MELBOURNE has announced the signing of Jack Viney - the son of former captain and recently appointed general manager of player development Todd.

Jack will become a Demon via the father/son rule in the 2012 NAB AFL Draft. He will be eligible to play his first match for Melbourne in the 2013 season.

Melbourne was delighted with the opportunity to commit to Viney now, considering he attracted strong interest from opposition clubs.

The club can also benefit by giving Viney a clear direction on his football future.

The 16-year-old is widely regarded as one of the best young talents coming through the AFL talented pathway program. He is a 176cm and 78kg midfielder from North Adelaide/Prince Alfred College.

Viney represented South Australia at this year’s NAB AFL under 16 championships. He also captained South Australia to its first under-16 title and was named his state’s most valuable player.

Club national recruiting manager Barry Prendergast said: “Jack is an extremely talented inside midfielder with elite hands and awareness around the contest. He is hard at the ball with plenty of courage. He is strong around the stoppages, but he can also push forward, where his pressure skills are a feature.”

Senior coach Dean Bailey said: “It is very beneficial to have Jack’s early commitment to the club. His involvement with the club will enable us to manage and supervise his training program, giving him the very best preparation possible for the start of his AFL career in 2013”

Todd said he was delighted Jack had joined the club: “When Jack came to the decision to join Melbourne, I was of course very pleased and proud that he too would play for Melbourne. Separately, I had been keen to return to Melbourne and whilst I had some hesitation about working at the same club Jack will be a part of, the opportunity at Melbourne was very compelling.”

Todd played 233 matches for Melbourne from 1987-1999 - the 10th most in the Club’s history - and recently returned to Melbourne after a successful coaching career with Hawthorn and Adelaide.

He won the Keith ‘Bluey’ Truscott Memorial Trophy twice in 1993 and 1998.

Viney was also named on the interchange in Melbourne’s team of the century, is a member of the club’s hall of fame and in 2008 was named one of the red and blue’s 150 Heroes.

He also represented South Australia in state-of-origin and Australia in the International Rules series.

Todd now works closely with senior coach Dean Bailey and general manager, list management Tim Harrington on building the premiership model.

He oversees the operations of Melbourne’s player development programs, including the academy with Kelly O’Donnell and personal development with Ian Flack. Viney also works closely with the conditioning coaches.

Previously coach of Victorian country team Moama, Viney became an assistant coach with Hawthorn from 2004-08 and was a member of the brown and gold’s premiership coaching staff in 2008.

Viney returned to his native South Australia, where he became an assistant coach at Adelaide from 2009-10.

He rejoined Melbourne in October.