I noticed on the Sunday Footy Show that Bails stated that he saw Grimes as a potential midfielder in years to come.

This made me curious, as personally I see him as having the potential to be a great backman - he seems to have all the attributes you want from a defender, cool head, courageous, attacks the footy, clean ball use, great reader of the play.

I think he should play as a backman, I don't want to see another Demon played out of position.

Would be interested to hear other opinions...

Backline: he seems to be settling in well at the moment. He reads the play well, doesn't shirk contests and has the skills to dispose of the ball cleanly.

Not that he'd be no good as a midfielder.

  Quote

he seems to have all the attributes you want from a defender, cool head, courageous, attacks the footy, clean ball use, great reader of the play.

I think he should play as a backman, I don't want to see another Demon played out of position.

I would have thought that all of these attributes would be good for a player in a team that is screaming for good midfielders...

He played midfield as a junior didn't he? I thought he is just being played in defense now as a means of teaching him the defensive side of play and to develop him and his fitness until he is able to be played in the midfield.

Middle, dear god the middle, swap him off a half back, like enright/corey at geelong but please swing him through the middle.

I say, give him a go in the mid-field.

His disposal and decision making skills were a lot better than most yesterday.

I reckon he will go the way of many others and do his apprenticeship at half back. I think he will make a natural progression into the guts patrolling the centre square.

He will make an excellent midfielder.

Without a doubt the midfield.

While we need to find us some good small defenders that can take the likes of Davis, Didak and bloody nobodies like Brad Dick (where the hell is Garland!!! ), Grimes is much more of a natural midfielder, and is only playing down back to increase his accountability and due to a lack of fitness.

He is certainly someone you drop back, ala Hodge, but in the long term his vision, decision making, courage and ball use is going to be a massive advantage to us in the middle. Same goes for Bennell.

Our outside midfielders are so hopeless (non-existent some may say), that I really can't wait until the likes of Grimes (and Blease, and Strauss and Scully :D) start making their way there. Currently we have one good finisher in the middle, and that's Sylvia, and that's only because he is in rare form. If he drops off, we're back to nothing.

Both.

  Carn dees said:

Both.

If needs must...but right now our needs are in the middle

I think given Jack's ability to read the play and the flight of the ball, half back flank, but rotating through the midfield.

  dandeeman said:

I reckon he will go the way of many others and do his apprenticeship at half back. I think he will make a natural progression into the guts patrolling the centre square.

He will make an excellent midfielder.

Could he become our "Cameron Ling" - takes the oppositions best mid-fielder yet has the ability to hurt them the "other way"

... or are our expectations even higher than that ... sorry I wont mention the other names (ABC'S) - hate putting the moz on a kid.

it seems we already have most of our backline filled (although after yesterdays performance it wouldnt seem so) and we already have players battling for spots in the backline.. i think he has done really well in the middle rotation so leave him there!

He'll be both, in that he's playing now across the back flanks as a responsible & capable midsized player who can see the right options forward & has the skills & composure to carry out the plan.

As he builds his 'tank' he'll probably pinch hit across the centreline, going in as a link player from time to time.

But mostly I see him as a midfielder starting defensive side of centreline stopping opposition thrusts then launching the counter offensive, setting up the play.

For the remainder of the year we should (IMO) give Grimes stints in the middle whilst we have seniors like McDonald there to share the load. It is not as if we can just put him full time in the guts for the remaining 11 games though, I think the load would be too much - it needs to be integrated. With 3 or 4 games to go I reckon Jetta or Bennell could have a stint there as well as a prelude to pre-season training.

half back flank. end of story. Jack is averaging 8 marks per game which puts him in the top 10 of the league for average marks per game. He reads the play beautifully and backs in front of packs like a 100 gamer. Has got Andrew Mcleod-esque abilty - will be VERY good, all australian half back flanker for years to come

Definitely a midfielder for me. Pace and class and better than most in decision making. Tough and aggressive is being somewhat wasted in defense.

IMO best playing position - CENTRE

Early conclusion on this guy is CLASS

General Grimes - Future Captain MFC

Midfield for me. Though i appreciate his efforts in the backline.

  Carn dees said:

Both.

Clone him twice and give him a go forward as well!

Starting HB changing on W or C.

He is a Gun - How has he not had a nomination for the rising star yet? Avg 100 Super Coach points and not soft points like many players!

Recruited as a midfielder and must be given a go there when fitness and body is right.

Has the goods i`d say.

For those interested in the Grimes-Johnstone comparison (not sure why anyone would be, but I found this interesting anyway considering the midfield/backline discussion)

Season 2009

16 Jack Grimes 5 (matches) Melbourne 60(kick) 12 (Ave) 41 (hb) 8.2 (ave) 101 (disp) 20.2 (ave) 39 (marks) 7.8 (ave) 7 (t) 1.4 5 (ff) 0 (fa) 0 0 0 0

4 Travis Johnstone 10 Brisbane Lions 117(kick) 11.7 (ave) 84 (hb) 8.4 (ave) 201 (disp) 20.1 (Ave) 39 (m) 3.9 (ave) 24 (t) 2.4 (ave) 10(ff) 12 (fa) 3 (g) 2 (B )

Disposal efficiency:

Grimes 85%

Johnstone 67%

Years left in career:

Grimes 10

Johnstone 1(?)

I know how happy I am.

I would do the Trav trade AGAIN anyday. We dont need Trav and grimes will be a better and more CONSISTANT player.

I think he will end up in the middle (an area that we are screaming out for some class), pinpointing passes to the likes of Watts, Jurrah and Butcher(?).

Having said that, when you see him backing into the pack to take strong marks and then using his exquisite skills to set up the play he could end up as our quarterback.

It is unbelievable that this kid has only played a hand-full of games. The future may seem like a long way off sometimes but I think we are in for a treat in years to come.

Top 50 AFL players in years to come (Melb players):

2009- Davey

2010- Davey, Sylvia

2011- Davey, Sylvia, Morton

2012- Davey, Sylvia, Morton, Grimes, Watts, Scully (The flag is as good as ours! :D )

  Captain Jack said:

I think he will end up in the middle (an area that we are screaming out for some class), pinpointing passes to the likes of Watts, Jurrah and Butcher(?).

Having said that, when you see him backing into the pack to take strong marks and then using his exquisite skills to set up the play he could end up as our quarterback.

It is unbelievable that this kid has only played a hand-full of games. The future may seem like a long way off sometimes but I think we are in for a treat in years to come.

Top 50 AFL players in years to come (Melb players):

2009- Davey

2010- Davey, Sylvia

2011- Davey, Sylvia, Morton

2012- Davey, Sylvia, Morton, Grimes, Watts, Scully (The flag is as good as ours! :D )

2012 Morton 22 Grimes 23 Watts 21/22 Scully 22.

If we win a flag in 2012 we will win the next 5 flags

I think he is a touch slow to stay down back playing on quick small forwards. He can stay down back this season but next year after a good pre season I want to see him in the middle. His courage is amazing he reads the well is a pretty good kick and is a genuine ball magnet. If I was to pick a captain for next year right now it would be him. He has captain written all over him. McLean has lost me he's not the same player.

The team I want to see next year would be:

B: GARLAND, WARNOCK, FRAWLEY

HB: BENNELL, MARTIN, STRAUSS

C: DAVEY, GRIMES, SYLVIA

HF: MORTON, WATTS, BATE

F: JURRAH, BUTCHER, WONAEAMIRRI

FOLL: JAMAR, SCULLY, MCLEAN

IC: JONES, BARTRAM, BLEASE, MOLONEY

Get rid of all the old [censored] that continually let us down.