16. Jack Grimes [186 cm 81 kg 11.05.89 - 1 game 0 goals] - the former Northern Knights skipper missed the first half of the season with back and groin problems and was then nursed through several games with the Sandringham reserves before winning senior selection with the Zebras where he produced some impressive performances. After an outstanding game at Frankston, he made his AFL debut in Round 22. Looks a real midfield prospect.

Dont know who I like more Morton or Grimes

both are going to be guns

Injury conspired to prevent him getting off the blocks as quick as we'd have liked; how familiar a story at Melbourne. Is this a New pre requirement now at Deeland ?

Still once he did get going his ability started to require that he be taken seriously. To be honest I simply havent seen enough of him under fire to form anything close to a balanced opinion.. By all reports and what little I have seen he seems the goods. An uninterupted preparation for season 09 ought to get him up and running in a manner closer to our expectations and then I suppose the rest will be up to him. You do get the sense that after a very disappointing season ( Melbourne's ) that Bailey's team of 09 will have a different look than this year's and I suspect players of the ilk of Grimes will feature prominantly.

Is it true that without the injury query, Grimes would've been a top 6 selection in the draft?

Ironic that the week TJ got dropped from Brisbane, Grimes made his debut.

Apart from getting 12 touches on debut, how did he look against Richmond?

I would say it was a fair debut. From the word go, Grimesy ran alot and was able to read the play well.

Alot of his touches early on were linking handballs, but he showed the ability to read the play and then use a precise handball to a running player to get us going forward. As the game wore on, Jack got more confident and was able to stride through the middle of 'G using his nice foot skills.

Although not as skinny as Cale, Jack has a light frame and will need to build up more muscle during the pre-season if he is to compete with the leagues best midfielder's next year.

Is it true that without the injury query, Grimes would've been a top 6 selection in the draft?

Not sure about top 6, but i remember alot of people had him going to the swans at pick 9 or 10 IIRC.

Not sure about top 6, but i remember alot of people had him going to the swans at pick 9 or 10 IIRC.

Yeah, from memory I believe he wasn't expected to be around when we got him at 14.

Is it true that without the injury query, Grimes would've been a top 6 selection in the draft?

Ironic that the week TJ got dropped from Brisbane, Grimes made his debut.

Apart from getting 12 touches on debut, how did he look against Richmond?

CAC said last year that if cale morton was taken earlier on we would have taken jack grimes at pick 4. thats just how good we rated him! before his injury he was a genuine top 3.

Is it true that without the injury query, Grimes would've been a top 6 selection in the draft?

Ironic that the week TJ got dropped from Brisbane, Grimes made his debut.

Apart from getting 12 touches on debut, how did he look against Richmond?

I also heard that he would have been picked as high as 5 or 6 if it were not for a horrible run with injury (Chronic back or something??). Someone else has written that he needs to bulk up (which he will!), well I was actually quite surprised at his size, he is a lot bigger than I thought. I have only seen the 1 game so I cant really comment but those handful of touches he had against the Tiges looked very calm and did not look out of place at all. I think I am more excited about this bloke than Cale!

Has something we sorely lack... football smarts.

Love him.

CAC said last year that if cale morton was taken earlier on we would have taken jack grimes at pick 4.

i have heard that as well and it interests me to know that CAC apparently rates grimes higher than any of the other 3 at the pointy end of the draft (kreuzer, masten, cotchin)...

I'm pretty sure CAC said that if WC took Morton we were going to take Palmer.

You guys are easily satisfied. Lets be honest he has done nothing yet, NOTHING. 12 mths time hopefully this will be different. 1 game, 12 touches = nothing yet.

I hope the Grimedog comes good.

Too early to tell. In his few forays during game 1 he seemed to have poise and reasonably good disposal. 2009 will provide the answer on Grimes.

Has something we sorely lack... football smarts.

Love him.

Has leadership qualities too.......which we lack.

i have heard that as well and it interests me to know that CAC apparently rates grimes higher than any of the other 3 at the pointy end of the draft (kreuzer, masten, cotchin)...

My information is that we rated Cotchin as the standout and had Morton at two, Kruezer at four or five and Masten at seven or eight. We rated Grimes very highly and if Cotchin, Morton, and Kreuzer or the other guy I can't remember had gone by pick four, we would have very likely chosen Grimes. The slows on him regarding his injuries, stress fractures in his back, scared of a lot of other clubs ans he was still there at 14. We then got Maric at 21?, some one else that we rated very highly. That was why a lot of good judges were saying after the draft that Melbourne was the club that had done by far the best out of the draft. Time will tell, but things are looking good.

is it true that he didn't go on the footy trip because he wanted 2 stay back and do a lil bit of extra work? thats how champions are made!

Hadn't seen this before:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqGCSbiM8ss

He looks very steady on his feet.