Pies run rule over locking in Grundy

DUSTIN Martin was in the final weeks of a 2016 season where he would ultimately win the Jack Dyer Medal, and he wanted to get paid.

A year out from his impending free agency, Martin was determined to gain a lucrative longterm contract somewhere well south of $1 million a year and yet it never came.

Just on 12 months later amid footy’s greatest individual season, he backed the truck up.

Richmond would hand him a seven-year deal at around $1.25 million a season, and must have wondered why they never locked him away the previous season.

Tonight Brodie Grundy will run out for Collingwood as footy’s great ruckman, facing almost identical circumstances to Martin three years ago.

Is it worth them paying the price for Grundy now — even on a lucrative seven-year deal — when under free agency next year they lose all control of the process?

Imagine Grundy out of contract in June next year and the kind of $10 million offers for footy’s best ruckman?

Right now the Pies aren’t willing to commit to a deal of that tenure, worried about the longevity of rucks across history and desperately trying to squirrel away cap space for their array of stars.

He loves the club, wants to stay, couldn’t be more committed.

But how can holding off and allowing the kind of contract circus that enveloped Josh Kelly, Martin and right now Stephen Coniglio allow them to retain control?

The case for a seven-year deal from 2020-26 this summer is this. Given he turns 26 in April he would play full seasons at 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 and 32. He is the perfect package as a ruckman who barely misses a game and might not yet have even peaked. He’s been available to play in 110 of Collingwood’s last 113 games.

Some of the AFL’s ruck stalwarts over the year have decidedly mixed views on a seven-year deal for a ruckman.

North Melbourne and Carlton ruckman Corey McKernan, who played 237 games to 30 years of age: “Collingwood just can’t afford to lose him. If you have got a great ruckman, why flirt with it?”

Paul Salmon, who played 324 games with Essendon and Hawthorn until 37 years of age: “I am not a believer in long-term contracts for player or club. I did it myself at 28 and I regretted it.”

Melbourne ruckman Jeff White, who played 268 games to age 31: “Why not? Lock him away.”