Jack Crisp knows he has six weeks to make his case for reinstatement on the Brisbane Lions’ list in 2015.
And the 20-year-old has made a damn good start.
Finally getting his chance at the top level for the first time this season, the solidly-built 190cm utility racked up 20 disposals and laid seven bone-jarring tackles in the Lions’ crushing 54-point win over Gold Coast last Saturday.
Out-of-contract at the end of the year after being drafted in 2011, Crisp knows he will have to play with that intensity every week.
Crisp played just two games in 2013 under then-coach Michael Voss, but admitted he hadn’t delivered to “the standard Vossy wanted me to play at”.
“I wanted to make an impact early and try and get as many games as I could,” he told APN of his plans for 2014. “It’s taken me up to now to get in, so it’s been a bit of a frustrating year.
“But, it was good to finally get that chance and then take it.”
Crisp, from Myrtleford in north-east Victoria, was picked up in the 2011 rookie draft and then promoted to the senior list after impressing in 12 games in 2012.
A bigger 2013 had beckoned.
“I came off a good pre-season and was ready to go, but then in the intra-club game I hurt my calf, so that set me back,” he explained. “I couldn’t really get going.”
A best and fairest winner with TAC Cup side the Murray Bushrangers like teammate Tom Rockliff, Crisp had early in his career been compared to the Lions’ vice-captain who collected a club-record 47 disposals last week.
“As he showed on the weekend, he’s a pretty good player … one to look up to, take notes off,” Crisp said.
He added that while the Lions were happy with their performance in the QClash, the players had made a concerted effort to “put the game behind us” and focus on Melbourne, who will make them earn every possession at Etihad Stadium tomorrow.