Melbourne are confident co-captain Jack Grimes is over his injury troubles and is a strong chance to lead the AFL club against Brisbane at the MCG on Saturday.

Demons midfielder and leadership group member Nathan Jones said under-fire key forward Jack Watts, who like Grimes played a VFL weekend match, had also boosted his round one selection chances.

Grimes made his return from a shoulder injury with the Demons’ VFL affiliate Casey on Saturday night.

While he picked up just a handful of disposals, more important was that the talented 22-year-old defender, who was restricted by injury to just seven AFL games last season, got through unscathed.

“I spoke to Grimesy this morning and he got through, which is a super positive,” Jones told reporters on Monday.

“Any little niggles that he had previously and his shoulder are all fine, from what he said.

“He’s put himself up for selection and hopefully he’s back this week.

“It would be great. He’s one of our co-captains (along with Jack Trengove), so any chance we have of having both of those two boys out on the ground, it’s a great boost.”

Watts had been criticised throughout the pre-season, but the Demons had nothing but praise for his weekend performance.

“It was the game we’ve all been waiting for Jack to play,” said Andrew Nichol, a Demons development coach, on the club’s website.

While Watts, who turned 21 on Monday, has not been guaranteed a berth in Saturday’s AFL side, Jones said he had done all he could.

“He’s done everything that’s expected of a player that’s put back in the VFL,” Jones said.

“He performed really well and to the standard we expected him to perform.”

With club legend Jim Stynes’ funeral on Tuesday, Jones said it would be an emotional week and that would no doubt carry into the clash with the Lions.

But he said one passionate performance would not be much of a tribute to someone who had served the club so enduringly as both player and president.

“It’s round one this week, but we want to carry his legacy throughout our development over the next few years and (through) consistency with performances,” he said.