‘Murky and muddy’: Bucks’ concern for Grundy

Grundy, who was brought to the Demons to play in tandem with captain Max Gawn, was last week axed and sent to the reserves to work on his forward craft as coach Simon Goodwin looked at young gun Jacob van Rooyen in his place as a key forward and back-up ruck option.

The move paid off for Goodwin, with Gawn running rampant for 29 disposals and 10 clearances in an expanded on-ball role as the Demons scored over 100 points for the first time since round 9 to claim a stirring one-point win over the Lions.

Buckley, who was Grundy’s coach when we won back-to-back Copeland trophies at the Magpies, said his place at Melbourne looked “increasingly murky and muddy” after Gawn’s dominant performance in his absence.

“He’s a ruckman first and foremost, and it’s now Melbourne’s responsibility to work out how they can utilise him,” Buckley said.

“You need a list across the season, so if we take a step back it doesn’t hurt to have both those guys on the list, but if they’re both No. 1 ruckmen and pretty much the best exponents of their craft at the level, it’s going to be a focus when they’re not playing senior footy.

“If he plays, he’ll be playing 40 per cent ruck and 25-30 per cent forward, so it’s obviously that 25 per cent that (the Demons) are looking for.”

Buckley said he thought Gawn was the only ruckman in the competition capable of ousting Grundy from the position, but was unsure if the former Magpie’s non-selection meant he should look for a third club at the end of the season.

He said Grundy would have already weighed up whether he would be better served as a No. 1 ruck before he made the call to join the Demons.

“He’s probably had a look at that before he made the decision to come to Melbourne. I know it would be quite unsettling for Brodes to go to another club, but I suspect that there’s still quite a bit to work itself out before that would be an option,” he said.

“Only Max could probably keep Brodie out of that position. There’s some great performing ruckmen in the competition at the moment, but Brodie gets continuity, and even earlier in the year when Max was out, he held up really well.”

Buckley praised Goodwin’s communication of the selection decision after the Lions win, saying his rationale to “put the team first” showed strong leadership.

The former Collingwood great was spoke to reporters on Monday morning ahead of his first competitive football match since the famous 2007 preliminary final against Geelong.

Buckley will line up for Nilma Darnum in the Ellenbank and District Football League on Sunday as part of The Carlton Draft Initiative.

Originally published as Axed Melbourne forward will ’never’ be a forward according to former coach