AFTER only four games in the TAC Cup in 2009, Hawthorn saw enough in Sam Grimley to draft him as a long-term project player.

The 199cm basketball convert has no regrets about his decision to switch sports.

He spoke to hawthornfc.com.au.

How is your footy going at the moment?

It's been going pretty well for the last two or three weeks. I broke my finger about six weeks ago, and I missed three weeks with that. I used that time to assess my season, as well as not worry about footy for little while. I reckon that's really helped me the last couple of weeks.

What came out of your self-assessment?

Probably to engage with the Box Hill players a lot more. It's not that they're not your teammates, but you're obviously not training with them every day, so it can be a little bit hard to interact with them. So the last month I've really gotten along well with the Box Hill boys. I've really bought into them. That was one thing. I also felt like I was over-analysing things coming into every game. The last few weeks I haven't gone in with any specific goals, I've just gone out and played and let my instincts take over. That's been good for me.

So are you optimistic about a good finals campaign with Box Hill now?

Yeah. I've played in the development team the last two weeks, but hopefully I'll be back in the [senior VFL] side for the first final. I missed out last year with a broken hand, and the year before that I wasn't playing. So it would be good to play some finals footy with Box Hill.

You're tall enough to play as a ruckman, but you've been playing forward and back as well, haven't you?

I didn't play much footy growing up. I was recruited as a ruckman, and played my first year just as a ruckman. But last year, with the sub rule coming in, I had to learn a different position. So I started playing forward a bit. This year I'd say my main position has been forward, and then changing into the ruck. And just before I broke my finger I played a few games down back, just because it's a bit easier to read the play.

Where do you see yourself playing in the long-term?

I've taken a lot out of playing in the backline, but I think my position will be forward and ruck.

You said you didn't play much footy as a kid. What did you do?

I played basketball. I gave up footy in under-15s and played basketball heavily for three years. I didn't play any footy at all after that until the year I was drafted. That year I played a few games for my school (Ivanhoe Grammar) while I was playing basketball, which was pretty vigorous on the body. I'd play footy on a Friday afternoon, then basketball on Friday night, and often Saturday or Sunday as well. I got a phone call from the Northern Knights inviting me to come down and train with them, and I thought if I could give away basketball for six months, maybe I could go somewhere with footy. That was the biggest decision I've had to make, to give away something I really loved. But I loved footy as well, it's just that I'd had a few years off. So I ended up playing four games for the Knights at the end of 2009.

Were you playing basketball at a high level?

I played for Diamond Valley in the Victorian league, and I was in the national intensive training centre program. I did that for about a year. We trained twice a week down at Waverley at six o'clock in the morning, and I was able to represent Victoria through that.

So have you had any regrets about not sticking with basketball?

No. I'm happy with the way it's gone. You do miss the game of basketball, but a lot of boys played basketball growing up, so we all play a bit at the club. And we actually put a team together in the off-season this year and played in a league out at Nunawading. 'Roughy' (Jarryd Roughead) was the coach. That was pretty fun.

Did you have to keep that on the quiet from the coaches?

We let them know, so they were fine about it. It was in the off-season when we didn't have any club commitments. But then we were told we had to give it the flick. I hurt my foot playing one game. We did it for about two weeks during the pre-season, but it worked out that we'd have a really solid session on the morning of the game, so by the time we got out to Nunawading at nine o'clock on a Wednesday night, we wanted to give it the flick anyway. It was good while it lasted.

Who else at the club plays?

Roughy goes all right, along with Jordan Lewis and Xavier Ellis, and Chance Bateman has a pretty handy shot on him, too.

Who have you been working with to improve your footy?

I've done a lot with 'Monkey' (Hawks ruck coach Damian Monkhorst). And I moved in with Max Bailey in the first two years after I got drafted, and he was really good for me, not just as a ruckman but also as a person as well. He's really good with the younger fellas. With 'Roughy' doing a lot more ruckwork now, I've worked a lot with him as well. That's good, because we kind of relate, both coming from a basketball background.

What are the main aspects of the game you've had to catch up on?

Probably the professionalism, in terms of recovery. With basketball, you were never taught how to recover, especially after big sessions. Also, with basketball one player can turn a game on its head, whereas footy is a lot more team orientated.

Some non-footy questions for you now.

Who are you living with?

I live with Taylor Duryea, Ben Stratton and Brendan Whitecross. It's a good house. We're across the road from Caulfield racetrack, so we can nip over there every now and then, and it's pretty close to Glenferrie Road and Chapel Street, so it comes in handy.

Who is the best of you in the kitchen?

Taylor Duryea is really good, and 'Whitey' can cook a pretty good barbeque. 'Stratts' wouldn't know where the kitchen is. He gets lost in the house and wouldn't know which drawer the knives and forks go in.

Loving your basketball, do you follow the NBA?

I follow it a little bit, but more the individuals than particular teams. I love the athletes over there. They're probably the best athletes in the world.

What are your other interests?

I've got an interest in house music and DJ-ing and that type of thing. 'Stratts' and I, and Luke Lowden, have got our own DJ decks, and in our spare time we often muck around on them. That and basketball kind of keeps me out of mischief.

Who are your favourite DJs?

Swedish House Mafia, but they broke up recently. That was a sad day. I wasn't as emotional as 'Sticks' (Lowden). He sent out a few tweets and was pretty miserable for a few days.

And what about movies? What are your favourites there?

I really enjoyed the Batman movie that came out a few weeks ago. We went down with a few of the boys and watched that, and it was outstanding.

What would you be doing if you weren't playing footy?

I was pretty smart at school, so I could be doing anything (laughs). No, I'd probably be in the construction industry.

Are you doing any study away from the footy club?

I'm doing an event management course. I do it on my day off and I'm really enjoying it.

Last one for you; in his Q&A a couple of weeks ago, Tom Schneider said you were the last player at the Hawks he'd recommend following on Twitter. Have you got any response to that?

Who is Tom Schneider?