Melbourne track watch: Brodie Grundy might have played his last game in red and blue after Casey’s huge VFL loss

Melbourne pulled almost everyone out of Casey’s VFL final on Saturday – and, as expected, it didn’t end well. So, what does it mean for Brodie Grundy and the wider Demons squad?

MELBOURNE. 24/02/2023. AFL. St Kilda vs. Melbourne at Moorabbin. Brodie Grundy of the Demons is congratulated by Max Gawn after a 4th qtr goal. Pic: Michael Klein

Brodie Grundy may have played his last game in the red and the blue after Melbourne’s VFL side was bundled out in an elimination final that was almost decided before the ball was bounced.

And Collingwood goalkicker Ash Johnson was forced to watch on for most of the second half while the Magpies also bowed out of the finals, as he nursed a forearm injury.

Grundy will join a slew of Demons unable to put their case forward for an AFL recall, with no match play available for those in the squad looking in on the first-choice side.

A new chink was thumped in the armour of the beefed up VFL on Saturday when Melbourne pulled out players from Casey’s knockout clash with Footscray.

As the AFL Demons prepared for a Thursday qualifying final, Casey’s team announcement on Friday was more about who wasn’t playing than who was.

Brodie Grundy will not have a chance to play for Casey again this year. Picture: Josh Chadwick/AFL Photos

Each of Grundy, Charlie Spargo, Tom McDonald, James Jordon, Taj Woewodin and Josh Schache were rested in case any are required for Thursday’s AFL qualifying final against Collingwood.

Footscray thumped a depleted Casey by 79 points.

Regular VFL pair Bailey Laurie and Dan Turner were also ineligible for Casey, as they played in the AFL in round 24.

With AFL-calibre midfielder Luke Dunstan also out of the Casey side after he tore his ACL last week, the Demons knew they were running on fumes before the game.

“From a VFL point of view, we harp all year about being ready because you don’t know what is going to happen with injury and availability,” Casey coach Taylor Whitford told Channel 7 before the game.

Grundy was fresh off booting three goals in a 35-disposal outing last week, a game in which McDonald bagged five goals.

Forgotten midfielder James Harmes sent a reminder to the AFL coaches as he had 21 disposals before three-quarter-time, when he was sent to full-forward late to ease his workload.

James Harmes was in good form. Picture: David Crosling

Collingwood, too, will be unable to give its wider squad further match play after the Magpies crashed out of the finals in a 55-point loss toWilliamstown.

Johnson sat on the bench during the second half with the forearm injury.

He has played 15 AFL games this year for the Magpies but none since round 21.

Melbourne did the right thing by its AFL ambitions by adjusting its VFL side to make sure players were fit in five days’ time for a Thursday night final.

But after Casey smashed North Melbourne by 101 points and Collingwood ripped Richmond by 75 points in the other wildcard game last weekend, the state league finals have hardly launched in memorable fashion.

For the two elimination finals plus the wildcard games, that is an average margin of 77.5 points.

The 21-team VFL is riddled with flaws and seems destined for further shake ups in years to come.

There is no doubt if it were a genuine reserves competition, games wouldn’t have been played on an AFL bye weekend and perhaps it is worth considering moving the competition in line with the bye, with a potential VFL grand final the Friday night before the AFL decider.

Yet again on Saturday, it appeared like the league was caught between being reserves or a serious competition in its own right.

Dees skipper’s frank admissions on Grundy axing, 2022 finals exit

– Jon Ralph

Melbourne captain Max Gawn has admitted the Demons fell into the trap of “boring and predictable” football as they crashed out in straight sets last year.

It came as the Demons skipper put his hand up to own his own “miserable” form during the club’s failed stint playing twin rucks, which contributed to the club’s decision to drop Brodie Grundy.

The Demons trained at Casey Fields on Thursday with six-goal grand final hero Bailey Fritsch sidelined but expected to play Collingwood despite soreness in his surgically repaired foot.

Grundy is a contender for a recall after three goals and 33 possession in a Casey VFL final, but all signs still point to the Demons bringing Tom McDonald back into the side.

The club will replace Jake Melksham (torn ACL) and has legitimate options given it could play small forward Charlie Spargo or another midfielder in James Jordon after he also dominated the VFL final.

The Dees have been hit by injuries up forward again with Jake Melksham out for the rest of the season. (Photo by Jason McCawley/AFL Photos/via Getty Images )

That decision will come next week but Gawn, nobbled by a leg injury in last year’s semi-final loss, says the Demons have learnt the lessons of that ignominious exit.

“I certainly think we‘ve learned a lot more throughout this year on both game style and ourselves,” Gawn said.

“You could be excused for winning seven in a row to win the (2021) Grand Final and then ten in a row following up (to start 2022) that we were almost untouchable.

“We didn’t say that but it could have been a potential thought. And then we got knocked off, we did run out of gas. We hardly changed the side. We sort of became a bit boring and predictable in finals. That is something I think the whole club has changed. I feel like we‘ve got different ways to score. We’ve got different ways to defend.

“My body had some issues towards the end of last year as well. But I feel fresh. I feel like I‘ve been able to learn from those mistakes I made last year. And there’s a lot of other people in the same boat.”

Gawn’s side was booted in straight sets in last year’s finals series. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Gawn is prepared to ruck one out against Darcy Cameron and Mason Cox if Goodwin does not recall Grundy but still believes the twin ruck combo can work well into the future.

“We‘re both feeling fit, fresh and healthy at this time of the year, which is really good to have two dominant rocks both feeling fresh in September. To answer the following question, I don’t know what it looks like over the next three weeks.

“I do know I would have complete confidence if he does get picked to be able to go straight back to Gawn-Grundy version 4.0 and see if we can do it again.

“There is this narrative that potentially it‘s suiting me the fact that Brodie is not out there. But I just feel like I was miserably out of form at times when Brodie was in the team. Luckily I had the C next to my name and it was easier to get rid of Brodie than it was me but I certainly wasn’t going well. He’s here for a while with a five-year contract and I’ve still got another couple of years. So if both of us get going I am sure we can still work it out.”

Originally published as Melbourne track watch: Brodie Grundy might have played his last game in red and blue after Casey’s huge VFL loss