Ex-Collingwood recruiter Matt Rendell has made a bold trade suggestion for his former club: trade Brodie Grundy and pursue free agent Giant Jeremy Cameron.
Grundy is locked in at the Pies until the end of 2027 after signing a monster seven-year $7 million dollar contract extension in January.
However, Rendell believes that the Magpies should be aggressively exploring ways to get in the market for a key forward of Cameron's ilk, even if it means moving Grundy.
Speaking on SEN Breakfast, the long-time Pies recruited outlined his bombshell trade scenario, which would also see Darcy Moore play in the ruck and Mason Cox moved to the Bulldogs.
“I don’t know if (Collingwood) is in the hunt (for Jeremy Cameron), but they should be,” Rendell said.
“They should be into him, but how do they fit him in? 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.
“I would be playing Moore in the ruck and changing him with Cox if the Jeremy Cameron stuff doesn’t pay off. I know that’s a big call, but I think that’s how you get the deal done and how you get money in your cap.”
Rendell added that he believes the Sydney lifestyle would suit Grundy more than the bright lights of Melbourne.
“I know (they just gave Grundy a seven-year deal), but I think it’s a better fit for him,” he said.
“He loves his study, he’s not a footy-head. I reckon Sydney would suit his lifestyle and they’re desperate for a ruckman.
“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.
“The other thing is I did a study on the rucks for them this time last year because we didn’t know if Brodie was going to stay or go and I gave them a replacement for Grundy and I told them to go chase Sam Hayes at Port Adelaide.
“He’s ready to go coming off a knee. I saw him play at the end of last year, he was very, very good. He plays similar to Brodie, but he’s third in line behind Scott Lycett and Peter Ladhams at Port Adelaide.
“I reckon he would be gettable with one year left on his contract.”
With Moore's move to the ruck leaving a void in defence, Rendell believes Will Kelly and Mark Keane could flourish down back and identified Roo Robbie Tarrant as another target.
“It means you are going to be short in defence. But I would be playing Kelly and Keane,” he said.
“Kelly is a very good defender and so is Mark Keane. I could go and see Robbie Tarrant, for a couple of years to hold up the defence while we change that around.
“I’m not saying it’s happening, but it’s what I would do to fix things with the salary cap.”
Grundy averaged 14.4 disposals and 31.4 hitouts from 19 games in 2020, finishing seventh in the Pies' best and fairest.