Magpies have ‘options’ for Brodie Grundy amid reports of ‘mega deal’ with GWS Giants

Collingwood reportedly has “options” on a potential trade for Brodie Grundy as the star ruckman’s future hangs in the balance.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JULY 07: Brodie Grundy of the Magpies in action during a Collingwood Magpies AFL training session at Olympic Park Oval on July 07, 2022 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

Collingwood has “options” on a potential trade for Brodie Grundy as the star ruckman’s future hangs in the balance, according to reporter Jay Clark.

Speculation around a Grundy move has heated up in recent months following Darcy Cameron’s emergence as the Pies’ number one ruckman since the former was struck down with a PCL injury in Round 6.

But complicating any potential deal is that Grundy is contracted until 2027 on a lucrative seven year, $7 million contract signed back in 2019.

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It comes amid Collingwood free agent Jordan De Goey’s own uncertain future, while the club is expected to land Lions key forward Dan McStay and is circling Giants trio Tim Taranto, Bobby Hill and Tanner Bruhn.

The Herald Sun reported on Friday the Pies could explore a “mega deal” that would send Grundy to the Giants as they eye the aforementioned names.

And Clark posed on Triple M’s Rush Hour whether such a move would be in Collingwood’s best interests, even if it meant chipping in for some of Grundy’s lucrative salary, much like it did when dealing Adam Treloar to the Western Bulldogs in 2020.

“Big watch here on the superstar big man … let me just put this out there. Would you lose Grundy for Taranto, the superstar midfield/forward, and maybe a bit of Hill on the side?” Clark said.

“You get Taranto, who is a like-for-like for De Goey, who maybe goes out. Taranto is that striker mid/forward without the behaviour stuff.”

A trade with the Giants was however questioned by journalist Tom Browne, who reports GWS is faced with salary cap pressure and need to clear in excess of $1 million from its books as Jacob Hopper has also been linked to trades.

“Hypothetically even if the Pies covered $200,000, they’d (Giants) have to clear another $800,000 for Grundy,” Browne posted on Twitter.

Brown elaborated on Triple M why he thinks talk of a Grundy-to-GWS deal is “premature”.

“For example, they’d have to clear one of Taranto, Hopper and Bruhn, then they’d have to clear another expensive player — a Josh Kelly, Lachie Whitfield, Stephen Coniglio or Toby Greene — to have even a hope of taking on Grundy,” he said.

“That wouldn’t be an easy deal to get across the line, that’s not to say it wouldn’t happen.”

Grundy back at training (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

It comes after Grundy considered a move back home to SA in 2019 before signing his lucrative extension with the Pies.

And Clark believes the Power are also in the mix for the 28-year old Grundy’s services.

“Grundy could go back home, he’s a South Australian boy and could lead the rick division there … I wouldn’t be surprised if there's a bit of momentum behind a Grundy deal,” he said.

Port’s cross-town rival, the Crows, could also come into play too.

Former Adelaide forward Josh Jenkins believes the club would be willing to pay for Grundy’s entire salary without any help from Collingwood.

“I think Adelaide would (pay him $1 million a year). Because in three, four, five years’ time $1 million will be like $650,000-$700,000 now,” he said on SEN.

“I’ve said this a lot, you can’t half get him. You either cop the extra $200,000 that you think is not necessarily worth to have him, or you don't have him at all.

Of course, Grundy would have to agree to any potential trade, and The Herald Sun reported the dual All-Australian’s preference is currently to stay at Collingwood, while coach Craig McRae this week said he’s keen to see big man remain at the club.

“Do we want Brodie Grundy here? Yes, we do,” McRae said.

“I’m really excited by watching him progress from injury. He’s only a couple of weeks away from playing. I think in this competition; you always need to keep getting better.

“You can’t stand still. Where can we get improvement in the next six weeks? I think Brodie can give us significant improvement, particularly in our centre bounces.”

Grundy is still a few weeks away from returning from his knee injury as a red-hot Pies team that’s won seven games in a row is faced with the challenge of how to integrate him back into the side.

Originally published as Magpies have ‘options’ for Brodie Grundy amid reports of ‘mega deal’ with GWS Giants