The constant pressure associated with playing in defence, and trying to nullify dangerous opposition forwards, is not something that fazes Dylan Grimes.

In fact, the reliable Richmond backman positively thrives on the tough challenges he faces each week throughout the course of a league season.

“I love every bit of the defence and I love being a defender.  I think it’s the best position on the field, by far,” Grimes told ‘Roar Vision’.

Grimes’ great gains from full pre-season

“You ask certain players, they’ll probably tell you it’s the most important position on the field, as well.

“I’m a defender and that’s what I love to do. 

“For me, what’s always going to be the base level of my game, is how well can I defend, and how well can I shut out the opposition players.  Everything else, will always build on that afterwards. 

“I find whenever I’m playing a poor game, it’s because I’ve probably tried to do other things before I’m trying to lock away my forward (opponent). 

“But now, with (the Tigers’ backline coach) Ben Rutten and other guys like Alex Rance and Troy Chaplin, to be able to learn off them has been huge for my career. 

“What works for them is not necessarily what works for every other player, but to be able to get little bits of insight on how they play the game, and how they play against the best forwards in the competition, has done me a world of good.”

The 24-year-old is looking forward to taking his game to a higher level again in 2016.

 “I feel that every year I play football I improve, and that’s the exciting part,” Grimes said. 

“That’s probably where a lot of the Richmond players are heading at the moment – every year is better, every year we grow more . . . 

 “I want to get better, I want to play 22 (home-and-away) games next year, instead of missing a few through injury or form or whatever it is. 

“And, I want to play on the best forwards, really help out my team, and help out ‘Rancey’ and ‘Chappy’, who bear a lot of the load each week. 

“My offensive game, to be honest, is not at a level that I’d like it to be.  That’s probably the first thing that I’d admit . . . I build my game around my defence.

“Next, I still want to build my game around my defence, but offensively, secondly.”