Players drafted under the father-son rule are often forced to cope with high expectations; Jack Viney was certainly no exception.

The son of Melbourne champion Todd, Jack always knew he wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps.

“I grew up in the change-rooms so I’ve always had in the back of my mind… I wanted to play for the Melbourne Football Club,” he admits.

“Growing up, footy was a massive part of my childhood. I wouldn’t say it changed my life. It has been my life because of my dad playing footy.”

As the latest player to feature on Channel 7’s #DISCOVERED series, Jack reflected on his upbringing in a football-crazed family. He feels fortunate to have learned about the game from one of its greats.

“[Dad]’s been extremely supportive of me, as with my mum,” Viney says.

“I would have been getting advice that not too many kids my age would have been able to handle but [he’s] certainly not afraid to tell me what I’m not doing well and hold me accountable, which I think is one aspect that I really do like about my father.”

Jack has demonstated his fearless abilities on the field with the controversy of ‘that bump’ and has  been able to grow and mature as a player from that experience.

“I wouldn’t say [footy] changed my life. It has  been my life.” – Jack Viney

“That was an extremely stressful couple of days,” he reflects.

“It was the first time I had been through the tribunal system and with the public uproar it caused, it was quite a surreal feeling.

“I try not to sweat the small stuff and I guess as long as I’ve got my priorities right in life such as family and what not, I’m pretty happy and I’m not fazed with what else happens.”

Away from his busy life in footy, Jack enjoys spending time with his grandparents down at Tumby Bay.

“Pa’s got his own little veggie garden and we just sit there and make food… There are a couple of secret ingredients but if I told you I’d have to kill you,” he says with a laugh.

Jack aspires to uphold his family’s name and be known to the football world as a player who never leaves the field with regrets.

“I’d probably want to be remembered as a player who was hard-working and made the most of his ability,” he says.

“The harder you work, the more successful you’re going to be and the luckier you’ll become, so I’m a massive believer of that and have been for a long time.”

Watch Channel 7’s #DISCOVERED piece on another famous father-son selection – Gary Ablett Jnr.