Nick Dal Santo has expressed his concern with the length of contract being bandied around for Collingwood’s Brodie Grundy.
The star Magpies ruckman is after a mammoth seven-year deal believed to be worth $1 million per season but with that colossal investment comes plenty of risk.
Even Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley said a seven-year offer wasn’t our starting position but that it was the desire of Grundy’s management.
Former St Kilda and North Melbourne midfielder Dal Santo has made it clear that two-time All-Australian Grundy is worth the fuss but suggests there is a slight worry due to the combative nature of his position.
However, the seven-year deal signed by GWS star Lachie Whitfield this week is nowhere near as risky according to Dal Santo.
“I like it for this particular player and I’ve liked it with a few of the others that they’ve done,” he said on SEN Breakfast, referencing new Giants captain Stephen Coniglio’s similar deal.
“The way that Lachie plays, his game style won’t go out of date.
“I’ve got some sort of concern with the Brodie Grundy seven-year deal. The position that he plays and the way that he exposes his body to get battered around, that’s just the life of a ruckman.
“I’m in no way saying that he is not worth a million dollars a year, he might be worth more in the current market, but seven years is risky for a ruckman.
“You are one contest away from a PCL, knees clashing, the way that they land and just the toll. I don’t know if there’s a position on the field that takes more toll than a ruckman.
“When you ruck you are jumping at someone all day, you’re wrestling, you get thrown to the ground, you just get mauled all day.
“Brodie Grundy has every right to ask for seven (years) and it looks like he’s going to get it and he’ll get his $7 million. But I’d be more comfortable giving Lachie Whitfield seven years knowing that the way he plays the game and the way he can adapt to multiple positions.”
A caller suggested that the potential seven-year deal for Grundy was “common sense” because the two-time Magpies best and fairest is one of THE best players in the competition and the club simply don’t have a choice.
Dal Santo agreed with that assessment but reiterated the risk involved with such a lengthy deal for a ruckman.
“I think that is exactly why they are going to sign him for seven years,” he added.
“Brodie Grundy is clearly the best ruckman in the competition in my opinion, he possibly deserves more than a million dollars.
“I just have concerns signing a ruckman that’s already at his age (25) for seven years because it is so easy, and I say this while touching wood, that they can get injured because of the contact and the way that they jump at the football and the amount of workload that Brodie Grundy carries.
“If everything goes right then it is an absolute bargain, I just have concerns.
“Collingwood in some ways might have had their hand forced a little bit because he’s going to get it somewhere but we may look back at some stage and say, ‘geez, it is a risk’.”
Dal Santo put himself in the position of Collingwood list manager Ned Guy and asked how he would handle the situation for the good of the club.
“I’d be forced to (sign him) and I’d also do it because he’s the best ruckman in the competition,” he said further.
“I’d put all my eggs in the basket right now that the Pies are around the mark of playing finals and winning premierships.
“I’d take the risk.”