RICHMOND coach Terry Wallace says he's amazed at how much Graham Polak has improved in the last week.

The young key defender was hit by a tram after the loss to Carlton and was rushed to hospital with head injuries, but since then has progressed from intensive care at the Alfred Hospital though a normal ward to now being at Epworth Rehabilitation Centre.

"The Graham Polak situation's been disappointing for everyone at the football club and he's part of the family," Wallace said.

"I went and saw him last week, and I really worried – as a layman speaking – about quality of life, let alone anything to do with football.

"But I went back in yesterday and saw him, and the difference between where he was mid-week last week and how he was yesterday, greeting me, shaking my hand, was just fantastic.

"I've really had a spring in my step for the last 24 hours, I'm just so pleased that he's come a long way.

"Look, he's got a long long long way still to go, but geez, the boy that I saw yesterday was Polly – that was the boy who's been with us for the last months.

"From our side of things it's almost buoyant – he's starting to show some really pleasing signs.

"He's still confused with a few bits and pieces along the way, and there's still some missing parts to the jigsaw puzzle, but certainly he's come a long long long way."

The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL