A Grundy thread

3rd degree · Joined: 22 Jun 2004 Location: John Wren's tote

Was Steve McKee the smarter option?

stui magpie · Posted: Mon Jun 24, 2019 8:34 pm

RudeBoy · Joined: 28 Nov 2005

Quite simply, Grundy is the most valuable player we have ever had in our team.

More valuable than Rose, Bucks, Pendles, Millane, Swan, Daicos or Greening. These others were more brilliant in various ways, but none were as vital or irreplaceable as Grundy is today.

Soudie · Joined: 23 Jan 2020

I'm sure I will get torn apart for this by Nicksters but I'm over this bloke. I said it at the time (when we let go of J Witts) it'd come back to bite us. Q for Nicksters - would you rather have Grundy or Witts plus at least another $500K in the salary cap? Witts is arguably one of the best Tap rucks going around. Prior to signing his mega contract Grundy I recall him saying he thought the rest of his team mates would be mad not to get everything they could out of a contract and now he's not going to be defined as never winning a flag - great attitude. Yeah he's a different cat but I just don't like his attitude. He better play like a man million dollar man this season - my new moneybags!

Magpietothemax · magpietothemax Joined: 28 Apr 2013

You pose an interesting question. I still think I would prefer to have the option we went with (ie Grundy), but this year will be a defining one. I believe that his 2020 year was an aberration due to COVID. I believe he will be stellar again in 2021. I just hope that our midfield coaches have, during yet another preseason, finally found a way for us to actually be able to exploit Grundy;s dominance by connecting him up with our mids.

masoncox · masoncox Joined: 31 Aug 2015

Witts has no engine.
By the 4th quarter he is running up and down on the same spot.
Grundy was playing injured last year.
We will see how Grundy plays this year.
Will be interesting.

KickTruly · Joined: 06 Oct 2020

And we got Cameron to help out. He has shown to be useful in attack.
Cameron's starting to settle and find hid slot in the team. Confidence is growing.

eddiesmith · Posted: Fri Mar 12, 2021 10:26 pm

Don't attack the chosen one, you'll be targeted for life!

Lazza · Joined: 04 Feb 2003 Location: Bendigo, Victoria, Australia

Target me but Grundy is a mercenary. However I couldn’t care how much he gets as long as he helps to bring us a premiership. This apathy is conditional. My confidence in this objective being achieved is waning. I can honestly only hope that we have ultimate success in the next two years but not bet my life on it.

eddiesmith · Posted: Fri Mar 12, 2021 11:02 pm

That's my issue, he won't bring us a premiership and no ruckman is worth that sort of money.

No premiership team in recent memory has won on the back of a highly paid ruckman. The only team who's won one that had a highly paid ruckman on their books did so without him!!! Their 2nd and 3rd string ruckmen beat our now $million man.

Which is why the OP is bang on asking the question, Grundy has often been beaten by clubs 2nd string ruckmen. Melbourne even rested Gawn last year and they belted us!!!

Fact was Grundy should never have played the Adelaide game, but it seems his preference to play at home overrode what was best for the team. Grundy first, Collingwood second, seems to be a pattern.

Magpietothemax · magpietothemax Joined: 28 Apr 2013

I dont think you should blame Grundy for being selected to play Adelaide! How do you know it was his preference that persuaded the selection committee to play him?
I refuse to judge Grundy on the basis of last year. It is totally unfair. 2020 was an aberrant year.
Moreover, Grundy is not as effective as he should be because our mids have never been able to connect effectively with him. Grundy has been powerful due to his mobility and impact around the ground, but we have never been able to capitalise when he also dominates the ruck contests.

pietillidie · Joined: 07 Jan 2005

The moaning about a lack of a star ruckman before Grundy was both deafening and understandable. There is nothing worse than getting shut out of big finals by a monster ruckman or ruck combo.

neil · Joined: 08 Sep 2005 Location: Queensland

People are forgetting GF vs Brisbane when we got smashed in the ruck
The lack of a ruckman in 2009 vs Jolley in 2010

slangman · Joined: 11 Aug 2003

I think Grundy is a fantastic ruckman/follower and is worth the money that he is on imho. The only issue I have is the length of the contract. The club should only have offered four years with clauses for a potential fifth.
More so than the financial figure, the seven years is what I think will end up haunting us down the track.

simon tonna · Joined: 24 Oct 2013 Location: carindale

Umpires are now recognising that he is blocking the spaces that allow the opposing ruck to contest the ball.
Grundy uses this ploy during the contest to invariably win the tap. Unfortunately he is being pinged a lot more and some of the interpretations of the umpiring are questionable.
This is what elevated he’s career. Maybe he needs to add another string to he’s bow.