Collingwood ruckman Brodie Grundy wrestling with lure of return home as contract talks drag on
Brodie Grundy says “things didn’t eventuate” during contract talks earlier this year with Collingwood, revealing why he would consider a return to his home state South Australia.
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Brownlow Medal contender Brodie Grundy admits he is wrestling with the attraction of a return to Adelaide despite his love of Collingwood.
Grundy told the Herald Sun on Monday he was prepared for a year of scrutiny if his contract negotiations drift into his free agency season in 2020.
The deep-thinking ruck star loves his role at Collingwood and the authentic brand of leadership and togetherness the club has bred in recent years.
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But he does not deny there are a number of factors that would also see him seriously considering whether to return to Adelaide in 2021.
Grundy turns 26 next April, with his management pushing for a seven-season contract that would replicate deals for Stephen Coniglio and Tom Lynch.
Asked if he could see himself leaving the Pies, he admitted the decision was far from simple.
“People have, players have. People leave for all types of different reasons,” he told the Herald Sun.
“I am not saying that is what I am doing, I am not saying it’s what I am not doing. It is just a reality.
“For me the club tried to come to me at the start of the year and things didn’t eventuate.
“I thought it was really premature and I still think it’s premature. It was two years out from having to make these decisions.
“For me it’s where am I happiest, where do I want to have my kids? Do I want my kids to be around my brothers, who will be getting married and having kids. My girlfriend is from Adelaide, I am from Adelaide. My mum obviously would love me home. Lots of different things. Right now I am really happy and loving my role in the team, I have a really important role in this team and am really relishing it.”
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The Pies’ offer to Grundy was a three-year deal earlier this year, but he is more likely to have a body of evidence to make a decision by next season.
Coach Nathan Buckley admitted last month the Pies did not want to offer a seven-year deal to players because it robbed the club of flexibility over list management.
“When I signed my last deal I thought that’s good because I won’t have to think about these things until I am 26 and a half, 27,” Grundy said.
“I am going to know where I want to have my kids, have my family. There is going to be a good body of evidence, where I play my footy, is there success?
“And since then this club has got back to where we want to be and that’s one component of it.
“But there are a whole lot of other factors that need to be taken into consideration and the club is well aware of that, I am well aware of that and I have been really open and transparent. We have said let’s get through this year, focus on the finals and then I am sure (the speculation) will start again at some point.”
Grundy’s manager Robbie D’Orazio will continue to talk with the Pies over a new contract, with Grundy content to deal with the constant speculation if that contract does go unsigned into 2020.
“There has been some precedent for that length of deal,” Grundy said.
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“I am not saying I am that player, but when you are looking about negotiation it’s all a part of it. What has been done before, what has been done in the past for ruckmen so that’s why you pay your manager what you pay them.
“No, it won’t do my head in. It hasn’t this year. That is something that I think players are getting better at dealing with and in the past it’s something that if a player is or isn’t going well it can work in the favour of a certain party, the stress of a contract.
But I am in a good place and the club is in a good place and there is no real need to feel pressure around it.”
Originally published as Collingwood ruckman Brodie Grundy wrestling with lure of return home as contract talks drag on
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