LEADER Jack Grimes speaks to melbournefc.com.au editor Matt Burgan in the lead-up to round seven

How has the week been for you on the back of the round six loss to West Coast Eagles?

JG: It was pretty hard early on. We completely underperformed and we know it wasn’t acceptable and after the game and in the review, it was a lot harder than most weeks. But it was probably the best review that we had, because we took a real hard look at ourselves. We were really honest with each other and we got some good feedback to take away. It’s always hard to take in, but I feel like we’ve really benefited from it.

Can you talk about what happened following the ‘red-eye’ flight from Perth in the early hours last Friday - a snapshot of Friday, Saturday and Sunday?

JG: We got back early Friday morning and had a sleep throughout the day, because most of us didn’t get much sleep on the plane. Then Friday afternoon, we came into the club and had recovery and our medical assessment. Then we tried to get a bit more sleep on the Friday night, but most of the boys struggled. On Saturday, we had another medical assessment to see how the bodies were feeling. We then had a light skills session and runaround. Then we had a lights weights session, because two days after the game, you can’t do a helluva lot. Then we had the rest of Saturday and Sunday off. Monday was mainly our review day and we did some light skills. It was an extensive day and we needed it and we got a lot out of it. It was really honest and open and one of our better reviews.

Do you think it was better having a few days off before the review or would it have been better doing it sooner?

JG: I think definitely a few days, because you can think about it more personally. If it’s straight after the game or the next day, a lot of emotions can be attached to the game. A lot of blokes are angry and sometimes it’s not good, because personal attacks on blokes could come out, as the emotion is worked up. Plus the late flight back didn’t help. I found it personally better to wait a few days. You get to review the game better and have a clearer mind as to where you think things went wrong and how to get them better. Those couple of days helped to freshen up mentally.

How do you feel as a player coming into a Monday review session?

JG: You always go into it a little bit nervous, because going into a review, when you know you haven’t performed well, you think: ‘where have I gone wrong?’ It’s almost embarrassing to see yourself up there, because when you see yourself up on the big screen doing something wrong in front of everyone - and it’s not to the team’s standards - it’s embarrassing. But the good thing is that on game day, you make sure you’re doing everything possible to not be up there for doing the wrong thing. But we also show the good things and make sure we show vision of when blokes are doing the right things. But from last weekend, there wasn’t many and there were more negatives. We were nervous and unsure how it would go, but everyone was open and honest about it.

And how were the players feeling after the review had finished?

JG: Everyone came out with a clear head, knowing what we must do for this week’s game. After the review, everyone wanted to take Adelaide on there and then. It felt like we were ready to go. Games like that help the group move forward, because it forces honest feedback out of each other.

Externally there has been a lot of scrutiny on the club this week. Some have been scathing towards the coach, the captain and the players. How do you deal with this as a first-year leader?

JG: Everyone tells you of the talk and even if you don’t read the papers much, you always hear about it, because supporters tell you. It always happens, so you do hear about it somehow. It is part of footy and when you don’t play well, you’ll be talked about. You can’t take it personally and you have to cop it on the chin, move on and prove them wrong. This weekend, there is a lot of motivation to prove our critics wrong against Adelaide. We never want to be seen as soft or undisciplined - those sorts of words, so we’ll be doing everything we can to change that.

There is no escaping the fact that Melbourne has produced two poor quarters this season - the third against Hawthorn and the first against West Coast Eagles. Yet Melbourne enters round seven eighth on the ladder. Do you believe the scrutiny has been fair or unreasonable?

JG: We look at the wins and the position on the ladder as the final product. What we do game-day and during the week is about getting that final product. I think it’s a good thing we’re being hard on ourselves and being disappointed about our performances, even though we are still sitting in the eight. It’s still a great opportunity for us this season, because it’s not like we haven’t had a win and we’re sitting last. If we can turn this around quickly, we know we’re right up there with the best. We’ve got a really good chance, because we’ve won two games, yet we still feel that we haven’t performed to the best of our ability.

You were one of Melbourne’s best against West Coast last round. How have you assessed your form this season?

JG: I’m still early in my career. In your first few games, you’re really trying to go out there and get a kick and cement your spot in the team. I find now my assessment on my game is a lot more to do with the team's performance, rather than individual performances. After a big loss like that last weekend, I don’t think there would be many blokes who would go home feeling good because they had a good game personally. You saw it in the rooms after the game - everyone was shattered. We don’t go out there for individual success; we do it for team success. It is good that some players have stepped up this year, but it’s not as much of a focus when the team isn’t performing as well.

Is football still fun after enduring a loss like that and the scrutiny that comes with it - how do you pick yourself up?

JG: After last weekend, blokes were thinking - footy’s pretty hard and were probably wondering where they were at. The good thing about footy is that it can turn around so quickly. Very early in the week, we were focusing on Adelaide and last weekend’s gone. We’re really lucky we can do that with our sport. After games like that, it is hard to take in. What do you say to supporters after a game like that? They don’t understand how we can win one week and drop down the next. I know it’s frustrating for supporters, but we’re lucky that there is another week. This weekend, we’ve definitely got a chance to turn it all around.

If you can be confident about one thing against Adelaide on Sunday, what is it?

JG: If I can be confident about one thing this weekend, it’s that we’ll start well and then we’ll put Adelaide under enormous pressure throughout the game. That’s exactly what we didn’t do last week. Training during the week was the best it’s been all year and I think we’re going to turn it around.