Grundy clear of neck injury

COLLINGWOOD expects ruckman Brodie Grundy to take his place in the team against Greater Western Sydney tomorrow after scans cleared him of damage to his neck.

In a dramatic day at Collingwood headquarters, Grundy was stretchered from the field with his neck in a brace after receiving a head knock during the warm-up at training yesterday.

Grundy was taken to hospital by ambulance for precautionary scans after feeling what Magpies’ director of football Neil Balme described as a “bit of a crack” and soreness.

The Magpies’ No. 1 ruckman had scans to check his neck, which came back clear, and was also expected to have an MRI on his back.

Balme said Grundy would remain in the side and the club would see how he recovered overnight before making a final call on his selection today, but expected him to play.

The loss of the 203cm Grundy would be a huge blow for the Magpies against the Giants and their in-form big man Shane Mumford for their MCG clash.

Ruckmen will also be to the fore at Etihad Stadium where Swans pairing Mike Pyke and Kurt Tippett will go at it against North Melbourne’s Todd Goldstein.

Goldstein is ranked No.1 in the league for hit-outs ahead of Fremantle’s Aaron Sandilands.

Tippett has been steady in front of goal without setting the world on fire but it’s his efforts in the ruck that are giving the Swans a different look in 2015.

Last year’s combination of Pyke and Sam Reid were ranked 17th in the AFL for hitouts, returning a terrible differential of -9.7 per game.

This year, with the PykeTippett pairing, they are ranked second with a healthy +13.5 per game. The duo have given the Swans dramatic improvement at stoppages as well where they have improved their hit-outs to advantage differential from -3 [14th] to +4.1 [2nd]. Their clearance differential has also improved from 14th to seventh.

Pyke has recorded his career-best hit-out to advantage rate of 29 per cent and Tippett has improved from 19.5 per cent to 23.2 per cent.