His production around the ground was more akin to a specialist midfielder, highlighting how much value he provides.
"Sometimes I get told off for playing a bit too much like a midfielder but that's part of my game that comes natural to me – it's hunting the footy and I love it, I enjoy it," Grundy said.
"For me it's being able to do that week in, week out, at a [consistent] work rate. That's what the best players are doing.
"I know Kreuzer is a very good follower. I needed to be able to match that and I think I did. I was happy with that."
Kreuzer would finish with 32 hit-outs and 23 disposals of his own, but did not exert the influence of his counterpart.
"It was the second week in a row that I was able to perform. I just want to consistently do that. It starts in the midfield at the centre bounces. The quality they had in there with [Patrick] Cripps and Kreuzer … I am just really rapt with the way we were able to apply ourselves," Grundy said.
However, coach Nathan Buckley had hoped for a more consistent performance.
"He [Grundy] was particularly good when we got good, Kreuzer had him early and then in that patch when we dominated the game I thought Brodie was dominant," Buckley said.
"Then it was a bit up and down in the second half … his first half was huge and a big part of why we were able to put that gap on the scoreboard."
Grundy was fourth at the Magpies in clearances and sixth in handballs last year, finishing fifth in the best and fairest.
The winless Pies had been under pressure heading into round three but that spotlight has eased – at least for a week – after a run of 10 goals from midway through the first term until early in the third all but secured victory.
Grundy said the need to atone for an "embarrassing" loss to the Blues in round seven last year had been a factor.
"It's, obviously, [been] a bit of pressure early. It was good to get that off our back and, obviously, it was good to get the win on the board. The Collingwood-Carlton clash means a lot, to our club and to our fans.
Steele Sidebottom had a huge game for the Magpies.
Photo: AAP
"I know last year when we lost to them on the 125th anniversary was very embarrassing. It was good to be able to come out here and give our fans something to talk about in a positive way over the weekend."
The absence of key forward Ben Reid and Mason Cox hurt last week, and their presence against the Blues ensured the Magpies could at least kick long to a contest, particularly if they were in trouble. Reid produced three goals while Cox was a target, although he was held goalless by Jacob Weitering.
"We definitely missed them last week, the longer option. They just give you so much confidence that, even if we are held up, [we can] go down the line. The quality of midfielders we have at their feet, it's good," Grundy said.
Buckley may have said the Pies' forward line is a work in progress but it does boast considerable talent. Josh Thomas booted a career-high five goals, Will Hoskin-Elliott added three, two courtesy of Travis Varcoe, while Sidebottom was sent to full-forward and had a night to remember, adding three goals.
Grundy was delighted for Thomas, who returned to football last year after a two-year drug ban, and said he had had on-field traits similar to club great, Dane Swan.
"I think Josh Thomas has come in this year and been an absolute star," Grundy said.
"I liken him to what Swanny was like to play with in terms of you tell him where it [the ball] is going to be, and he gets there, and he makes you look good. He is just very clean and strong with the ball and it was good to see him go forward also and hit the scoreboard."
The Pies will need to continue to score, perhaps heavily, through the rest of the month, for they have the Crows, Essendon on Anzac Day and Richmond. The challenging stretch will highlight exactly where they sit in terms of finals aspirations.
"Going over to Adelaide will be tough. They are a fantastic outfit," Grundy, a South Australian, said.
"The advantage at the Adelaide Oval is pretty big for the Crows. We enjoy playing over there."
The two clubs played out a draw at the MCG when they met in round 19 last year.
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Jon Pierik is a sports writer with The Age, focusing primarily on AFL football, cricket and basketball. He has won awards for his cricket and basketball writing.
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