The AFL future of star ruck Brodie Grundy remains unclear as trade whispers continue to circulate.
On Friday, respected AFL media journalist Damian Barrett said the ruck “project” between Melbourne captain Max Gawn and Grundy had been “abandoned”, while 7NEWS chief football reporter Tom Browne suggested on Thursday that there was a new player in the Grundy market.
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Grundy – who was traded from Collingwood to Melbourne in a salary cap dump at the end of last year – has been dropped to the VFL in recent weeks after his partnership with Gawn flopped.
With Grundy out of the picture, Gawn, a six-time All-Australian who is widely considered the competitions No.1 ruck, has rocketed back to his blistering best.
Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin said he wanted Grundy to improve his forward craft, but critics close to Grundy have insisted that he is not a forward and never will be.
Goodwin later clarified his comments, saying that he was not trying to turn Grundy into a forward, and also called the trade speculation “hysteria”.
“We’re trying to increase the combination forward of the ball. We’re not trying to turn Brodie Grundy into a forward – let’s be really clear on that,” Goodwin said.
“We’re trying to turn this ruck combination into a dominant force that will help us in the ruck, but also help us ahead of the ball.
“On the back of that hysteria; I’ve heard him playing as a permanent forward, I’ve heard we’re trying to trade him. That’s not the case. We love Brodie Grundy.”
But Grundy’s time in the VFL is likely to remain this weekend, even though he has been named in Melbourne’s extended squad to face Richmond on Sunday afternoon.