Making a markBy Paul Daffey
Mon 12 Mar, 2012DYLAN Grimes is unusual among AFL footballers.
Most AFL players have made the elite level after spending their junior careers up forward or in the midfield because they're the most talented players.
Rarely does a player get through to AFL level after spending his junior career in defence.
Grimes has never played anywhere but defence.
He's spent his whole football life spoiling, and it's something the Richmond coaches are trying to change.
"There's been a bit of a focus for me to take more marks," Grimes said after the Tigers' 59-point victory over Geelong on Saturday.
"Last year I had a tendency to do more spoiling than the coaches would have liked. But this year I've been doing a lot of work on marking."
To that end, he had a very successful game against the Cats. He took seven marks, which is excellent by his standards, but more to the point he took three contested marks.
"That's the most I've had in a game for my entire life," he said.
Grimes missed most of last season after tearing a hamstring tendon in round nine. He was ready to return in the final rounds but the coaches advised him to hold off and put his energy into the pre-season.
Now the 21-year-old just wants to play.
"My body's feeling really good," he said.
"It's good to get back into games and get out of pre-season mode."
http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/130503/default.aspx
