MB: How are you feeling on the eve of the season?

NJ: I’m really excited. When you look at our pre-season as a whole, I reckon we’ve got out of it what we intended. I’m really excited about where the group is at and I’m very excited to get the season under way.

MB: It’s somewhat of a new-look side with seven recruits in the round one side.

NJ: It’s been reported a lot, with the amount of new players we’ve brought into the club. It’s one thing that really gets me excited. ‘H’ (Heritier Lumumba) has been a great example for us. He’s in some really good form and I’m really excited to have him on board – along with Sam Frost, he’s another one. Those guys have been terrific for us over the pre-season. They’ve brought experiences from other clubs. Then there are the younger guys like Angus Brayshaw, who has played some awesome footy in the VFL in the last couple of weeks, after a head knock. Aaron vandenBerg has been terrific over the pre-season. I’m really excited about the guys we’ve got – they’re going to bolster our side and make us a more competitive outfit.

MB: You mentioned Aaron vandenBerg. Can you offer an insight into him?

NJ: You always know how committed a rookie-listed player is when they come in with an attitude similar to what Aaron’s got. He wants it more than anything and we knew that from day one. Being a mature-age player and out in the workforce, he really saw the opportunity and has seized that chance. I think he’s really done that. He’s got great attributes and is really strong and quick. He’s got terrific endurance, is competitive and quick, and he is good over head as well. He adds some real versatility to our forward line and he’s also got the potential to play in the midfield. I likened him a bit to [Fremantle’s] Michael Barlow. He plays that high half-forward role and I think he can really add to the group. I’m really excited about him. He’s the type of player who doesn’t leave anything out there and the boys really enjoying playing with him.

MB: Who are you looking forward to seeing step-up in 2015?

NJ: Jack Viney. I think he’s got the real potential to be one of those key drivers in the midfield. He had a terrific pre-season and he’s worked hard on his game and I’m really excited about what he’s got to offer. He’s got some great attributes as well and if he can consistently contribute for us, he’s going to be a great player. I’m excited about a couple of our smaller forwards. With the addition of Jeff Garlett, we’ve got Jay Kennedy-Harris and Dean Kent, who have had strong pre-seasons and they’ll provide us – and Melbourne supporters – something we haven’t seen in the last few years, with speed, pressure, skill and talent. Those three – with Kennedy-Harris and Kent being the understudy to Garlett – can be the bright lights for us.

MB: Simon Goodwin has come on board as senior assistant coach. How have you seen his involvement with Paul Roos so far, as he prepares to succeed him at the end of the 2016 season?

NJ: Roosy has been terrific and open to the ideas that Simon has brought to the club, but ultimately they see the game very similar. They both value defence strongly, but also want to play offensively. Goody has assisted with some of our offensive moments and has helped create a bit more of a system when we win the ball. That’s been great for us and we started to see signs over the NAB Challenge.

MB: Brendan McCartney has also joined the coaching panel. He has a wealth of experience, having been involved in Geelong’s 2007 and 2009 premierships and more recently as the coach of the Western Bulldogs. What’s he been like for the group?

NJ: Macca has been really good for our development players. The younger players really look up to him. He sees the game really well and those three senior figures (Roos, Goodwin and McCartney) work really well. All of the coaches have been on the one page and it’s been a great education for the players.

MB: How are you feeling being the sole captain this year, after being a co-captain with Jack Grimes in 2014?

NJ: I don’t see too much extra pressure in terms of physicality on game day or my own individual performance. I’ve tried to really embrace the role and it sits comfortably with me. I’ve really enjoyed the role of helping build the culture with our leaders, and trying to drive the standards and behaviours of the group. Hopefully I continue where I left last year, in terms of my form, but more importantly, pushing my teammates and driving the standards, which has been a real focus of mine. We want to have a leadership group that builds up a competitive and strong outfit.

MB: You enter the 2015 season as a three-time best and fairest winner. You also made the 2015 top 50 player lists in the AFLPA and Herald Sun. Where do you see your status in the game now?

NJ: The players’ [top 50] you do take notice because to be voted by your peers is always good. In terms of media, it’s the opinion of one person. That’s water off a duck’s back really. More importantly, the really good players of the competition are recognised for their contribution they make to their team. That’s what I’m focused on. I want our team to be great again – not only ourselves, but a lot of players will benefit individually, by the Melbourne footy club being a better club. The most important thing to me is getting back up the ladder. If we’re successful doing that then the players will get the recognition.

MB: Do you feel greater pressure as a player, given you’ve won the past three Melbourne best and fairest awards?

NJ: I don’t feel any extra expectation or pressure at all. Now that I’m sole captain, I’ve got to make sure I perform at a really high level no matter what the pressure or expectation. It’s coming from me, rather than externally. It sits really comfortably with me that I can still play at a really high level and captain and lead the club in the right direction.

MB: Jesse Hogan. There has been a lot of talk about him. He’s finally set to make his debut on Saturday. What are you observations on the young key forward?

NJ: I get asked every time I do an interview to talk about Jesse. There is so much hype around the kid. Even the other day, I was quoted as saying he’s the next Jonathan Brown, but I was only saying he has the type of attributes. I do honestly believe he does have the ability to become a player of that calibre. Whether he’s as successful as Jonathan Brown – that’s definitely left in his hands – but he’s definitely got the talent. He just loves to win and that’s what we love about him. He’s going to be a real dominant force for us over the next 10 years, but at the moment he’s only 20 years old and hasn’t played a game. He’s got limited experience on that front, so he’s got some learning to do. He’s one player I’m really excited about playing with for the rest of my career.

MB: How are you feeling about Saturday’s match against the Gold Coast Suns, given its now 10 years since Melbourne last won a round one match?

NJ: This is my 10^th season, but really it’s just like every other round in season to be honest. The excitement builds from having so much time away from the game. You just want to feel it, smell it and be a part of it. You grind away all pre-season with that one goal in mind – to get out on the MCG. That’s where that passion and excitement comes from. The key is to perform on the day. You can build it up too much – you’ve got the potential to play the game before you get there. It’s something that we really want to address – mentally being in the moment and being able to put our best foot forward on game day. Preparation this week has been pretty controlled, so we just need to go through the process. There is going to be a lot of heat early, being the first game. I’m looking forward to that first moment and getting through the first quarter and then we’re under way with the season.

MB: Realistically, how many wins can you build on from the four victories last season?

NJ: We try to not look at the result in this game – and put numbers and stats on things. I feel that we have improved and I feel that we have got some substance about the group and what we’re trying to improve. We’ve implemented and worked on a few things that we lacked last year and our offensive stuff. We’ve really tried to maintain that defensive edge. From what I’ve seen over the NAB Challenge, our best footy is good enough, but it’s just the consistency – whether that’s week to week or moment to moment in a game. I think that’s going to be our greatest challenge at the moment. We’ve got some experience now, but if we can play at our best, what lies ahead is very exciting for the footy club. Our game style and ability holds up against the good teams, but whether we can put that out will be our biggest challenge. That’s why there is a lot of optimism, but I’m hoping we can get on a bit of a roll and build some belief, confidence and trust in the group, as we’ve done that in the pre-season. Now it’s about performing on game day and if we can do that – I’m sure we can take some pretty big steps over the season.