BRODIE Grundy spent Grand Final day last year inside a classroom at Melbourne Business School. While his former Magpies teammates went to work in front of 100,024 people at the MCG, the ruckman completed a university intensive in silence, just a few kilometres up the road in Parkville.

By the time Grundy arrived home late in the afternoon, Jordan De Goey and Steele Sidebottom were about to slot two unforgettable goals in two minutes from outside 50m to seal a famous Collingwood premiership.

Grundy was supposed to be there. He once looked destined to be an all-time great of the Magpies when he won back-to-back Copeland Trophies and consecutive All-Australian blazers in 2018 and 2019. If it wasn't for Dom Sheed, he would be a premiership player.

But life changed during a challenging 2022 after he injured his posterior cruciate ligament. He wanted to be a Pie for life, but Collingwood wanted salary cap relief, just like they did with Adam Treloar two years earlier, so they traded him to Melbourne, despite Grundy having five years remaining on his contract.

The move didn't work for the South Australian or for the Demons, who couldn't accommodate seven-time All-Australian ruckman Max Gawn in the same 23. Grundy ended 2023 in the VFL and moved clubs for the second successive trade period, landing at the Swans at a time when his AFL career was wandering in the wrong direction.

Now almost 12 months on, Grundy has pulled up the anchor he dropped and is sailing back to another Grand Final day at the MCG, instead of spending it at Melbourne University. 

"I don't need a premiership to validate my move up here, but it is certainly something I want. I'm just so grateful to be playing my footy here. I've found my passion and love for the game again. That's the most important thing for me," Grundy told AFL.com.au after Sydney's 36-point win over Port Adelaide in Friday night's preliminary final at the SCG.

"Being around these people you just see what it means to the families and supporters. The whole year they've been behind us. As a player new to the club, I've really felt that support from the fans. John [Longmire] and 'Coxy' [Dean Cox] have had my back this year. I'm coming from a place of real gratitude."

Grundy isn't bitter about what happened at Collingwood or Melbourne. Playing for Casey instead of Melbourne stung at the time, but the past has passed. That chapter of his story has made him savour his first season at Sydney, where the 30-year-old has played all 25 games, averaging 32 hitouts, 17.9 disposals, 11.8 contested possessions, 4.9 clearances and 4.8 tackles per game. 

"I just got on with it. You process it. Footy and life is a journey; there is always going to be ups and downs; it is all about how you respond," Grundy said in the corner of the packed Swans' changerooms full of family, friends and media. 

"I think I'm a resilient person who has great perspective. It is special to be playing in a Grand Final next week. My overwhelming sense is gratitude, I'm starting to feel a bit emotional now. I'm very lucky to be at this special club with a special team of special players. Very lucky."

Sydney won 13 of its first 14 matches this year, before overcoming a mid-season malaise to claim the minor premiership after sitting on top of the ladder from round eight onwards. The Swans recovered from 28 points down to beat Greater Western Sydney in the qualifying final, before qualifying for a fifth Grand Final under Longmire. 

When Collingwood lost to West Coast by four points in the 2018 decider, Grundy had 49 hitouts, while Taylor Adams polled the second most votes in the Norm Smith Medal. The former Magpies and Giants midfielder looms as the hard luck story again this year, 12 months after a hamstring strain cruelly cost him a premiership medal.

Grundy and Adams arrived at the Swans at the same time for similar reasons. But while the ruckman has grasped his spot in John Longmire's side and been one of the recruits of the year, Adams' spot became vulnerable late in the season, before he was brutally dropped for the qualifying final against Greater Western Sydney, and then overlooked in favour of Robbie Fox when Callum Mills was ruled out of the preliminary final. 

"Talking about resilience and hardships of footy, he was the person I looked for straight after the game. The way he has carried himself through all this is a real credit to his leadership and his values as a person. It's his birthday today," Grundy said.

"It's brutal, it's absolutely brutal. His values as a person have shone through this entire time. He has been a great leader and a great mentor for a lot of boys this season. He set an extraordinary foundation since he came to this footy club. He has had profound impact; I hope he realises that."

After 219 games across 12 seasons in the AFL, the 2012 first-round pick has another chance at eternal glory. Like a conductor in the orchestra, the Sturt product has played a crucial role in fine-tuning Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner and Errol Gulden this season. 

Grundy completed his Master of Business Administration earlier this year, adding it to the health sciences degree he completed at La Trobe University in 2020, but he has unfinished business on the most important day on the football calendar.