The Brodie Grundy trade links have been revitalized following the latest report.
7 News’ reporter Mitch Cleary said on Wednesday night that Collingwood is willing to pay up to $300,000 of his salary per season to a rival club in order to facilitate a trade.
Grundy has been linked to several clubs including Melbourne, GWS and Geelong in recent weeks, although neither Grundy nor the Magpies have publicly indicated any desire to facilitate a trade.
However, the rise of Darcy Cameron and the form of Mason Cox have seen Collingwood fans miss Grundy less and less throughout the season while he’s been injured.
The speculation comes just over two years after Collingwood signed Grundy to a seven-year deal at big money.
The 28-year-old hasn’t consistently reached his peak form since inking the contract. He struggled in the hubs in 2020, played better in 2021 but only managing six games this season.
All the information available can only say one thing about Grundy’s contract, according to Kane Cornes.
“If Collingwood are now really open and he is open and he’s meeting with clubs on the eve of Collingwood’s finals series and the fact that I heard Collingwood are prepared to pay $300,000 of his wage next year, it might even be more,” the Port Adelaide great began on SEN’s Whateley.
“If that’s the case, and you’ve got five years left on a deal, that’s been an absolute disaster for them.
“To give a guy $7 million for seven years and only after two years you’re looking to pay a large chunk of his salary for him to play for another premiership candidate.
“I don’t think there’s any way you can look at that contract other than a massive failure, it’s an embarrassment really.”
As to where Grundy could end up, Cornes believes Melbourne is chief among suitors.
“I think he works at Melbourne, just because of Max Gawn’s flexibility and Gawn’s willingness to play a team-first role,” he added.
“I mean Max Gawn doesn’t need the 80 per cent touches in the ruck, he’s happy to play wherever Simon Goodwin needs him, be that forward, be that behind the ball or in the ruck.
“I’d love to see him go to Melbourne, I think it works.
“You’re upgrading Luke Jackson for probably a two-year period where you’re going to get Brodie Grundy in the sweet spot.”
Jackson is widely tipped to return home to Western Australia and join Fremantle during the 2022 trade period.
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