What's with the Grundy hate?

[BSA5]

Seriously, everybody seems to be dwelling on the mistakes he made against Adelaide, and yes, he did make a few. But you all seem to be forgetting that he also kept Taylor Walker, Adelaide's second most prolific goal scorer this year, absolutely silent. Walker had 2 possessions and no goals.

Honestly, how can people call for Grundy to be dropped, when as it is we are already short on key defenders? And key position players in general! Yes, Grundy made some mistakes, he had 6 clangers, but everything else he did was quite brilliant (all of his other disposals were effective). While I reckon his best footy is played up forward, as it is we just need somebody to play as a key position defender, and Grundy, despite making some mistakes, is doing a very decent job of it.

[SimonH]

The one incident that sums up his whole career to this point is in the 3rd quarter vs Adelaide. Led his man to the ball off the HBF, charged straight at the footy, picked it up one grab, started to accelerate away from him, and would have made it, too. But started to think, '@@@@, I'm not going to make this' and attempted an ill-advised hand-off that missed its target and led to an Adelaide goal.

Just like the mark of the year screamer followed by kicking it over a teammate's head, out of bounds.

He has the talent (albeit I believe his lack of speed and quick decision-making means that he only has the talent to play full forward; or, possibly, full back). But he plays like a man who doesn't believe that he belongs at AFL level. And until he believes that he belongs, he won't make it.

I guess that plenty of young players don't really believe they belong at first. But the real concern is that he doesn't look like he believes any more in 2009, than he did in 2008. And he got rookie listed at the end of 2004. Time to step up fast.

As his time on Walker showed, he's a serviceable backman against medium-largish forwards (but can't take on the real brutes). But apart from other reasons not to play him down back, his real attribute is a vice-like grip, which you don't get to show much in defensive 50.

[liz]

I understand that ROK wanted a change, and he's certainly contributing significantly as an on-baller. But I'm not convinced the team is the better for it because we're really lacking the lead-up half-forward role he played so well.

Grundy and Barlow may not yet have the endurance that ROK built up, but I don't think they are far off. The two of them playing the kind of role ROK developed in 2004-6, before he started playing even deeper (and effectively becoming a mid in 2007-8, even if he wasn't really playing on-ball) could go a long way towards getting the ball effectively to just outside the 50m. They are both good marks and both decent kicks. But moreso, I reckon they both need a position to settle in and call their own for a while.

[Hartijon]

Don't hate the guy at all.Really want him to succeed and stoked with his mark of the year.It's just his clangers and turnovers in defense are huge at times in the game that seem to cost us the game or just make the team lose momentum.Sure he has to learn but week after week the same clangers at the same point in the game suggest he is not learning fast enough or hasn't got what it takes to play at this level. Maybe he is being played out of position (Ihope this is the case) but he must take his chances soon .

[JF_Bay22_SCG]

Seriously, everybody seems to be dwelling on the mistakes he made against Adelaide, and yes, he did make a few. But you all seem to be forgetting that he also kept Taylor Walker, Adelaide's second most prolific goal scorer this year, absolutely silent. Walker had 2 possessions and no goals.

Honestly, how can people call for Grundy to be dropped, when as it is we are already short on key defenders? And key position players in general! Yes, Grundy made some mistakes, he had 6 clangers, but everything else he did was quite brilliant (all of his other disposals were effective). While I reckon his best footy is played up forward, as it is we just need somebody to play as a key position defender, and Grundy, despite making some mistakes, is doing a very decent job of it.

Purely & simply he is a forward being played in the backline because we are lacking back there. He is ponderous in his decision making, has little idea of marking his man & is generally incredibly slow.

He should be played on a HFF or FP or should NOT be in the team. He is NOT a defender & never will be!

JF

[johnno]

As someone else here has posted in the past(cant remember who), he generally plays well most games but will always provide a...." ahhh Reg??, why did you do that???" moment at least once every game. Certainly should not be dropped though.

[Plugger46]

Thought he was one of our better players again. Stuffed a couple of things up but the good far outweighs the bad.

[Jeffers1984]

Worth persisting with. But as a forward only. Draft some Defensive KPP.

[ernie koala]

Worth persisting with. But as a forward only. Draft some Defensive KPP.

Agree with most others here, he appears more comfortable playing forward, that may help with some of his weaknesses but he's still slow and rather larconic in his style of play (needs to be more aggressive at the contest). Which is critical in an era where forward line pressure has become a major priority.

We had our chance for a KPP last year with Otten, we took Meridith instead. While Meridith looks a well balanced player with good vision and skill, a readymade KPP like Otten would be of more value to the Swans at this stage.

[TheHood]

I think Heath's only a few good games from really cementing his spot. He runs like Scarlett. He just hasn't quite got the disposal or the brilliant midfield to deliver to.

How disappointing were Ed Barlow's misses on goal? Would have made a real difference at the time.

[Plugger46]

I've always gone with the theory that he's a forward and a forward only. I'm not totally convinced after the last two weeks - he's been very good defensively and provided some attack out of the backline too.

[JF_Bay22_SCG]

I think Heath's only a few good games from really cementing his spot. He runs like Scarlett. He just hasn't quite got the disposal or the brilliant midfield to deliver to.

How disappointing were Ed Barlow's misses on goal? Would have made a real difference at the time.

Very very much so. We could have been 6 goals up at half time. The margin may well have been too much for the Crows.

But it wasn't to be.


JF

[Donners]

Worth persisting with. But as a forward only. Draft some Defensive KPP.

Unless we get a mature-age one, it's going to be a few years before they are ready. I don't blame them for using one of our few key position players as a stopgap in defence.

[BSA5]

I've always gone with the theory that he's a forward and a forward only. I'm not totally convinced after the last two weeks - he's been very good defensively and provided some attack out of the backline too.

I'm the same, actually. While I still think his best footy is up forward, and I've thought he has been a decent makeshift third defender in the past, his last couple of weeks have been very good defensively. I still think he should be moved forward, but with Lewis Johnston to come, and Ed Barlow and White showing decent signs up forward, he may end up staying down back. And at the moment, he's doing a decent job of it, if a little up and down, so I'm not too worried about it.

[Chow-Chicker]

Reginald has lost his junk. He left behind his swagger and took along his stagger.