ALTHOUGH Melbourne has been a big part of Jack Viney’s life – given his father Todd captained the club, played 233 matches from 1987-99 and is now a key part of the football department – he says his passion for the Demons has grown significantly in 2013.

Viney says having worn the red and blue for the first time this year has only strengthened his ties to the club.

“I’m definitely still 100 per cent proud to play for the Melbourne footy club, even though it’s been an extremely challenging year,” he told melbournefc.com.au.

“With my Dad playing for the Melbourne Football Club, it started the bond that I have in following the club.

“I wanted it to be successful, but it wasn’t until this year, when I was playing for the jumper, meeting the fans personally and hearing the experiences of long term disappointments – I’ve now become 100 per cent committed to wanting to turn things around.”

Viney said playing in the AFL had exceeded even what he expected, but he had relished the challenge of playing at the highest level. 

“I didn’t spend a great deal of time with the Melbourne footy club last year – maybe one day a week – because I was doing school,” he said. 

“I think that gave me a really good idea about being in a club environment, being at AAMI Park, getting familiar with the coaches, the day to day demands of being an AFL footballer and the demands of the timetable.

“The physical and mental demands of training and playing, plus the media scrutiny we’ve faced this year and the pressures that have been put on myself and also my Dad, as part of the football department – I definitely didn’t expect that.”

But having been involved in Melbourne’s disappointing season, Viney said he now wants to be a member of the club’s 13^th flag in the not too distant future.

“I want to be part of the Melbourne side that was beaten by one of the expansion clubs to winning a premiership in a few years. I want to be part of history,” he said.

“I know there are a lot of guys at the footy club as well that want to see things changed around, so my perception of the Melbourne Football Club has definitely changed this year playing for them.

“I’ve just become 100 per cent committed to wanting to do things to improve.”