Knightmare
Brownlow Medallist
- Sep 22, 2010
- 19,533
- 19,542
- AFL Club
- Collingwood
- Other Teams
- Chicago Bulls
- Thread starter
- Banned
- #2,751
What?
Nowhere in there did you explain how he 'didn't interview great'. The kid is super serious about his football, he has been since he started at Sturt. That has never been a bad thing before. I would be extremely surprised if his interviews were anything but a positive from the club's perspectives. I daresay every club would have appreciated how professional he is.
And you've basically just said that the 'bottom dwellers' have poor development systems in place. Port Adelaide have Shaun Rehn who would be a pretty handy coach for Grundy. I reckon Steven King could certainly do him justice too. But if they were that concerned with not being able to develop a young ruckman, then wouldn't they rather someone naturally talented like Grundy, over a project rookie who requires serious work? Saying they were 'scared' is a little silly to say the least. It's just that GWS seem to favour trading in a ruck, and the other teams have even bigger holes through their midfields.
Sorry if I'm sounding overly critical, but I just think you're looking for a reason that isn't actually there. I just can't agree with any suggestion that Grundy would have interviewed poorly.
While clubs may not have left thinking he wants to play for us, I actually strongly agree that he has the drive to improve. You can tell with the way he has put on muscle these past years that he hits the gym hard.
In what I was saying I was suggesting that Grundy wants to land at a club where he can get the most out of his game and was really pressing clubs about how they can improve him, really asking them about their programs. I personally really like this and as I've said before and will say again is exactly why I would draft Grundy. He wants to get that maximum out of his game and by doing that clearly demonstrates that drive to get better and be a part of success. It just feels like he came off in a way where he wouldn't be interested in joining a losing team or a team without what he considers a positive culture. I am over-reading into this with Grundy and having not seen the interviews in person you never really know, but this is my very strong sense and I'd be surprised if any of this was even slightly off from everything I have seen, read and heard.
In my assessment of why clubs are overlooking him it's really a combination of everything I mentioned to varying degrees. The ruckmen selected early draft just don't have that same success. Clubs seem to be more aware that the best have come from the rookie draft - Cox, Sandilands, Mumford, Jolly, Jacobs and that they don't have to spend a 1st rounder.
You are right that more clubs are looking to trade for ruckmen. GWS can very easily add another one later on when they need one and are competing for wins/premierships with the increasing sense that they think they can just add one anytime, which likely will be when they start to really climb and become that top 8 side.