Melbourne Demon Jack Grimes inherits Ron Barassi's number

MELBOURNE co-captain Jack Grimes has inherited the jumper made famous by Ron Barassi.

Jack Grimes

MELBOURNE co-captain Jack Grimes has inherited the jumper made famous over decades by Ron Barassi and rendered infamous in just two seasons by former teammate Tom Scully.

Grimes says he is honoured to accept the No.31 jumper, closing a regrettable chapter given Scully's haste in moving to Greater Western Sydney.

Grimes said he had to go away and consider coach Mark Neeld's request to switch jumpers, given how quickly he had made the No.16 his own.

Read how we rated Melbourne's 2012 draft in the Draft Tracker

But with a family full of life-long Melbourne supporters the decision was eventually straightforward.

"Neeldy brought me into his office and asked me how I felt about wearing the No.31," Grimes told the Herald Sun.

"I thought, 'Geez, I wasn't expecting that. My initial reaction was a bit of shock and I was definitely taken aback.

"He said to go away and chat to your family. I knew what I was going to say but my dad is a life-long Melbourne supporter. So it was a massive deal.

"I have met the great man on a few occasions and to be pulling on his jumper will be massive."

Grimes, 23, said he had no grudge against Scully for accepting a $6 million deal to join the Giants.

"It would have been nice for him to stick around a bit longer, especially in a number like 31, but there are no hard feelings. When it was all going on it was a tough time for him, but we wish him all the best."

Grimes and Jack Trengove endured a torturous initiation in their first year as co-captains, dealing with rumours of infighting, off-field controversies and their own battles with form.

Grimes ended the season as runner-up in the Bluey Truscott Medal voting and grew significantly as a leader.

"It was a bit tough early because there was a lot of stuff off the field too, so it seemed like one thing led to another," Grimes said.

"For that initiation period it was harder than I would have liked, but it's great to get through it because I learnt so much. When we were initially made captains we knew it would come.

"We knew there would be a time when someone would say they aren't the right men for the job. But it helped being in it together.

"There were hard times when we were confronting older guys about things that weren't easy to talk about. But you do get more comfortable."

Grimes said the intensity at Melbourne training was already apparent, and added that players were fitter than at the end of the previous pre-season. However, that news would have paled into insignificance had the AFL's tanking investigation seen the club stripped of the draft picks that saw it recruit several players, including Jack Viney.

"It was a relief. We didn't know what was going on. You hear things on the news and see a few articles in the paper and you think, 'I hope this plays out all right'," Grimes said.

"So it was good to hear we are getting the picks. It does feel the club had moved on a lot since (2009)."