Jack's father Todd was one of the Demons' toughest players in a career that spanned 233 games from 1987 to 1999, including captaining the club in his final two years. Todd Viney also won two best-and-fairests and is also a member of the Demons Hall of Fame and their Team of the Century.
After his playing career finished, Todd moved into coaching, first at Melbourne, then country Victoria, before going to Hawthorn with former teammate Alastair Clarkson and then on to Adelaide in 2009.
It was there that Jack started to be seen as a future AFL player, becoming the first year-nine student since 1965 to play firsts football for Prince Alfred College (Jack Trengove's school).
He not only dominated school footy, but was also playing for North Adelaide's under-18 team, where he starred as a 16-year-old and was named SA’s most valuable player at the 2010 U16 championships, which South Australia won.
Adelaide showed significant interest in luring the youngster to the Crows, but the move of Todd back to Melbourne to work in the player development program for the 2011 season made that unlikely.
The Demons made their move now in order to ward off interest from other clubs, especially Greater Western Sydney, which has similar youth concessions to those used by Gold Coast.
Viney said he was never seriously tempted by the Crows.
"I've always had a soft spot for the Melbourne footy club," he said at AAMI Park on Tuesday afternoon.
"Dad played here and my uncle Jay played here as well, so growing up I always had a massive soft spot for the Demons.
"It wasn't a hard decision."
Viney senior, who was hard and tough but never highly skilled, had some reassuring words for the Demon faithful regarding Jack's kicking.
"He's a little bit further progressed than I was, which is probably a great thing for all Melbourne supporters to know," he joked.
"He's obviously spent a few more hours kicking the football than I had at this age - I was running around the tennis court hitting tennis balls - but I think it's a positive, he can actually kick, which is good."
While Jack will be playing for Carey Grammar in 2011, he will be hoping to break into the Oakleigh Chargers TAC Cup side, and Demons CEO Cameron Schwab said the club was hoping to get him to play with the Casey Scorpions - Melbourne's VFL-aligned side - in 2012.
"We'd be hopeful that, similar to what a number of players have been able to do with Greater Western Sydney and also the Gold Coast, he might be able to come into our system on the same basis,' Schwab said.
"We'll make an application to the AFL that because he's in year 12 he might be able to have a few games with the Casey Scorpions during the year."
