On the eve of another finals series, veteran defender Heath Grundy says his 12th season at the top level has been one of his most enjoyable yet.
An experienced head in the back six, the 31-year-old has enjoyed helping develop the Swans’ future defenders throughout the season.
Callum Mills, Nic Newman and Lewis Melican have joined Grundy, Dane Rampe, Jarrad McVeigh and Nick Smith in forming the nucleus of the Swan’ defence.
“We have a terrific group this year and I have really enjoyed my season,” Grundy said ahead of Saturday’s elimination final against Essendon.
“We’ve had a few different faces down there throughout the season and to the boys credit we have managed to be pretty stingy.
“We are going to need that as much as we can over the next few weeks.”
Ranked the number one defence at the end of the home and away season, the Sydney Swans will be looking to continue their stingy ways during September.
But it won’t just rest with the back six with Grundy stressing the importance of applying pressure on the opposition right across the ground.
“It goes to show it is not just the back six, but we have a fantastic forward line at putting pressure on to put their defence under huge pressure,” he said.
“Our forward line and midfield play a massive role for how we go about our footy.
“We have been playing pretty good team footy the last couple of months and that has resulted on the scoreboard and given us the results that we wanted.”
While Grundy praised the excitement that Newman and Melican have added to the mix, it’s playing alongside McVeigh in September that excites him most.
“We lacked that little bit of experience early in the season so to have him back in the side was important as a real calming and composed ball user,” he added.
“His experience you can’t buy so to have him back in the side has been fantastic.
“I am looking forward to another finals series alongside of him.”
McVeigh will feature in his 26th final on Saturday to rank equal second, alongside Jude Bolton, for the most finals appearances by any Swan.
Adam Goodes holds the Club record with 28.
