Sydney big man Brodie Grundy, a pivotal figure for the Swans, went down with a devastating injury in a chaotic ending to Saturday night’s clash with the Giants. As a consequence, he’s gone into concussion protocols. The incident occurred minutes before the match concluded against Brisbane. After an exciting climax, the Swans won a close-run two-point win.
Grundy was involved in a marking contest with just over four minutes left on the clock when he was crunched and subsequently lay motionless on the ground. The national championship game was stopped as trainers and medical personnel sprinted onto the field to offer life-saving treatment. Overhead, the scene was both surreal and alarming, as one doctor was literally cradling Grundy’s head and neck.
Grundy got up and walked off the field even after taking an obvious cheap shot like that. He never came back to play. After the game, they ruled him out of Sunday’s clash against Geelong. It will be the first game he misses for the Swans since arriving from Melbourne at the end of 2023. He had previously played 47 consecutive matches.
Whether Grundy’s condition improves as we head into next Saturday’s final game of the season against West Coast is still up for question. His availability remains uncertain. Swans coach Dean Cox could only hope that Grundy would be fit in time for that all-important clash.
“He obviously passed his HIA but then wasn’t well yesterday,” – Dean Cox
Cox emphasized the importance of safety in these situations, stating, “He’ll be into concussion protocols, which will mean he won’t be available this weekend.” The decision to keep Grundy out aligns with health guidelines and reflects increasing awareness around player safety in contact sports.
Nathan Buckley, former Collingwood coach and players’ coach, told a story about Grundy. He remembered a prior one just like that where the player took to social media. Buckley remarked on the seriousness of such injuries, noting, “That’s great vision for me given I’ve seen him in that position before and it didn’t end well.”
As with any injury, Grundy’s wellbeing should be the primary concern. It would endanger his hopes of being selected in this year’s All-Australian team. Judged on his day-to-day progression will be the key as he works through concussion protocols alongside his teammate, Hayden McLean.
