Jack Viney has praised Nathan Jones for his support since being made Melbourne co-captain
MELBOURNE hasn’t had a great history with co-captains. But the leadership duo of Jack Viney and Nathan Jones is proving a winner for the Demons.
Melbourne
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THEY went surfing like they always do.
It was early February and Jack Viney and Nathan Jones were in search of early waves before another gruelling day of pre-season training in Queensland.
The water off the coast of Maroochydore was warm. Despite what had happened a day earlier, the feeling between Melbourne’s two midfielders was the same.
Jones had just been told by coach Simon Goodwin during a round of golf that he would no longer be the Demons’ sole captain. It hit him like a tonne of bricks.
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But Viney would not learn of his elevation to co-captain until hours after his board had dried.
“It was just the two of us and things were fine. He was normal with me, I didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary,” Viney said.
“Then after training that day, ‘Goody’ sat me down and said: ‘I’m thinking about going with a co-captaincy model and I want you to be part of it.’
“I played it pretty cool, but once I got out of the room I gave a little fist pump. I was ecstatic.”
Jones has since opened up on the “disappointment” over feeling like something had been “taken away” from him, but his professionalism and eventual understanding of the decision meant his relationship with Viney stayed strong.
So he didn’t cut in on you? “No,” Viney laughed. “He does that anyway, but no more than normal.
“I know ‘Jonesy’, while change can be difficult at times, always makes the right decision for the team and what’s best and if Goody is saying that’s what he believes I knew Jonesy would be fine with it.
“I know he’s come out publicly and said it took him by surprise and stuff, but the way he’s dealt with me has been nothing but great.”
Co-captains had been a dirty word at Melbourne after young pair Jack Trengove, 20, and Jack Grimes, 22, were thrust in the deep end.
And when 22-year-old Viney was appointed to lead alongside Jones eyebrows were raised.
Yet when it is suggested Viney’s ascension to the highest level of player leadership has come quickly, we get our first insight into the fierce drive that powers the Demons’ tenacious onballer.
Best-and-fairest last year, runner-up the year before and his standing in the game rising with each season, he is a young man who knows what he wants and how to get it.
“I understood where I sat inside in the club in terms of leadership and what I bring to the club in terms of leadership, which is right up there,” Viney said.
“Ever since I was 16 people would say, ‘This kid will be the next captain’, probably just through the way I played. But it never really bothered me and I was just happy to go on the journey, learn the ropes and improve.
“If I got there, I got there, but if I didn’t it wasn’t going to be the end of the world.”
Viney has forged his way in this game as an intense, hyper-focused footballer, but he has also learned to relax more as a person.
We are chatting in the Hawthorn home he shares with girlfriend, Charlotte, and energetic Bernese Mountain dog pup, Sebastian.
He has a passion for coffee — “That’s a Breville Dual Boiler.”
Doesn’t drink alcohol during the season — “Those bottles have been up there for a while. You’d say they’re more decorative.”
Has an unusual favourite food — “Chocolate. Not healthy, but it’s my favourite.”
Loves a Bali holiday and regularly goes surfing with teammates and ex-teammates — “We did Bells Beach this morning. I was up at 6am, met ‘Harmsey’ (James Harmes) at 6.30am and we were in the water by 8.30am.”
Viney last August moved out of the family home occupied by footballing father and Melbourne list manager Todd, mum Meagan and younger brother and “best mate” Max. But he didn’t move far.
“Mum and dad are 800m away. You go straight, left, right and you’re there,” he said.
“I thought it would be a positive thing being close to mum and dad because I’m a family man and love being around my family. But it’s probably backfired because they’re over here every single day at the moment and sometimes I kind of want my own space.
“It would be nice to be a bit further away so that it’s a little bit more inconvenient for them to come over. But in all seriousness, it’s great having them nearby because we are a close knit family.”
Charlotte is the childhood sweetheart and the pair are a team away from the team.
“I’ve known her since I was 12, but we didn’t start dating until I was 17. In the early days, socially it was a bit of a big deal,” Viney said.
“It’s good (living together). I’m enjoying it. She’s pretty easy going, she chips in around the house and it’s a 50-50 split. We’ve got a good system going.”
Charlotte has been a big part of what Viney admitted was the pursuit of a more “balanced life”.
“I do find it easy to slip into the pattern of being really intense, training hard and doing everything to the enth degree,” he said.
“So I’ve made a conscious decision to pull myself away from the club at times and away from footy, do other things and get that balance right and that helps.
“Certainly there’s weeks where I can get caught up in the whole football cycle and forget about the balance and that’s something I’ve got to keep working on.
“I’ve probably realised the last couple of years that if I have a balanced life that helps my performance and mental wellbeing.”
Viney talks about Melbourne’s 2017 prospects in a quiet, but confident tone.
He is excited by the potential of Clayton Oliver, Christian Petracca and Angus Brayshaw and said the group had come a long way from being satisfied with the sort of win that was the Round 1 demolition of St Kilda.
Asked how far Melbourne can go this season, Viney takes a deep breath.
“I think if we can finish top eight you can go anywhere. The Doggies proved that,” he said.
“If we could play finals it would be unreal and I don’t think that’s an unrealistic expectation considering where we finished last year.
“We should be around the mark and if that happens, who knows?”
Originally published as Jack Viney has praised Nathan Jones for his support since being made Melbourne co-captain
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