Richmond’s VFL list has been bolstered with the signing of former Brisbane Lion Blake Grewar.
A midfielder who can push forward, Grewar joins the VFL Tigers after a year on Brisbane’s rookie list.
The 25-year-old landed at the Lions under the Queensland zone selection in the 2016 AFL Rookie Draft.
Grewar began his junior career at Redlands, where he went on to play 82 senior games and earn a reputation as one of the best young midfielders in the NEAFL competition.
His breakout season came in 2014 when Grewar finished third in the NEAFL MVP Award and earned his first NEAFL Team of the Year selection.
He represented the NEAFL in a match against Tasmania in 2016 and was again among the top players in the competition that year, with another NEAFL Team of the Year selection and placing fifth in the NEAFL MVP.
“I’m a bit of an inside and outside midfielder but can also go forward,” Grewar said.
“I played up forward a lot at Brisbane so hopefully I can kick a few goals.”
Grewar at this month's Richmond VFL pre-season camp Photo: Cameron Grimes
Grewar was delisted from the Lions at the end of 2017 and wanted a change.
“I’d played a bit of NEAFL footy previously and just wanted to test myself in a new competition,” he said.
“When I came down and had a visit (the staff and coaches) were absolute class. The amount of care showed by both Fly (Richmond VFL and development coach Craig McRae) and Fages (VFL football operations manager Anthony Fagan) was second to none so it made the decision really easy.
“The facilities are first-class, the coaches are unbelievable and the boys are so easy and welcoming. It’s been a really good start.”
Grewar is right at home at Richmond, so much so he is living with McRae.
“I came down the Melbourne before Christmas and I knew I needed to sort out a place to live pretty quickly,” Grewar said.
“By the time I was coming back down after Christmas I didn’t really have anywhere to go.
“Craig McRae sort of mentioned in passing ‘If you needed somewhere to live, give me a bell’.
“So I gave him a call and I said ‘Mate, I know you said it a bit tongue in cheek but I actually need a place to live if that’s all right’.
“He said ‘No worries mate, I meant what I said’, so he was really good.”
Grewar is moving out with a couple of his former Redlands teammates next week, but is grateful for McRae’s support and hospitality.
As for his debut season as a Tiger, Grewar knows what he wants to achieve.
“Have a consistent season, hopefully get through injury free and go one better than what they went the year before,” he said.
Blake Grewar during the Lions' 2017 pre-season.
