We got some fantastic questions this week from our fans for Heath “Reg’’ Grundy, our stalwart key defender.
Heath came into the headquarters of Swans TV to answer a selection of the questions - sorry he couldn’t answer them all but it’s a busy week ahead of the trip to Perth today for Saturday’s game against the West Coast Eagles.
Heath has answered a selection of questions in the video package, while others are answered below:
Our Edge is Reg (a group of Heath Grundy fans) asks: Hi Reg, You appear to have found your place in defence after starting your career as a forward. What has been the most challenging part of transforming into a defender?
Heath: I’d have to say manning up I think. When I played up forward I didn’t have to worry about a man, so manning up and following your opponent around are the hardest things, and trying to stop the goals as well. So those things have been the most challenging. I didn’t kick too many goals up there in the forward line, so I don’t miss that side of being in attack, but it was nice to just be able to run around and work your opponent over.
Cody asks: How much sleep do you get before game day and who is the toughest opponent to line up on?
Heath: That’s a good question, I’d have to say Goodesy at training is tough. I always try to line up on him because he’s one of the best players in the competition so I try to go against him and improve and learn more off him.
And with sleep, my first few games I couldn’t get to sleep at all, because I was that nervous, but now I’m a bit more settled I get a good eight or nine hours.
Gabe asks: You took the mark of your life in 2009 and still didn’t get mark of the year. How did you feel about that?
Heath: I’m still a bit dirty because I don’t think I can take another one, that was my one chance and I missed out!
I was playing forward that day and Marty (Mattner) kicked it out from full back and I remember hearing Andrew Ireland (then football manager) yell out at me, ‘You’ve got to go for it’, so I went at it and the rest took care of itself, I just jumped and managed to grab it so it worked out well.
Matty G asks: How much does the fan support mean and does it lift you during a game?
It makes a huge difference, if the fans are right in it, especially if it is a close game and we need to lift, the support we get from the fans through the noise they make is massive. It gives us a huge lift.