Former Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley says the club decided to let Brodie Grundy be traded to Adelaide before the board intervened.
Grundy signed a seven-year contract with Collingwood in 2020, but three years later finds himself at a third AFL club, with the Pies still paying part of that mega-deal.
Reflecting on Grundy’s ultimately costly re-signing, Buckley told SEN Breakfast that trading the star ruckman would have been the best decision.
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“It was definitely the decision that we should have made and that should have been made,” he said.
“Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but it would have been better for the club and it would have been better for Brodie if you went in a different direction.
“‘Brodes’ is coming back to Adelaide, he’s happy at the Adelaide Crows, who knows what would have happened there and we definitely would have been in better shape.”
The 51-year-old revealed that the prospect of trading Grundy was “predominant” in his and the club’s thinking throughout 2019 before the club’s board intervened.
“Because apparently we found a way to keep him (financially),” Buckley responded when asked why Grundy stayed.
“Which has since proven to be a boon for the club’s and Brodie’s backs.
“I’m delighted that he (found another club), I think about it from the human side. Brodie has to accept it, he raised his hand, his manager had a tough negotiation at some level. He played brilliant football, was the best ruckman in the league alongside All-Australian Max Gawn, and had proven himself to be one of the hottest players in the game.
Brodie Grundy moved to Melbourne for a season before being traded to the Swans (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“But you still have to weigh that against everything else and the circumstances you’re in, your TPP (Total Player Payments), your needs, where the rucks are. Brodes struggled over the last three years and was essentially unwanted at Collingwood because he was part of the TPP, which was probably the easiest to move and change.
Asked if the board had intervened and caused the club to re-sign Grundy when others at the club had decided to trade him, Buckley replied: “It’s about TRUE.”
“But it wasn’t so much about what we were going to get or what we weren’t going to get.
“The proposition was that we couldn’t afford to keep everyone, so we had to make a tough decision (let him go), and then that tough decision was made, but we didn’t follow through on it.”
Brodie Grundy trade, Collingwood contract, Nathan Buckley comments, board intervened, why did they re-sign him, net worth
Brodie Grundy trade, Collingwood contract, Nathan Buckley comments, board intervened, why did they re-sign him, net worth،
Former Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley says the club decided to let Brodie Grundy be traded to Adelaide before the board intervened.
Grundy signed a seven-year contract with Collingwood in 2020, but three years later finds himself at a third AFL club, with the Pies still paying part of that mega-deal.
Reflecting on Grundy’s ultimately costly re-signing, Buckley told SEN Breakfast that trading the star ruckman would have been the best decision.
Watch the Trading Day Deadline Special, live from 7pm (AEDT) on Wednesday with full analysis of every club. Stream it live or on demand on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >
Tom Hawkins signs one-year extension with the Cats | 00:28
“It was definitely the decision that we should have made and that should have been made,” he said.
“Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but it would have been better for the club and it would have been better for Brodie if you went in a different direction.
“‘Brodes’ is coming back to Adelaide, he’s happy at the Adelaide Crows, who knows what would have happened there and we definitely would have been in better shape.”
The 51-year-old revealed that the prospect of trading Grundy was “predominant” in his and the club’s thinking throughout 2019 before the club’s board intervened.
“Because apparently we found a way to keep him (financially),” Buckley responded when asked why Grundy stayed.
“Which has since proven to be a boon for the club’s and Brodie’s backs.
“I’m delighted that he (found another club), I think about it from the human side. Brodie has to accept it, he raised his hand, his manager had a tough negotiation at some level. He played brilliant football, was the best ruckman in the league alongside All-Australian Max Gawn, and had proven himself to be one of the hottest players in the game.
“But you still have to weigh that against everything else and the circumstances you’re in, your TPP (Total Player Payments), your needs, where the rucks are. Brodes struggled over the last three years and was essentially unwanted at Collingwood because he was part of the TPP, which was probably the easiest to move and change.
Asked if the board had intervened and caused the club to re-sign Grundy when others at the club had decided to trade him, Buckley replied: “It’s about TRUE.”
“But it wasn’t so much about what we were going to get or what we weren’t going to get.
“The proposition was that we couldn’t afford to keep everyone, so we had to make a tough decision (let him go), and then that tough decision was made, but we didn’t follow through on it.”
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