Princess Park to Arden Street: 19-year-old Shepparton Swan Mitchell Grumley signs with North Melbourne

The 19-year-old played nine games for the Princess Park tenants in 2025, including a four-goal display against eventual premiers Kyabram, while Grumley also featured twice for the Murray Bushrangers as an overage player.

It was an injury-interrupted season though, having to patiently wait on the sidelines following a stress fracture in his knee sustained during pre-season.

But with a return to fitness, Grumley’s aim to take his game to the next level was hashed out.

“The idea of playing VFL came about towards the end of the season, I was looking for a bit of exposure and my manager had a few options for me,” Grumley said.

“St Kilda reached out as well as the (Greater Western Sydney) Giants.”

North Melbourne were the lucky bidders, however, with Grumley starting his experience at Arden St as a train-on recruit.

The young gun travelled twice a week to train with the AFL-aligned program, and felt he was in a good spot pre-Christmas, but it was an intra-club match that Grumley believes caught the list manager’s eye.

“We had an intra-club a week before Christmas and I played well, and a week after we got back from the break I was offered the contract,” Grumley said.

From his short stint already, Grumley is absorbing valuable lessons from the experienced Kangaroos squad.

“The intensity of training has been the big difference, it’s intense whole time, it gets harder and tougher, everyone’s getting better each session,” he said.

“It’s a good challenge.”

But the excitement doesn’t end there for Grumley - another significant opportunity has come about for the 19-year-old.

A second intra-club match is set for the winger, but this time Grumley will kick alongside the Roos’ AFL unit on Wednesday.

Playing against childhood heroes and the sport’s finest could leave many awestruck, but for Grumley, “nothing changes”.

“I’ll just try play relaxed, play my style of game,” Grumley said.

“It’s exciting, but nothing changes really.”

The opportunities for the Grumley family don’t end with Mitchell either.

Grumley confirmed younger brother Flynn, who concluded his Murray Bushrangers program last year, will be training with GWS at its Albury VFL hub.

The regional hub was launched 12 months ago by the interstate team, and is used to train potential top up players for the VFL season.

It could see the youngest Grumley don the orange and charcoal and break into state league action like his brother in 2026.

But should the pair not be playing VFL, they’ll get more Goulburn Valley League games under their belt at Shepparton Swans.

While Grumley hasn’t been able to train with his community club since joining North Melbourne, he’s still confident in the red and white’s prospects for 2026.

“We’ll definitely be competitive, but it’s a good league that’s only getting stronger,” he said.

“Teams are recruiting well this off-season so we’ll see what happens.”

Grumley joins Oliver Warburton (Carlton) as a VFL-listed Swan for the 2026 GVL season, as the club aims for back-to-back finals appearances.

The Swans take on Mooroopna in a round one night game on Saturday, April 4.