Itโs the dad question Melbourne Mavericks netballer Jessie Grenvold knows is coming her way.
Despite years of following her netball career, her dad David, a 1993 Essendon AFL premiership player, still canโt resist converting Jessieโs defensive roles into footy parlance.
โWhere did you play this weekend Jess? Were you full-back or halfback?โ Jessie says breaking into laughter.
โTo him it is not so much goalkeeper or goal defence โ itโs full-back and half-back. It is such a dad thing.โ
In Davidโs defence, Jessie has worn both the GK and GD bibs while making a stunning rise in Super Netball where she started the season as an unknown but was last week named in the Australian Diamonds squad for 2026-2027.
Jessie is a casual Dons fan, at best, but her dad has been a constant sounding board throughout her career.
โI rang him and told him that Iโd made the Diamonds Squad and he was very proud, very, very excited,โ Grenvold said.
โStraight away, his next advice was, โOK, but letโs not get too distracted from beating the West Coast Fever this weekend.โ
โHe comes from a very ex-athlete place, and I think itโs really good for me and keeps me grounded.โ
Keeping grounded has never really been an issue for the 23-year-old who made the brave call in 2024 to leave the comforts of Adelaide and begin life in Melbourne โ part of the move was to follow former Adelaide assistant coach Tracey Neville who was taking over at the Mavericks but the other was to throw herself into an uncomfortable situation.
โI was thinking about what I wanted my life to look like and Iโve always been somebody who thrives by stepping outside my comfort zone,โ she said.
โI think the best part about my move is that I really set my life up here. I played state league netball, I got a retail job in a shoe store – I did all the things that really set roots here in Melbourne and thatโs why I feel very lucky that my netball has progressed in the right direction, but I also feel like Melbourneโs my home.โ
Grenvold is not an overnight success having ground through a training partner role in 2024, then the discretionary 11th spot at the Mavs last year before cracking the roster for this year after her good friend and former housemate Olivia Lewis left a starting defensive role to chase her AFLW dreams.
Donโt expect Grenvold to follow her into footy, her place is on the court as she is โhopelessโ with the Sherrin.
Yet Lewisโ departure opened minutes for Grenvold, who was still vying with teammate Tara Hinchcliffe for a starting role when Hinchcliffe suffered an ACL injury in round three.
Suddenly, the Mavs had to turn to Grenvold, who at 185cm isnโt as tall as most defenders, but makes up for it with her agility and determination.
She has fearlessly taken big defensive assignments and also fit into the Mavsโ team defensive structure while sitting second in Super Netball with 29 intercepts from 12 games.
โIt was all very sudden and there are parts that are daunting because it is something Iโve never done before but Iโve felt well-supported by the Mavs team and the coaching staff,โ Grenvold said.
โTheyโve invested in me and trusted me, basically told me to go out and have fun and that is when I play my best netball.โ
Grenvoldโs form has become the talk of the competition according to Mavs defensive coach Nicole Richardson who still thinks Grenvold has more development to come.
โSheโs just taken it within her stride,โ Richardson said.
โSheโs probably the most talked about player in the league this year in my opinion, probably her and Grace Whyte [from NSW Swifts] are the two most talked about players.
โBut that hasnโt changed who she is and sheโs someone that has a real growth mindset.
โSheโs like a sponge and she just wants to keep learning and keep getting better.โ
The Mavs take on Melbourne Vixens at John Cain Arena on Sunday, and they are desperate to make up for a one-point loss in overtime last meeting.
โI donโt think Iโve ever wanted to win a game of netball so much in my life,โ Grenvold said of the first match.
โItโs extra devastating when you donโt, but I think it definitely fuels the fire for this weekend.โ
Having grown up in South Australia, where her dad also played for Glenelg in the SANFL, Grenvold was aware of his success, but since moving to Melbourne she has developed more appreciation for what he achieved with Kevin Sheedyโs Bombers.
Sheโs also been surprised at the times people recognise her last name.
โIt happens quite a bit here in Melbourne which is always funny because dad used to tell us how good he was and we never really believed him,โ Grenvold said cheekily.
โBut the more I get into this elite athlete world, the more I can appreciate how much he helps and how much of a sounding board he is for me.โ
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Roy Ward is a sports writer, live blogger and breaking news journalist. He’s been writing for The Age since 2010.Connect via X or email.
