JACK Viney, who claimed this week’s NAB AFL Rising Star, thought Collingwood big man Brodie Grundy would earn the nod for round 21.

But Viney said he was delighted to claim the honour.  

“It’s good to be recognised for playing a good game. The team performance wasn’t too flash, but I’m glad I played well and tried to contribute to the team performance,” he said from AAMI Park on Tuesday.

“I thought he had it in the bag. I’m not a very good judge of my own game when I’m playing, so I really wasn’t too sure how I’d gone and what was going to happen.

“I thought Grunds was pretty stiff. He’s a good bloke and I wish him all the best for the year.”

Viney said his father and Melbourne great Todd was rapt for him, but encouraged him to complete the season in a positive fashion. 

“He congratulated me and he just said ‘it was good to play a good game, but there’s two more games to go and try and finish off strong’,” he said.

Reflecting on his first season, Viney said 2013 had been “a massive shock to me” and “a massive learning experience”.

“We haven’t performed how we’d like and it’s taken its toll on a few players … but I’m really thankful for the opportunity that the Melbourne footy club has given me,” he said.

“When you get beaten by [almost] 150 points in round two and you get booed off the ground, it’s not exactly what you want to play footy for.

“After these big games, the boys are quite upset and quite emotionally distressed, so they go home to their families. Because it’s our profession, it does affect the boys and we come to work every morning and try to get better.

“When you’re getting smashed every week, it’s pretty easy to fall into the trap [of thinking] ‘Am I working hard for anything?’ … but Neil Craig is really motivating the boys and giving us something to fight for in the last few rounds.”

Viney said vice-captain Nathan Jones had been a strong mentor in 2013.  

“We’re similar heights and weights and size,” he said.

“I try to get a few tricks out of his book and he’s been fantastic for my development. I really think that this award is part of his mainly, because he’s really helped me, especially in the second half of the season.”   

He added that coach Neil Craig had encouraged him to be a leader, even though he’s not officially part of the group.

“Neil Craig really talks about leadership without a title,” he said.

“While I don’t have a leadership role as such, I still like to see myself as a leader and I still want to contribute to team morale and really encourage the boys to come out firing.”

As for Craig as a possible coaching candidate in 2014, Viney said he would have no problems whatsoever. And Viney added there was “plenty to get excited about” with Melbourne next year and beyond.

“I can only talk about my experiences with Craigy, but I absolutely love him. He’s a great motivator and communicator and I really feel he gets the best out of myself personally, because I like those kind of coaches,” he said.

“If he coach’s [Melbourne] next year, I’ll be more than thrilled and I wish him all the best for that.”