Grima back on board

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He may have just missed reaching his goal to be back in time for Round 1 but Nathan Grima can't wait to return for North Melbourne against Collingwood on Saturday, just three months after undergoing back surgery.

The key defender had battled through the club's pre-season training camp in Utah late last year with a bulging disc in his back and having been restricted to walking laps and swimming when he returned, he began suffering nerve pain in his legs and was forced under the knife on New Year's Eve.

There were fears Grima could be sidelined for a far longer period because, for the first six weeks he was 'doing pretty much nothing' and then had only six or seven weeks to build his fitness base.

But having done some seriously hard yards, the 25-year-old was disappointed not to have been selected last week despite being available.

"I've got full confidence that I'm back to the level I need to be at to play," Grima said.

"Ideally a five or six-week pre-season is not great when the other boys have done three or four months, but when I step out on the field on Saturday there will be no excuses if I play poorly and I'm still setting myself for a big year."

"Personally I'd love to come back and play well but I won't put expectations on myself and I'm just excited to get out and especially playing Collingwood as well (in front of a) big crowd. I just can't wait for Saturday to come around."

Having joked that he'd been in coach Brad Scott's office every day in the week leading up to last Sunday's season opener against West Coast, only to miss out, Grima also had a dig at team-mate Andrew Swallow when asked about Scott's recent comments identifying Grima as a future leader.

"I came here as a mature-age player at 22 ... so to be even held in that regard is obviously a privilege," he added.

"That was just a bit of a quiet news day no doubt and I'm just saying this for the camera, 'I actually think I should be the next skipper'."

"Andrew Swallow cried himself to sleep that night (after Scott's comments)."

Scott also can't speak highly enough of Grima, delighted to have him back in the team.

"You look at the results last year and the games that we lost and we were under pressure in, a lot of those we didn't have Nathan, so he's a crucial part of that back six," Scott said.

"Not only for what he brings to the team but what he assists others in doing, he's a really good leader back in defence."

"Our defence functions better with him in it, so to have him fit and available is going to be fantastic."

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