AFL club walks away from $7 million star Brodie Grundy

One AFL club has pulled out of the $7 million shootout for Collingwood star Brodie Grundy in a very telling development.

Brodie Grundy of the Magpies. Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

Port Adelaide has reportedly pulled out of the shootout for Collingwood star Brodie Grundy.

The South Australian club was first linked with the Magpies ruckman in 2019 with suggestions he wanted to return to his home state before he eventually signed his monster $7 million deal with the Pies.

However, that is no longer the case with reports that Port Adelaide has walked away under the understanding that Grundy wants to remain in Melbourne.

The Magpies are considering offloading Grundy’s lucrative salary — worth around $1 million per season until 2027 — to clear cap space for rival targets including Dan McStay, Bobby Hill, Tim Taranto and Billy Frampton,

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The Herald Sun first reported Grundy met with Port Adelaide officials via Zoom recently and informed the club he isn’t interested in leaving Victoria.

Channel 7’s Tom Browne now reports the battle for Grundy is realistically down to Melbourne, Geelong or Collingwood.

The Demons’ pursuit of Grundy is expected to be dependant on star tall Luke Jackson requesting a trade to Fremantle where he could potentially accept a mega-rich deal worth more than $1 million per year.

Brodie Grundy of the Magpies. Photo by Michael Klein.

Grundy was struck down with a PCL injury on Anzac Day before an ankle setback ended his campaign. The Pies have gone 13-3 in Grundy’s absence, with Darcy Cameron shouldering the ruck load in a breakout season.

Grundy would need to be acquired via trade, and his big-money $1 million per season price tag complicates any deal — especially given the 28-year old has struggled to replicate his previous best form. However reports suggest the Pies are willing to chip in $300,000 of his salary.

Hawthorn and GWS have also been linked to the big man.

Collingwood is still hoping to re-sign free agent Jordan De Goey despite withdrawing its $3.2 million offer to the gun midfielder-forward after his Bali exploits.