EFL 2019: Former Melbourne captain Jack Grimes set to join Eastern Football League club Warrandyte

Warrandyte’s active recruiting period is set to continue after lodging a clearance for former Melbourne captain Jack Grimes.

Jack Grimes during his time at Melbourne. Picture: Michael Klein

Former Melbourne captain Jack Grimes is set to join brothers Tom and Nathan at Eastern Football League club Warrandyte in 2019.

A clearance has been lodged for Grimes to join the Bloods from Northern Football League club Hurstbridge, where he played in 2017 after being delisted from Melbourne the previous season.

Warrandyte has enjoyed an active recruiting period as they hunt for their first finals appearance since the 2015 Division 4 premiership.

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The club last week announced a bevy of signings, including the Grimes brothers, dual Hurstbridge premiership player Sean Jellie and former Portland ruckman Luke Hodge.

Jack Grimes posing for the camera when he joined Hurstbridge in 2017. Picture: Stuart Milligan

But Grimes is one of the headline recruits in the competition this off-season after his 100-game career at Melbourne.

The 29-year-old was a first-round draft selection in 2007 and was named co-captain of the Demons at the age of 22, making him one of the youngest skippers in VFL/AFL history.

But he was delisted at the end of the 2016 season after playing just two games that year as Melbourne looked to blood its next wave of talent.

Grimes returned to his junior club Hurstbridge following his AFL career and had a year away from the game in 2018.

Tom (Hurstbridge) and Nathan (Corryong) were cleared to the Division 3 club in November.

Warrandyte has won just 11 games since the 2015 premiership win and were demoted back to the fourth tier last year as part of the EFL restructure.

But the Bloods are expected to be one of the big improvers this year adding some vital on-field leadership.

Jellie also brings important leadership after a distinguished career at Hurstbridge.

Jellie played more than 140 games for the Bridges, was a club captain, two-time premiership player and was among the best players in the 2016 Division 2 grand final win.

Warrandyte opens its season against Glen Waverley Hawks at Warrandyte Reserve on April 6.

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