“I by no means thought we’d be on this place. That’s in all probability one of many uncomfortable realities that I’ve needed to face, as a result of I believed that chapter was carried out by way of contract stuff.”

Brodie Grundy, a soccer purist, twin finest and fairest, and Collingwood loyalist, was confronted by a sobering reality in final yr’s commerce interval: he was merely a pawn on a black and white chessboard.

At his finest, a couple of years earlier, Grundy was the Queen. Protected in any respect prices by the bishops, knights, and pawns round him.

It’s why he penned a seven-year contract value roughly $7 million. Collingwood’s board – which signed off on the monstrous deal – agreed he justified the funding.

In 2018 and 2019 he was the membership’s finest participant and a two-time All-Australian. However by halfway by way of 2022, Grundy’s worth had diminished. He was nonetheless being paid the identical, however accidents and a lack of kind had severely dented his output.

Collingwood’s lack of religion stung the ruckman: you could possibly inform, watching him clarify his demotion on Stan’s Present Me The Cash documentary.

“You might have what is de facto pure intent which begins whenever you stroll within the door,” Grundy stated.

“You need to be on a banner and contribute meaningfully to the membership. I wished to play 300 video games for the membership. This yr has f–ked me.”

Brodie Grundy celebrates a objective. (Photograph by Quinn Rooney/Getty Photographs)

Those that know him finest say Grundy is an astute man with a sophisticated perspective. A deep thinker, he was by no means afraid to face as much as Nathan Buckley when he felt the previous coach erred. Teammates noticed him as a pacesetter even when he didn’t have the captaincy title.

If he felt burned by the occasions of final October, then he ought to really feel energised by potentialities now.

The system. The enterprise. The dog-eat-dog panorama. If it labored towards him in 2022, you wager it might work for him in 2023.

By now conscious about footy’s fickleness, Grundy ought to really feel no disgrace in requesting a commerce away from Melbourne if his spot can’t be assured, which it shouldn’t be if the Demons are sincere.

The ruck is our sport’s solely actually specialised place, in the identical manner a wicketkeeper is for cricket and a goalkeeper is for soccer. As a lot because the Demons have tried to search out an edge shoehorning two real rucks collectively, there isn’t a humiliation in conceding the experiment has failed.

After all, it could nonetheless work. Publicly, the Dees are saying all the best issues. However 13 matches of ‘Gawndy’ plus an acknowledgement from Melbourne footy boss Alan Richardson that Grundy must “develop his ahead craft” within the VFL is as near an admission as a soccer membership is ever probably to offer publicly that their grand plan has faltered.

Grundy might not be the All-Australian massive man he was 4 years in the past, however he nonetheless boasts appreciable worth on the open market. Within the chilly mild of day, alongside his supervisor Robbie D’Orazio, he ought to relish this chance to train that worth.

At 29, it would diminish the longer he waits – simply ask Todd Goldstein and Andrew Gaff.

Golf equipment which might use a confirmed ruck within the premiership window embody Port Adelaide – which fits him given he’s from South Australia – and Geelong.

There’s additionally the chance the talent-laden Port and ageing Cats can nab him for a discount.

Think about this: Grundy is owed $1 million per yr for the subsequent 4 years.

But when Collingwood is paying $350,000 yearly -as has been reported – and Melbourne chips in $50,000 too, Ken Hinkley or Chris Scott can be a $600,000 ruckman.

This appears about proper for Grundy’s skills – perhaps even marginal unders with the subsequent collective bargaining settlement set to ship gamers a major pay rise.

(Photograph by Chris Hyde/Getty Photographs)

The Demons, at present paying Grundy round $650,000 per yr, might additionally use the cap house to chase a free agent.

They gave up choose 27 for him, however Port’s second rounder, which is able to find yourself being about choose 40, ought to do the trick – as would a future second rounder from Geelong.

It might go away Gawn with out a longtime understudy once more, identical to when Brayden Preuss got here and went in a jiffy.

That’s additionally okay. Melbourne would have the ability to use back-end draft picks and state leagues to scour a worthy second in command, simply as most different golf equipment do, protected within the newfound data that paying massive cash for 2 rucks is a daring, commendable, however essentially flawed and – till 2023 a minimum of – untried premise.

Above all, there may be numerous pleasure in soccer.

Grundy was pressured to swallow his final October. Now is likely to be the time for Melbourne to comply with go well with.

If issues don’t pan out over the subsequent two months, Grundy becoming a member of a 3rd membership in as a few years could possibly be (don’t say it, don’t say it)… a win-win.

Checkmate.