The Emergence of Jack Viney

[rpfc 27,636]

It has been quick.

22 touches, 16 contested possessions, a goal, and he also apparently spoke to the players after the loss.

Debutant Jack Viney was one of several players to have addressed his shell-shocked teammates behind closed doors immediately after the defeat - highlighting his leadership qualities.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/lyon-slams-dees-lack-of-courage-20130401-2h31v.html#ixzz2PGBLvtZe

With all that is going wrong I just didn't want the ineptitude of others to completely drown out a great debut from the future of the club.

[Clark_Kent 315]

Great debut I am so impressed with this kid it actually brings me back to the days when I loved some of the players like Yze and Green. Hopefully there wil be more players I love to watch for the Dees coz at the moment there's very few.

[The Song Formerly Known As 6,479]

It was everything we expected, and with his brave adress after the match, it was so much more.

Well done son. And thankyou for showing the rest of them what it means to play for the love and pride of the jumper.

[Jens Lehmann 75]

He probably still will, but we can't expect him to dominate and be our best player in his first couple of games, let alone his first season, let alone his first few seasons.

[rpfc 27,636]

He then endured another gruelling challenge: addressing his older teammates, as a lifelong Demons fan, to tell them what it meant to have pride in wearing the red and blue.

Viney, already seemingly a father-son recruiting steal at pick No.26, had 22 touches to be one of three Demon standouts alongside captain Jack Grimes and fellow debutant Matt Jones, earning praise from coach Mark Neeld.

"He's got a mature head on his shoulders, he acquitted himself well in his AFL debut," Neeld said of Viney.

"If it's possible when you play your first game, he's probably been a Melbourne person longer than anyone in that room.

"He spoke about that, from his heart."

[Philthy 284]

I am calling it now, this kid is going to win a Brownlow one day, maybe 2. The way he held himself in that first game was oozing the class and leadership of Judd.

[McQueen 17,864]

Will be in the LG for 2014.

[Bluey's Dad 3,419]

I am calling it now, this kid is going to win a Brownlow one day, maybe 2. The way he held himself in that first game was oozing the class and leadership of Judd.

I agree, but it won't be in a Demons jumper.

I can't imagine what it would be like to have that sort of talent, pedigree and raw determination to finally make it into the club you loved as a kid and then to find yourself surrounded by people who play like they're just collecting a chequebook.

I hope Viney's got the fortitude to resist the cancerous culture that's clearly infected most of the playing group.

I can see two scenarios:

1 - He resists for as long as he can and finally leaves because the club is going nowhere.

2 - His passion rubs off on those around him and helps to transform the club.

Before Sunday, I was firmly in the #2 camp. After watching such a capitulation of attitude from so many, I just can't look on the bright side any more.

The fuel is gone. Viney's spark has nothing left to ignite.

[Jens Lehmann 75]

Such pathetic form.

You really concede defeat that easily?

You show the intestinal fortitude the players had on Sunday.

HTFU and stop fear-mongering.

[rpfc 27,636]

I agree, but it won't be in a Demons jumper.

I can't imagine what it would be like to have that sort of talent, pedigree and raw determination to finally make it into the club you loved as a kid and then to find yourself surrounded by people who play like they're just collecting a chequebook.

I hope Viney's got the fortitude to resist the cancerous culture that's clearly infected most of the playing group.

I can see two scenarios:

1 - He resists for as long as he can and finally leaves because the club is going nowhere.

2 - His passion rubs off on those around him and helps to transform the club.

Before Sunday, I was firmly in the #2 camp. After watching such a capitulation of attitude from so many, I just can't look on the bright side any more.

The fuel is gone. Viney's spark has nothing left to ignite.

This is just sad, choke.

I can't believe this to be an eventuality.

It is the kind of hopelessness I saw out there on Sunday.

If we are asking the players to fire up, we should maintain our fire.

Viney and a few of his friends will change this place.

It may be a hope but it is all we have.

Don't forfeit it so easily.

[Jens Lehmann 75]

Too diplomatic, rfpc.

[H_T 2,941]

Some of my mates wondered why I opted for a signed #7 jumper.

JV's debut was verification for them.

[Bluey's Dad 3,419]

This is just sad, choke.

I can't believe this to be an eventuality.

It is the kind of hopelessness I saw out there on Sunday.

If we are asking the players to fire up, we should maintain our fire.

Viney and a few of his friends will change this place.

It may be a hope but it is all we have.

Don't forfeit it so easily.

It wasn't an easy opinion to form, believe me.

It's the other way around. The players need to be on fire so that the supporters can feel it. Demons supporters have been operating on mortgaged fire for too long.

Last year I had hope, but that Port game just killed me inside.

When I came home, my wife said she could see on my face that this loss was different.

I have a pair of baby demons socks for my son. I haven't unwrapped them.

I guess my post sounds sad because I am sad.

Sorry if that sounds melodramatic but that's just how I feel.

If Viney is the cure for cancer, I'll be the first one to celebrate. Until then I'm throwing my 10 year membership pin (which ironically I got this week) in the back of the closet.

Edited April 2, 2013 by Choke

[Norm Smith's Curse 2,078]

These types of threads tempt fate. He looked awesome and he did when i saw him outplay AFL players at Casey last year. But dont jinx him by pointing it out - its our only hope other than big hoges!

[whitito 187]

Wasn't there a story a few years back when the cats were on the verge of wasting their talent and they had just lost to North at hom and Bomber was under fire and Joel Selwood in his first year called out a few senior players and suggested they were not going hard enoug?

After watching Selwood yesterday, lets hope there is half as much in young Jack. Congratulations on the debut. Lets turn it around and win this week!!

[olisik 4,060]

I remember people were saying the same thing last year about Magner.

Just wait until the MFC culture hits the kid.

[Whispering_Jack 28,089]

I remember people were saying the same thing last year about Magner.

Just wait until the MFC culture hits the kid.

Disagree. This kid will be one of the factors that changes the (for want of a better word) "culture" of the club.

While all that bilge was going on around him and in front of our eyes, this young man who was the silver lining of the day for me, never stopped boring in for the football.

It's probably too soon to say this but he exudes the potential to produce the same sort of quality I saw the night before from another son of a former star playing up at Cararra.

And yes, we've seen potential before but not when combined with this kid's grit and determination. How sad that so many of his older and more experienced teammates didn't deserve to grace the same football field.

[SidVicious 121]

Matt Jones also made a handy debut I thought although he was overshadowed by #7.

[monoccular 16,394]

A truly fabulous debut, especially given the total lack of support by his so called teammates, showing more maturity and leadership in his first game then any of the "senior", (maybe should read senile), players.

It only makes the behaviour of the "established" players more inexcusable and inept.

[BrisbaneDemon 1,501]

Have changed my photo, This wonderful young man has all the attributes to pull this club out of the graveyard. The way he plays will hopefully be infectious to the others around him. Then in two years time ring Ollie and says "mate Toump and i need a hand, jump on over!" (its fun to day dream)

Love this kid!, bleeds red and blue and thats what we need!

[DeeZee 6,846]

Its sad because the team performance overshadowed,what was one the best debuts i have ever seen.

[Guest]

To be honest, it shouldn't be this way.
I'm really happy that Jack has shown that kind of leadership right off the bat but he SHOULD be concentrating on his own game at this stage of his career. It bodes well for the future and I'm sure that if he ever read this post, he would probably disagree with me vehemently. But it is so unfair to expect an 18 year old to be taking up that kind of responsibility so early in his career. That being said, I'm also glad he did it. I hope that we had our 'Geelong moment' on the weekend where the bleeding obvious is stated (that first year players, and in this case first game players, shouldn't be the ones who are best on ground for a team with plenty of 3 years and plus experienced players)
I'm glad this thread was posted as well. There is soooo much negativity going around and I have probably posted my fair share of negative posts. It's nice to focus on one positive.