Seven heaven for Brodie

Grundy happy to stay if Magpies relent

STAR Collingwood ruckman Brodie Grundy says he is ready to pledge his future to Collingwood if he can secure a blockbuster seven-year deal.

Grundy’s manager, Robbie D'Orazio, said rival clubs were making inquiries about the man widely considered to be the best ruckman in the league.

The 25-year-old is a free agent at the end of next season and said the lure of being closer to his family in South Australia had been tempting.

But Grundy said yesterday he was prepared to sign with the Magpies if the club upped its offer to seven years to secure his long-term future.

The Magpies have only been prepared to look at a three-year deal to this stage.

Asked if he was happy to do a deal now, Grundy said at the TAB Spring Carnival launch: “Obviously, Collingwood gave me an opportunity to play AFL football and I love the club and where I am at, and personally what I give to the team.

“So if something was to eventuate ... (that would be good). It's not like it is a closed shop.”

He said he was keen to stay with the Magpies if they could overcome the sticking point about the length of his deal.

“I feel really comfortable at the football club,’’ he said.

Grundy said if a deal could not be struck over the summer months, he was prepared to deal with the media attention on him and the club going into the final year of his term.

Much was made of his dominance in the preliminary final loss — as he had more than 70 hitouts — but the Magpies midfielders lost the clearances, which was an issue the ruckman said must be addressed.

“We haven’t reviewed it as a team, but the stats say I won the hitouts pretty convincingly but we couldn't convert that into our favour,” he said.

“I have got a big role to play in that. I have got to take ownership of that as well and we need to build on that midfield chemistry into 2020.

“I will continue to back myself. I am only 25, and I still think I have got a lot of scope left in my game.

“I think I get a lot of the footy as a ruckman, but just an area of my game I need to improve on is probably my disposal efficiency and use under pressure.

“I'll probably continue trying to try to take a few more marks and try to hit the scoreboard a bit more. I get my hands on it a bit, but we probably need to take more of an advantage of that.”