AFL trade news: Send Brodie Grundy to Sydney, says former Collingwood recruiter

Tom Naghten

AFL trade news: Send Brodie Grundy to Sydney, says former Collingwood recruiter image

Brodie Grundy to Sydney. Jeremy Cameron a Magpie. Darcy Moore a Brownlow Medal winner. Mason Cox to the Bulldogs.

They're all big headlines in their own right and all possible if Collingwood makes some major moves during the upcoming trade period, according to former recruiter Matt Rendell.

With GWS spearhead Jeremy Cameron off contract and weighing up his options, Rendell said the Pies should do all they can to fit him in.

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To accommodate the move, he thinks they should send superstar ruckman Grundy to Sydney in exchange for pick four, solving the Swans' big man issues and freeing up cap space at Collingwood.

Grundy signed a big-money, seven-year deal to begin in 2021, though the Pies have already been criticised after the 26-year-old's season failed to reach the heights of recent campaigns.

Speaking to SEN, Rendell outlined how he'd get Cameron in black and white, and turn a key defender into a Brownlow winner in the process.

“I don’t know if (Collingwood) is in the hunt (for Jeremy Cameron), but they should be. They should be into him, but how do they fit him in?” Rendell said.

“I’ve got a little bit of a plan and I say it with a heavy heart, but I would be trading Brodie Grundy to Sydney if I could. It’s a good fit for the Swans, they need a ruckman badly.

"I know what you’re thinking, who is (Collingwood) going to play in the ruck? But I’d play Darcy Moore in the ruck.

“He will win a Brownlow if he plays in the ruck and changing with Mason Cox forward.

“But if they get Jeremy Cameron, I’d be sending Cox to the Western Bulldogs, they’re desperate for a key forward and a ruckman, he can ruck with Tim English."

Rendell said Grundy would be a good fit in Sydney and thinks the Swans have the draft hand to get it done.

“He loves his study, he’s not a footy-head. I reckon Sydney would suit his lifestyle and they’re desperate for a ruckman," he added.

“They can give up pick four. I think Brodie might be interested in it and I reckon Collingwood would be interested in it, as long as they knew they could get Cameron with that cap space."

Missing from Rendell's plan is how Sydney would fit one of the game's premier talls into their own salary cap which already features Buddy Franklin entering the richest portion of his nine-year deal.

Grundy would also need plenty of convincing to walk away from a contract that will see him earn around $7 million over the length of the deal.

Stick this one in the 'tell him he's dreamin' pile.

Tom Naghten

Tom Naghten Photo

Tom Naghten is a senior editor at The Sporting News Australia where he's been part of the team since 2017. He predominantly covers boxing and MMA. In his spare time, he likes to watch Robbie Ahmat's goal against the Kangaroos at the SCG in 2000.