‘Mummy’ danger dismissed
Star Magpie ruckman says enforcer makes him laugh
BRODIE Grundy says he has no fear of Shane Mumford’s crash-and-bash approach and is determined to use his running power in the battle that could decide tonight’s preliminary final.
Mumford is seen to be on his last legs against a superior ruck opponent, with Grundy one of the Pies’ few winners in his side’s round-18 capitulation to the Giants.
Mumford is a lethal weapon with a reputation for trying to exact physical pain on his opponents, but Grundy says that heat isn’t often applied.
He said he was more often entertained by Mumford’s sledging than in fear of whether the 108kg ruckman was about to crunch him in the contest.
“The media has gone really hard on this story,” he said yesterday of the perception Mumford would try to rough him up.
“I don’t think it’s actually that bad. He doesn’t go after his opposition in the direct matchup, I don’t think.
“He might come after me but it doesn’t bother me if he does ... I know what he’s going to bring.
“It’s physical but it’s not over the top. If it’s in the contest and I can get away from him I will be laughing.
“In the contest he’s very physical and that’s his strength, and I feel like I can match him in there and hopefully run him a bit.”
For all of Mumford’s fearsome reputation, he hasn’t been suspended this year after keeping his aggression channelled at the man with the ball.
Either way, Grundy seems unconcerned.
“I suppose what has come naturally to me is my strength,” he said. “Even as a young player it was my fourth or fifth game against Shane Mumford and Sydney and I wasn’t that intimidated by him then.
“He’s actually pretty funny. He does say some stuff on the ground and there is a bit of a code among ruckmen where they have a laugh, even in the hottest of moments.”
Coach Nathan Buckley is confident Grundy will get it done.
“He had 31 (touches), 22 contested possessions and 48 hit-outs – we rated him as one of our better players,” Buckley said of the ruckman’s performance in the 47-point loss to the Giants in round 18.
“That doesn’t mean it’s going to go that way again, but Mumford and (support ruckman Dawson) Simpson had a pretty strong effect in high game time and as key forwards as well.
“We are not sure exactly which way GWS will go with that, but our 22 won’t change.
“We know the structure we are going to go in with and will largely focus on how we are going to play our footy.”