Triple Richmond premiership star defender Dylan Grimes has won the 2021 Jack Dyer Medal.
It is the first time Grimes has taken out the Club’s prestigious Best and Fairest award.
The 30-year-old veteran of 192 games polled 51 votes in tonight’s count, which was five more than Jack Graham and Liam Baker, who finished equal second with 46 votes.
Shai Bolton was fourth on 45 votes, while Jack Riewoldt and Dustin Martin tied for fifth place with 40 votes apiece.
Although Grimes took on even more responsibility than normal in 2021 due to the long-term absences at stages of injured backline teammates Nick Vlastuin, Nathan Broad, Bachar Houli and Noah Balta, he continued to thrive.
Showcasing his trademark closing speed, intercept ability, courage and leadership qualities, Grimes was a model of consistency and tower of strength in the Tigers’ defence throughout the season.
In the 21 games he played, Grimes averaged 13.6 disposals, 5.7 marks, 7.6 intercepts, 2.2 rebound-50s and 5.7 one-percenters per match.
He was ranked No. 1 at Richmond for intercepts, No. 1 for one-percenters, No. 2 for marks, No. 3 for contested marks and No. 5 for rebound-50s.
Graham, who shared the Jack Titus Medal with Baker as runner-up in the Club’s Best and Fairest, had the best season of his five-year career with the Tigers, stepping up to help fill the midfield void created by injuries to Dustin Martin, Trent Cotchin, Dion Prestia, Kane Lambert and Shane Edwards.
The 23-year-old, who played all 22 games, averaged 19.0 disposals, 2.5 marks, 3.9 inside-50s, 5.3 score involvements, 5.5 tackles and 303.9 metres gained per match.
At Tigerland, he was ranked No. 1 for tackles, No. 2 for uncontested possessions, No. 2 for inside-50s, No. 3 for disposals, No. 3 for score involvements, No. 3 for metres gained, No. 4 for goal assists and No. 5 for stoppage clearances.
Baker became Richmond’s “Mr Fixit” during the season, successfully used in a variety of on-field roles as required by the team.
Playing all 22 games, he averaged 20.3 disposals, 4.0 marks, 3.0 inside-50s, 4.6 intercepts, 4.0 score involvements, 2.8 tackles and 271.1 metres gained per match.
Among the Tigers’ playing group, Baker was ranked No. 1 for contested possessions, No. 2 for disposals, No. 2 for intercepts, No. 3 for uncontested possessions, No. 3 for tackles and No. 5 for one-percenters.
Bolton, who produced some breathtaking individual highlights during the season, received the Fred Swift Medal.
The silky-skilled, speedy small forward/midfielder averaged 19.6 disposals, 4.1 marks, 3.5 clearances, 4.8 inside-50s, 6.0 intercepts, 2.8 tackles and 350.2 metres gained per match in his 22 games.
He was ranked No. 1 at Richmond for clearances, No. 1 for centre clearances, No. 1 for inside-50s, No. 1 for goal assists, No. 2 for contested possessions, No. 2 for score involvements, No. 2 for metres gained, equal No. 2 for stoppage clearances, No. 3 for goals (23), No. 3 for marks inside 50, equal No. 3 for tackles inside 50 and No. 4 for disposals.
Riewoldt was awarded the Kevin Bartlett Medal following a season where he reached the 50-goal milestone for the ninth time in his illustrious AFL career.
The Tigers vice-captain and triple premiership hero, who finished with 51 goals, averaged 10.9 disposals, 4.9 marks, 1.2 contested marks, 3.1 marks inside-50, 2.3 goals and 6.0 score involvements per match in the 22 games he played.
He was the No. 1 ranked Richmond player for goals, No. 1 for score involvements, No. 1 for marks inside 50, No. 2 for contested marks, No. 2 for goal assists and No. 3 for marks.
Martin received the Kevin Bartlett for finishing equal fifth in this year’s Best and Fairest count despite missing the last five games of the season with a lacerated kidney.
The dual Jack Dyer Medallist, triple Tiger premiership superstar and three-time Norm Smith Medallist averaged 22.6 disposals, 2.9 marks, 1.2 goals, 3.6 clearances, 5.2 inside-50s, 5.9 score involvements and 383.9 metres gained per game.
At Richmond, he was ranked No. 2 for centre clearances, No. 3 for inside 50s, No. 3 for goal assists, No. 4 for goals, No. 4 for clearances, No. 4 for centre clearances, No. 4 for stoppage clearances, No. 4 for metres gained, No. 5 for disposals, No. 5 for contested possessions, No. 5 for score involvements and No. 5 for marks inside 50.
Under the Jack Dyer Medal voting system all the team’s players on match day receive a rating from 0-5 based on their overall performance.
The match committee assesses each player’s offensive, defensive and contest impacts on the game.
After those game phases have been analysed the 0-5 rating is given, as a joint match committee decision.
Votes are not allocated for what the match committee deems a below-average performance.
2021 Jack Dyer Medal top 20
1st – Dylan Grimes, 51 votes
Eq. 2nd – Jack Graham, 46
Eq. 2nd – Liam Baker, 46
4th – Shai Bolton, 45
Eq. 5th – Jack Riewoldt, 40
Eq. 5th – Dustin Martin, 40
7th – Jayden Short, 39
8th – Tom Lynch, 38
9th – Kane Lambert, 35
Eq. 10th – Trent Cotchin, 33
Eq. 10th – Nathan Broad, 33
12th – Toby Nankervis, 32
Eq. 13th – Marlion Pickett, 28
Eq. 13th – Jake Aarts, 28
Eq. 13th – Daniel Rioli, 28
Eq. 16th – Kamdyn McIntosh, 27
Eq. 16th – Jason Castagna, 27
Eq. 18th – David Astbury, 26
Eq. 18th – Dion Prestia, 26
Eq. 20th – Shane Edwards, 25
Eq. 20th – Nick Vlastuin, 25
