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Melbourne will leave Brodie Grundy out of the team to take on Brisbane on Friday night, according to reports.
Grundy was one of last season’s biggest trade stories after leaving Collingwood to join up with Demons great Max Gawn in a fearsome ruck combination, but the pair have struggled to make the collective impact expected of them.
According to SEN’s Tom Morris, the Demons will trial Gawn alone against Lions ruckman Oscar McInerney, with Grundy to either be rested from the team or outright omitted.
It will be Grundy’s first missed game since joining the club, and with the Demons’ VFL team on a bye, will not play a match this weekend at all should the decision be confirmed.
The 29-year old, a two-time All-Australian at the Magpies in 2018 and 2019, was traded to the Demons in exchange for pick 27 after missing much of 2022 due to a knee injury, with the Pies moving him on to alleviate pressure on their salary cap.
He has averaged nearly 15 disposals per game in 2023 and booted 10 goals, though his 21.13 hitouts per match is his lowest since 2014.
Brodie Grundy celebrates a goal. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
AFL analyst and former player David King is leading calls for the league to change rules regarding Brownlow Medal eligibility, amid fears Essendon captain Zach Merrett could become the third player to win the prestigious award while ineligible.
Merrett is having a career-best season for the Bombers, averaging nearly 30 disposals per game including amassing 39 and kicking a goal in their win over Adelaide in Round 17.
However, he was ruled out of the Brownlow race after receiving a one-match suspension for a dangerous tackle on Melbourne’s Tom Sparrow in Round 5 at the height of the AFL’s controversial crackdown.
Speaking on Fox Footy’s AFL 360, King admitted to feeling ‘sick’ at the thought Merrett could join North Melbourne’s Corey McKernan (1996) and the Western Bulldogs’ Chris Grant (1997) as Brownlow ‘winners’ to claim the most votes in a season while ineligible.
“I’m uncomfortable with Zach Merrett being ineligible for the Brownlow Medal because of this tackle,” he said.
“I think we’ll make a change to it at the end of the year… [to] address the severity of the penalty.
“I don’t think [the Merrett tackle] is enough to stop a guy winning a Brownlow… if they change it at the end of the year I’d feel sick with that.
“This guy is having a terrific year. I’d hate to see Brownlow night [have] the little asterisk finishing top.”
Merrett is one of a number of stars out of Brownlow contention following bans for dangerous tackles, with Fremantle’s Caleb Serong the latest to be suspended after losing his Tribunal hearing.
Collingwood’s Nick Daicos remains the favourite for the award.
Zach Merrett. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
The Western Bulldogs have dropped key forward Rory Lobb for their crucial clash with Sydney on Thursday night, while star Bailey Smith will also miss due to illness.
It is the latest challenge for Smith as he struggles for form and Wednesday’s news comes a day after coach Luke Beveridge strongly defended the midfielder.
Lobb, who was lured from Fremantle at the end of 2022, has endured a difficult first season at Whitten Oval, averaging just nine disposals per game and kicking only 14 goals from his 15 matches as a key forward.
He has failed to boot more than two goals in any single game for the season, and makes way for father-son star Sam Darcy off the back of strong VFL form, including a recent haul of four majors against Collingwood.
Beveridge said Smith was unwell for last week’s loss to Collingwood, when he only managed 11 possessions.
“The 22-year-old presented to the club yesterday for a main session, but wasn’t well enough to participate and subsequently won’t make the trip to Sydney today,” the Bulldogs said in a statement.
One of the AFL’s most marketable players, Smith’s form has become a major talking point in the media and there has been discussion about whether he should move clubs.
That prompted a strong response from Beveridge, who labelled the commentary “pungent” and said there were reasons why the midfielder had been below his explosive best.
“All these things that people aren’t aware of, and if you haven’t got the information, you don’t know the facts, then all you do is do harm,” he said.
Father-son recruit Sam Darcy will return for his first senior game since round two.
Defender Ryan Gardner was named after hurting his ankle against Collingwood.
Swans ruckman Tom Hickey has been dropped after playing in Sydney’s last five games and Joel Amartey will take his place.
The Swans also recalled Corey Warner and Sam Wicks for Jake Lloyd (concussion) and Angus Sheldrick (ankle).
(AAP)
Rory Lobb of the Bulldogs wrestles with Fremantle players. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)
Former great Kane Cornes has questioned whether Gold Coast’s abrupt sacking of Stuart Dew could be the start of a ploy to lure Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley away from Alberton.
Dew’s nearly five-year reign as Suns coach ended on Tuesday, with the club heavily linked to recently resigned Richmond triple-premiership mastermind Damien Hardwick.
However, speaking on SEN, Cornes wondered whether Hinkley, whose contract expires at the end of this season and has been the subject of much debate amid the Power’s remarkable 13-match winning streak, is the target the Suns have in mind instead.
“I keep thinking about Ken Hinkley’s role in this,” Cornes said.
“What was the benefit of moving on from Stuey Dew now rather than at the end of the season? The only thing that I can think of is to get in with Ken Hinkley or to have a crack at Ken Hinkley before the August deadline.
“Everyone is thinking Hardwick – I’m not sure that’s the right way to go. I’m not sure going for a coach that was burnt out four weeks ago is the right option for them.
“Does Ken Hinkley have a role to play in this? If there was a five-year offer from Gold Coast…”
Hinkley was one of the Suns’ inaugural assistant coaches under Guy McKenna in 2011-12, before departing to take up the Power’s head coaching role.
Port have stalled contract extension talks with Hinkley, who has been at the helm for over a decade, until season’s end, but with the Power sitting second on the ladder with a 14-2 record, his stocks have never been higher.
According to Cornes, Hinkley would be a perfect fit for the Suns’ talented but frustrating list.
“He’d be ideal for the list. Yes, he’s not a three-time premiership coach, but he’s hungry, and he’s a lot hungrier than what Damien Hardwick was a month ago.
“I don’t know whether they’ve made this move now on Stuey Dew to get in before Port Adelaide’s August timeline, which they’ve been so steadfast on, to at least ask the question.”
(Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
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