Christian Petracca has sent a warning to the competition, saying the Max Gawn/Brodie Grundy combination in the ruck for Melbourne will be “scary” for opposition.
Arguably the two best ruckmen of the last decade with a combined eight All-Australians, Gawn and Grundy will suit up for the same team in 2023 after the latter departed Collingwood last year.
How Simon Goodwin plans to fit two genuine ruckman into the same side has proved a point of conjecture across the pre-season. But Petracca has simply enjoyed the new dynamic between his two teammates.
“My early takeaway is it’s going to be good fun, it’s awesome, they’re both great players, both different cats off the field too, very different personalities,” Petracca told SEN’s Whateley.
“Gawny is that tall ruckman that can take marks and be down the line where Grundy is more than extra midfielder who is really good below his knees and can tackle really well.”
Petracca, who will no doubt spend plenty of time roving to both Gawn and Grundy, said he anticipates an even split of the ruck duties between the duo.
He also issued a big warning to the rest of the competition.
“I think it will be 50/50… I think what you saw in the past with Luke Jackson and Gawny, it’s whatever the matchup is, whatever we feel like who has the best matchup against the opposition,” Petracca continued.
“I do feel sorry for the other ruckmen. (St Kilda's Rowan) Marshall on the weekend, sometimes your second ruck is a forward whereas this year it’s Gawny or Grundy, which is pretty scary.”
Gawn attended an average of 65 per cent of centre bounces for the Demons in 2022, while Grundy attended 84 per cent in his six games for Collingwood last year.
Grundy suffered a knee injury in the Anzac Day clash against Essendon and went on to miss the rest of the season after a stress fracture in his ankle.
He won’t have played AFL in over 300 days when he strides onto the field against the Western Bulldogs in Round 1, and Petracca is anticipating his teammate to improve as the season continues.
“From what you saw on the weekend, I spoke to Grundy after the game and he was saying it’s his first game since Anzac day, which is a long break,” he added.
“So for him to be getting some pre-season under his belt and some match fitness, it’s only going to continue to look good.”