THE RETURN of 2012-13 co-captain Jack Grimes to the backline will be a significant boost for the Demons next year, according to key defender James Frawley.
Grimes, who spent greater time in the midfield in 2013, before injury interrupted his season, is training with the backline this pre-season, where he has produced some fine form, particularly in 2012.
Frawley said Melbourne’s influx of midfielders through the trade/draft period enabled Grimes to return.
“Over the break, we tried to get some midfielders into the club and we’ve done that through Bernie Vince, Viv Michie, Aidan Riley and a few other boys coming in,” he told melbournefc.com.au.
“Those guys will help Grimesy a bit and release him from the midfield to down back, where we’re lucky enough to have him on the half-back flank. I reckon that’s where he plays his best footy. He plays so well from the backline and he’s a good player.
“It’s definitely a settled group with Garlo having his best year last year and Tom McDonald. Hopefully for the backline group, it’ll be a good year.”
Frawley added the recruitment of mature-age rookie Alex Georgiou added depth to the backline.
“He might be able to take some of the bigger forwards for us and have an impact,” he said.
“All of the boys in the backline help each other out and the new players. It’s pretty hard at the start, but most of the boys in the backline and the whole team help out the young guys.
“If they can improve as quickly as they can, it’s only going to be best for the team. They seem like good young fellas and they’re all willing to learn and they all work hard, so that’s all you can ask of them.”
Frawley said the retention of backline coach Jade Rawlings was also important for the continuity of the defenders.
“’Twig’ (Rawlings) is the only coach around from last year. He was really super for us in the backline. We’ve got a really good, tight young bunch of blokes that played some pretty good footy last year,” he said.
“He (Rawlings) kept us together and was the rock that really helped the group.
“It’s been good that he’s there, because we had such a positive backline group last year.”
