NEW Richmond co-captain Dylan Grimes is set to miss the season-opener against Carlton next Thursday night after undergoing surgery to repair his left thumb on Tuesday.
The 30-year-old suffered the injury in the second quarter of Saturday's AAMI Community Series clash against Hawthorn in Devonport.
With his wrist and thumb in a fresh cast, Grimes stood out among the Victorian skippers at AFL Captains Day, seven days out from the first game of the 2022 season.
"I had just a ligament attached after the game in Tassie. Really unlucky circumstances, I just got my thumb caught in another player's jumper, so I'll miss a couple of weeks," Grimes told AFL.com.au at Marvel Stadium on Wednesday afternoon.
"I see the doctor today. Until this afternoon, I'm hopeful I'll play round one. I think it's on the shorter end of the recovery timeline. If it's not round one, I'm really hopeful it will be round two."
Grimes and ruckman Toby Nankervis were unveiled as Richmond's first co-captains last month, following a thorough process to appoint a new leader for the first time since Trent Cotchin replaced Chris Newman ahead of the 2013 season.
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"It's a huge honour. At the moment I'm standing next to Joel Selwood and Max Gawn and just thinking this is incredible to see such established leaders here. To be considered in the same mix as those guys is a real honour," Grimes said.
"Over the years Trent has been such an amazing leader. It's hard not to take for granted what he brings each week and each month for the year. I'm really honoured to be here, but also really thankful for what Trent has been able to give us for the last decade as a leader."
The three-time premiership defender hasn't had to look too far for advice on how to handle the responsibilities attached to leading an AFL team, given his older brother Jack led Melbourne between 2012 and 2014, amid a dark period for the Demons.
"One thing he told me to do no matter what – even when you're tempted to – is just keep being yourself, because being yourself is what got you voted in the first place," he said.
"Jack was a really young captain at Melbourne with Jack Trengove at the time. Certainly being a bit more older and established than what Jack was will help me going forward.
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"I'm really confident doing it alongside Toby; he is just such a steadfast character. I feel like our strengths and growth areas work really well alongside each other. Time will tell."
The acquisition of veteran key defender Robbie Tarrant from North Melbourne during the Continental Tyres AFL Trade Period and the arrival of Josh Gibcus via pick No.9 in the 2021 NAB AFL Draft has allowed Damien Hardwick to send young key defender Noah Balta into attack of the pre-season.
Balta, 22, kicked three goals and took seven marks against the Hawks in Tasmania in an early sign of what is to come in 2022, combining with Jack Riewoldt (three goals) and Tom Lynch (two goals), much to the delight of Grimes, who has gone from playing alongside him in previous summers to playing on him over the pre-season.
"I think every fan of footy that's watched Noah play is he is such a great athlete and putting that into attack is really exciting," he said.
"The flexibility that Robbie Tarrant brings us by coming in as a senior back has probably freed up that move a little more. But on the weekend, it's a pretty potent deep three forwards to match up on when you've got Lynch, Riewoldt and Balta all competing and competing well.
"I'm really excited by what Noah can do. The ceiling hasn't been set yet with where he can take his career. Hopefully 2022 we can finally see what he can do."
Richmond faces Carlton at the MCG on the first Thursday night of the season.
