Collingwood skipper Scott Pendlebury says he hopes decorated ruckman Brodie Grundy stays with the Magpies next year, along with star midfielder and free agent Jordan De Goey.
As Grundy’s future is up in the air, the two-time all-Australian having met with Melbourne and Greater Western Sydney recently, Pendlebury observed that “all Australian ruckmen don’t grow on trees” and that he wishes that Grundy would remain with Collingwood, where he has a further five years remaining of a seven-year contract.
The Magpies are pleased with how Jordan De Goey is tracking. Credit:AFL Photos
Pendlebury also reiterated he hoped that De Goey, a restricted free agent, would stick with Collingwood, the key midfielder/forward having the right to exercise his free agency and the Magpies having put contract talks on hold following an incident in Bali during the mid-season bye.
But Pendlebury, one of the game’s most respected players and leaders, said that as a player, he did not get involved in player contracts, free agency or trades.
Pies ruckman Brodie Grundy.Credit:Getty Images
“Yeah, I’d love for Jordy to stay,” Pendlebury told The Age on Monday.
“Yeah, I guess it’s something as a player – like you’re never really involved, you’re never involved in about doing contracts, talking about trade and free agency.
“As a player, like I would love him to stay. It’s between him and the club if they can work something out. Yeah, I hope he stays.
“We train a lot together, we do pre-season together. We connect really well on the field. He’s an easy guy to play with … he’s one of most team-oriented guys on game day, like he just loves to compete and win, and I feel like you want those guys here, and it’s just the nature of the business.
“I’ve always supported Jordy and I do.”
“Jordy has been really good over the back half of the year and in fact all season on-field, and his preparation has been really good. But, as we said, we’ve parked conversations until the end of the season, and we are holding to that,” Anderson said.
“Jordy is doing everything right on-field and off, and we will sit down with him at the end of the season. We are pleased with the way he is tracking.”
Pendlebury also told The Age he would like Grundy to remain. The ruckman’s management have been open to him being traded, subject to the right club and Grundy supporting it.
“Yeah, same [on Grundy as De Goey]. Yeah, it’s one of those things in football, because you hear the chatter. Like I love my… All-Australian ruckmen don’t grow on trees. I mean, All-Australian players in general don’t grow on trees, so yeah I hope Jordy stays, I hope Brodie stays.
“But it’s the nature of the beast in a sense with free agency and stuff like that it can happen now. It’s what we wanted as an industry. But yeah I would like if both guys could stay.”
Pendlebury felt the Magpies learned much from their round three encounter with the Cats – when Geelong wiped off a 37-point deficit to win by 13 points – but he did not think that clash held much relevance to Saturday’s qualifying final.
“Yeah, we learned a bit from the last game which I think held us in good stead for the season in the close games, the way we execute better, things like that.
“But I don’t think both sides would look back at that game too much and think ‘how do they play?’ Because both sides have improved and changed a lot.
“I don’t think it’s that relevant…they were playing a new way, we were playing a new way and I feel like we’ve both improved a hell of a lot since then.”
The Magpies are waiting on emerging forward Oliver Henry to agree to a new contract with the club as he weighs up his future. Henry, the brother of Geelong defender Jack, was pick 17 in the 2020 national draft and has kicked 21 goals in 15 games this season, showing poise in critical moments.
Geelong are monitoring Henry’s contract status knowing the 20-year-old might be contemplating a return to his hometown but have been open with the Magpies that they have not been chasing the youngster as he looks to establish his career.
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