IN RECENT weeks, youngsters Jimmy Toumpas, Max Gawn and Jack Fitzpatrick have taken important steps in their career.

Toumpas stepped up to play his best game yet against the Cats last round, and Gawn had a career best 48 hit outs in the same match in the wet at Simonds Stadium.

Fitzpatrick booted three majors against the Sydney Swans in round 15 and added a PB against the Brisbane Lions on Saturday night at TIO Stadium, kicking four goals.

One other youngster, playing just his seventh match, also impressed in Darwin.

That Jack Viney missed eight weeks on the sidelines with a toe injury and slotted back with 21 disposals (including 12 contested) and nine clearances was a credit to the first year Demon.

It also reinforced his importance for the future, especially in Melbourne’s engine room.

His return, after one match with Casey, was not lost on coach Neil Craig post-match.

“He was good. It was his second game back from a foot injury. His contested ball [was good] and I thought he got better and better as the game went on,” he said.

“It was good for Jack to come back into the side, and hopefully he can stay sound now for the rest of the year - and hopefully he’ll stay in the AFL team, so he can get that experience.

“That’s one of the real negatives when young players get injured, apart from the injuries, the fact they start to miss out on [matches]. So hopefully he can stay sound.”

Although Viney had the belief to make an impact upon his return, he was curious to see how he would fare during his first match back in the Top End.

“I was always confident in myself about coming straight back in after the Casey game. With the conditions [in Darwin], I was not second guessing myself, but wondering how I was going to go,” he told melbournefc.com.au.

“To not have a really bad day was all right, but I still made a lot of mistakes out there and that’s one thing I’ve got to clean up.

“But it was good to get out there again and just run around with the boys.”

Although Viney’s 22 disposals on debut against Port Adelaide in round one remains his best effort so far, he was pleased with his first AFL match since playing against the Gold Coast Suns in round seven.

“That’s up there with some of the best numbers I’ve had this year, so in the future, I want to improve on that,” he said.

“But considering it was my first game in the AFL for eight weeks, I was quite happy with that.

“In terms of what I did with those touches, I think there’s some cleaning up to do and I’m looking forward to getting on the track this week and getting better.”

Viney said dealing with a sizeable time off from the game had also given him perspective. He also believed he was now a “lot better off” for going through it. 

“You learn about your body. Rehab’s a completely different aspect of footy, so to be able to be introduced to rehab and the demands it takes, physically and mentally, I got to learn a lot and that’s going to hold me in better stead for the future,” he said.

“Next time I get injured, I’m going to be potentially back a lot quicker than if it was my first time.

“There were a lot of positives to take out of my seven weeks off, but it’s good to be back.”

And the red and blue faithful thought so too.