AFL trade news: Brodie Grundy wants to stay in Victoria, rules out Port Adelaide switch

Brodie Grundy has made it clear he wants to stay in Victoria, with two leading premiership contenders in the mix to lure the ruckman from Collingwood.

Brodie Grundy looks set to leave Collingwood.

Brodie Grundy has told Port Adelaide he is not interested in a move west, with Melbourne slightly ahead of Geelong in the hunt for the contracted Magpie.

Grundy’s potential departure is tied into Collingwood’s wishlist of acquisitions and would mean the Pies have the cap space to secure Tim Taranto and retain star free agent Jordan De Goey next year.

The Power spoke to Grundy over Zoom for 20 minutes over a month ago where they established initial contact, but had their hopes of securing him quickly dashed.

He made clear he was keen to remain in Victoria and while there is still a chance that he could stay at the Pies, he is heavily exploring his options.

Grundy hasn’t met Power coach Ken Hinkley and while he comes from South Australia he is destined to play at a Victorian club still in premiership contention.

Close friends say Grundy has a burning desire to re-establish himself as a dominant ruckman in the competition next year wherever he plays after his 2022 season was shut down with ankle issues.

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Brodie Grundy wants to stay in Victoria. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Demons captain Max Gawn has made clear he is prepared to split ruck time or even play predominantly as a forward under a deal where the Pies could pay for as much as $300,000 of his $1 million contract.

Geelong has been reported as the other interested party, even though they traded for young ruckman Toby Conway last year and have Rhys Stanley and Jon Ceglar contracted through to 2023.

Collingwood is set to secure Lions free agent Dan McStay on a five-year, $3 million contract and GWS midfielder Bobby Hill is also set to nominate the Pies as his trade target.

GWS mid Taranto is off contract and will make his decision on staying or heading to one or Richmond or Collingwood in coming weeks.

But it has been made clear to him that his arrival at the Pies would not depend on Collingwood shipping salary cap space through the departure of Jordan De Goey.

De Goey is already on a considerable deal of up to $800,000 and might have to accept a two-year deal with games-based clauses for further seasons if he remained.

Brodie Grundy in action in the VFL this year.

As revealed by the Herald Sun the Pies are increasingly confident he will stay given De Goey wants to remain and believes he can maximise his potential and brand value at Collingwood.

A decision by the Pies board will be critical given they will have to tick off any potential contract after his recent off-field indiscretions.

The Power is hopeful of securing Bulldogs midfielder Josh Dunkley, having offered a long-term contract of above $600,000 for a player whose girlfriend Tippah Dwan lives in Adelaide playing Super Netball.

Dunkley’s sister also lives in Brisbane and he has interest from the Lions but as his contract talks drift he seems more likely to head to South Australian than Queensland if he decides to move on.

Dwan is contracted for 2023 in Adelaide but many players including teammates Adam Treloar and Tim English

West Coast’s Junior Rioli has also been linked to Port Adelaide as he weighs loyalty to the Eagles and a more convenient move from a family perspective.

His Northern Territory-based partner has a sister in Adelaide and would be more likely to move to South Australia next year than back to Perth.

The Power deal is understood to be more lucrative than the West Coast offer but the Eagles stuck with Rioli when he was banned for two years for an adverse doping finding.