Dylan Grimes

Early life and junior football

Grimes grew up on a hobby farm in Panton Hill, 32 kilometres north-east of Melbourne. He played junior football at Hurstbridge in the Northern Football League before playing TAC Cup football with the Northern Knights in 2009.

Grimes went un-drafted in the 2009 AFL National draft despite media reports claiming he had been assured of selection by at least one Melbourne-based club. He was offered the chance to train with Richmond in the following weeks with the expectation that the club would officially select him in the December pre-season draft.

AFL career

Grimes was drafted by Richmond with the club's first pick and the second selection overall in the 2010 AFL Pre-Season Draft.

He played the majority of his first season at reserves level with Richmond's VFL affiliate team, Coburg. Even still, his footballing was minimal that year, with an eye injury keeping him from playing most of the season. Grimes eventually made his AFL debut late in 2010, in Round 22 against Port Adelaide at Docklands Stadium.

In 2011 Grimes again started the season playing reserves grade football, this time for the first two matches of the season. However, when fellow defenders Alex Rance and Luke McGuane were ruled out due to suspension in round 3, Grimes was called to take a key defensive role in the Richmond AFL side. In his first match of the season and just his second career match, he recorded 15 spoils, equaling an AFL record at the time. After five rounds he held an average of 13 spoils per game, and the number one ranking in the league. He played in the next four consecutive matches before a severe hamstring injury sustained in round 9's Dreamtime at the 'G match saw Grimes sidelined for the remainer of the 2011 season. At year's end he had played a total of seven matches and held averages of 12.6 disposals and 3.8 marks per game.

Grimes returned to football fully fit in 2012, playing in the club's round 1 match against Carlton at the MCG. He earned an AFL Rising Star award nomination in round 3, for an 18 disposal and nine mark performance against Melbourne. In round 7 he recorded a career high 24 disposals against Sydney, including six rebound 50s. Grimes again suffered a major hamstring injury in the club's round 8 Dreamtime match against Essendon. He missed five weeks of football to rehabilitate the injury, before returning in round 14 to face Adelaide at AAMI Stadium. Despite recording a team-best 10 marks in the match, Grimes re-aggravated the injury and required further treatment as a result. He traveled to Germany soon after to be treated by renowned soft tissue expert Hans-Wilhelm Müller-Wohlfahrt. Part of the treatment involved injections of calf blood extract actovegin directly into the affected muscle. He did not return to senior football that season, finishing his season with just nine matches played.

The 2013 pre-season started ominously for Grimes, with the defender failing to travel to the team's pre-season camp in Cairns on account of soreness in his left leg. Later revealed to be a small split in his hamstring tendon, he would again require surgery to repair the damage. Days later he was added to the club's leadership group, serving under newly appointed captain Trent Cotchin. Grimes played his first match of the season in round 2 against St Kilda at the MCG. He played in five consecutive matches before sustaining a foot fracture in round 6 against Geelong. After 15 weeks on the sidelines, Grimes returned to AFL football in round 21. He remained in the side for the final three matches of the home and away season before playing in his first career final, a losing elimination final against Carlton at the MCG.

Entering 2014 Grimes has shed three kilograms of body mass, adjusting for a change in role from key defender to small defender. Grimes was also left out of the club's leadership group that season. His first match of the season came in the club's re-match with the previous year's finals opponent Carlton, in round 2, 2014 at the MCG. He remained in the club's senior team for the following four matches before being omitted from the side ahead of round 7. Grimes returned to senior football in round 10. He missed a single match in round 12 with a toe injury but otherwise played in every remaining match that season as well as in another elimination final. At season's end he had played a career-best 19 games and placed 11th in the club's best and fairest award.

Grimes completed the 2015 pre-season injury free, and entered round 1 playing as Richmond's third tall defender. By round 3 he had re-injured his hamstring, sitting out three weeks of football at AFL level as a result. He returned in round 6 against North Melbourne, and this time stayed in the side for 13 consecutive matches. Grimes was subbed out at half time of Richmond's round 19 match with Adelaide, after suffering a minor hamstring strain earlier in the match. He would miss two matches as a result, before returning in round 22 against Essendon at the MCG. At season's end he had played in 18 matches including a losing elimination final. He placed equal ninth in the club's best and fairest award that year, polling votes in 17 of his 18 matches that season.

By the beginning of 2016 Grimes had established himself as a key member of the club's defensive unit. For the second straight season he would play in rounds 1 and 2 before a hamstring injury would keep him out of round 3 action. What was forecast as a two-week injury turned into a five-week one however, as he did not return to senior football until round 8's match against Sydney. After playing in three consecutive matches Grimes was a late out in round 11, pulling up poorly in the pre-game warm up and causing a late change as a result. The effects were minor however and he would play without trouble the following week. In fact, he played in each of the club's final 11 matches of the season and recorded double digit disposals in all matches and an average of 4.5 marks over the period. Grimes also recorded a career high eight tackles in round 16 against the Western Bulldogs. He placed equal seventh in the club's best and fairest count in 2016.

His 2017 season was described by The Age reported Michael Gleeson in July of that year as "the best and most consistent" of his career.

Grimes signed a three-year extension on 17 September 2015, keeping him at the club until the end of the 2018 season.

Statistics

Personal life

Outside of football Grimes and his partner Eisha are the co-owners of Mount Macedon Winery.

He is the younger brother of former Melbourne captain Jack Grimes.