Brodie Grundy’s manager Robbie D’Orazio says his client is excited to get to work at Melbourne after departing Collingwood via trade on Tuesday.
After months of speculation, Grundy was finally sent to the Demons in exchange for pick 27, a deal that many think Melbourne would be thrilled with given the ruckman’s status as a two-time All-Australian and dual best and fairest winner.
At 28 years of age, Grundy departs Collingwood with plenty of footy ahead of him and D’Orazio confirmed reports that he was pushed out of the club as part of a salary dump.
The ruckman still had five years and a reported $5 million remaining on his deal with Collingwood, and D’Orazio said the decision to move the big man on came from list boss Graham Wright who didn’t want to spend such a big portion of the club’s cap on rucks.
“He (Wright) took it with open eyes and open ears, and we were discussing things along the way,” D’Orazio said on AFL Trade Radio.
“In the end with Brodie, we all know the long-term deal and the footy that he missed this year, I think that played a big part. They won a lot of games without him.
“He (Wright) had four ruckmen, including Aiden Begg on his list and were paying them a lot of money. Brodie is the one that was having the most ability to change what it is, his salary cap.
“He and the coach (Craig McRae) were happy to sit down and work out which one they wanted to keep and one that probably helped their salary cap the most was Brodie Grundy. We approached it like that, and he’s really excited to get to the Melbourne footy club.
“He wasn’t jumping for joy when the trade went through, there was a bit of sadness in there, but he wakes up this morning a Melbourne footy player and he’s excited to get to work.”
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While salary was the critical reason behind Grundy’s departure, D’Orazio rubbished claims that his client was offered a chance to stay if he took a pay cut, stating that option was never really discussed.
“It was never really discussed, to be honest,” he added.
“I think the list manager would like all players to take pay cuts. If they went through their books at the end of each year because something might become available.
“It wasn’t something that was discussed in depth or in totality.”
Collingwood will now pay a portion of Grundy’s remaining contract which will see him remain at Melbourne until the end of the 2027 season.
He joins the Demons with 177 senior games under his belt.