By: Hayden Tilbrook
WHEN Warrandyte welcomed Whitehorse on Saturday afternoon, to the Grimes family it was more than just a game of football – it was a family reunion.
The Grimes boys realised a dream more than three years in the making when they took their places for the opening bounce at Warrandyte Reserve, with brothers Jack, Nathan and Tom, along with brother-in-law Paul Donahoo, all attending the midfield for the opening bounce.
Following a successful Warrandyte debut, ex-Melbourne co-captain and middle brother Jack told EFL Media of the significance of the day.
“It was the first time we’ve run out together and it was good fun,” he said.
“I played a season with Tom at Hurstbridge (in 2017), but I haven’t played with Nathan since I was about twelve years old and I’ve never played with Paul, my brother-in-law.
“It was a good little family affair.”
The opening bounce featuring the Grimes brothers and Paul Donahoo at Saturday’s clash with the Pioneers. PHOTO: Jackie Austin (Warrandyte Football Club)
With Jack stepping away from football in 2018, younger brother Tom continued at Hurstbridge in the Northern Football Netball League’s Division 1, where the Bridges struggled to just three wins for the season.
Meanwhile, eldest Nathan found himself travelling over 300 kilometres on game days to Corryong in the Upper Murray Football League, while Paul played for Prahran in the Victorian Amateur Football Association.
With the family scattered across various Victorian football leagues, the brothers came together to hatch a plan to unite in 2019.
“We talked about playing somewhere together,” Jack said.
“We worked out options and my two brothers live in Warrandyte and they floated the idea (to play at the Bloods).
“When we spoke to the club we thought it would be a great fit and it has been.
“We’ve been rapt with the way that they’ve welcomed us in, and the way the club goes about things.”
After 100 AFL games, the ex-Demon says he is revelling in his return to local footy.
Jack Grimes played 100 games for Melbourne between 2008-2016, co-captaining the club from 2012-14. PHOTO: Wayne Ludbey
“I’ve loved it,” Jack said.
“I’ve loved getting back to local footy – it’s back to what it should be I guess.
“It’s a lot more contested, the ground’s a bit smaller meaning more of a contested style of footy which I really enjoy.
“It took a bit of getting used to the different style of it but playing a bit more in the midfield’s always fun because you get to be around the ball a bit more.
“I’ve definitely enjoyed the adjustment.”
Fresh off a four-goal performance of his own against the Pioneers, Nathan Grimes said the family connection had been a while in the making.
“It was good, I’ve only played probably two games ever with Tom and one game with Jack in under-10s or something like that,” he said.
“We’ve been talking about it (playing together) for three or four years and never got around to it, so it’s been good.”
At 32 years old, the eldest of the Grimes boys reiterated the delight the entire family had found at Warrandyte.
“I played up in the country the last three years and that was a bit of a slog for me,” Nathan said.
“I was travelling five hours each way to play and I didn’t have any family or friends come up there to watch me play.
“Now I’ve got a lot of my extended family coming down to watch, so it’s a pretty happy place to be down there when you get to play with your brothers.
“When your family comes down with their wives and partners and my little nieces and their grandparents together – it’s a pretty fun place to be.”
Warrandyte takes on the sixth-placed Waverley Blues in Round 4.