Spoiler Dylan Grimes grows in stature Matt Windley
From: Herald Sun
April 30, 2011 YOU may not know it but, until last week, Dylan Grimes held an AFL record.
His tally of 15 spoils against Hawthorn in Round 3 tied him with Brisbane Lion Daniel Merrett and Geelong's Harry Taylor for the most in a game.
But Grimes' time at the top was short lived as Merrett had 19 spoils against St Kilda last week.
"I didn't even know I had the record," Grimes said.
"A.C (Richmond media manager Adrian Ceddia) mentioned it to me after I'd already been knocked off by Merrett.
"My main role really was to shut down my direct opponent and go from there. I guess I was just lucky that sometimes I found myself in the right position."
Grimes remains No.1 in the AFL this season for spoils, averaging 13 per game.
Following the suspensions of teammates Alex Rance and Luke McGuane in the opening rounds, the 19-year-old was required to hold down a key defensive post against two of the best forwards in the game.
At 193cm and 87kg, he gave away plenty of size against Hawthorn's Lance Franklin (193cm/96kg) and Collingwood's Travis Cloke (196cm/103kg) the next week.
But Richmond's No.2 pick in the 2010 pre-season draft, who tonight will play just his fifth senior game after making his debut in Round 22 last year, has enjoyed taking on some of the game's best forwards.
"My development has really been fast-tracked, I reckon, from the opportunity I've had to play on such high quality players," he said.
For the record, Grimes held Franklin and Cloke to three goals each before restricting North Melbourne's Lindsay Thomas to just five possessions and three behinds in the Tigers' first win of the season last weekend.
Richmond football manager Ross Monaghan said the fact Grimes had been able to retain his spot after the return of Rance and McGuane was "a real credit to him".
"He's earned an opportunity and he's really stood up and grasped it with both hands," Monaghan said.
"We realised we were undermanned in terms of body strength and size down back for a couple of weeks where we had suspensions.
"But he coped as best as he could. He was certainly undersized, but what he lacks in genuine stature he makes up for in terms of real commitment and real want to do well.
"He also gives us some real flexibility because he's so quick.
"And, with an attitude like his, he just saw the opportunity to play against the likes of Franklin and Cloke as a chance to improve. He wasn't daunted by it. It holds him in good stead for the future."
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/spoiler-dylan-grimes-grows-in-stature/story-e6frf9jf-1226047338605
