Naitanui-Tom Hickey combination will present a different challenge for Brownlow Medal contender Grundy as the Eagles strive to continue their recent stranglehold over Collingwood.

Nic Naitanui will be out to curtail Brodie Grundy’s recent dominance of West Coast.

“He asks a question, especially around centre bounce,” Magpies coach Nathan Buckley said.

“Even playing low game time, he has high impact. I think the two ruckmen we are facing, neither of them rucked in the grand final last year.

“It just shows you how it’s not just about personnel, it’s about stepping up when it is your turn.

“Both Hickey, and now with Nic back in the side, it’s a slightly different mix. Nic is a big man, but he plays with great power.

“Hickey covers the ground really well and has been taking contested marks. I’m sure (Grundy) would be looking forward to that challenge.”

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Since their clash in Round 6, 2016 — when Naitanui had 30 hit outs to Grundy’s 15 — the star Magpie been a class above in six outings against West Coast.

Nic Naitanui and Brodie Grundy fly in the ruck during their brief meeting late last season. Picture: Michael Klein.

Grundy has rucked against Lycett, Vardy, Hickey and Drew Petrie during that stretch.

In his past five games against the Eagles, the Magpies ruckman has averaged 18.3 disposals, 41.4 hit outs and 125 Champion Data ranking points.

“(Grundy’s) effort is unquestioned and the way he goes about it is enormous,” Buckley said.

“He stands up for his teammates and he wears his heart on his sleeve. I’ve got no doubt we’ll get another huge effort from him as we always do.”

In Naitanui’s time on the sidelines, Grundy has established himself as one of the league’s premier ruckmen alongside Max Gawn.

Three games into his comeback, Naitanui will be out to reassert himself as an elite big man after managing 14 disposals and 23 hit outs in last weekend’s western derby shellacking against Fremantle.