Richmond development coach Ryan Ferguson examines the AFL career-best season of quality Tiger defender Dylan Grimes in this week’s ‘Coaches’ Corner’.
Growing confidence through continuity
“It’s just great to see him string game after game together, so he can really feel confident in his game. He understands it so well at the moment . . . he’s got a real grip on it.”
Total team man
“He’s a team man, ‘Grimesy’ . . . he’s as selfless as anyone. He’ll do anything for the team, and he wants other to be better. Yes, he wants to make sure he’s doing his thing and improving, but he also wants everyone else around him to be better. So, from a team perspective, that’s fantastic.”
Keeping it simple
“He’s not over-creating things – he’s just doing the simple things really well. He knows his game, he knows what he can do, what he can create, and he just does the simple things really well for the team.”
Great versatility
“He’ll do jobs on anyone. He’s got the pace and the guile to go with the small guys. And he’s just got the old rubber arms. He can get his fist in to any ball, from any position, when he plays on the talls . . . He’s got that fearlessness and courage and judgment of the ball to be able to play on the talls.”
Overall view of his season
“I think it’s been up there with ‘Rancey’ (Alex Rance) and Dave (Astbury). They’ve got a lot of credit this year, and they deserve it, but I think he’s up there with those guys through his impact on the team and value to the team. Every week he does a job on someone, and he adds to our offense as well . . .”
Rating his Round 20 performance v Hawthorn
“I thought his game on the weekend was maximum value. I’m not sure what his possession rate was, but it doesn’t really matter, to be honest . . . He can have a huge impact for minimal possessions.”
Areas of his game he still wants to improve
“He wants to be ferocious in the contest – and never beaten. He’s working really closely with Ben Rutten (Richmond’s backline coach) to make sure that he keeps developing his game, and that he understands what he can do in offense, how he can help out his teammates, and the way he works in conjunction with the other backs – ‘Broady’ (Nathan Broad), Rancey, Dave (Astbury), along with the high half-backs . . .”
