Grimes, 21, was drafted from Hurstbridge and joins the Tigers’ six-man leadership group which is headed by 
former West Preston and Reservoir junior Trent Cotchin.
Richmond’s football manager Craig Cameron, said Grimes’ natural leadership qualities earned him a place in the group, despite hamstring injuries restricting him to just 17 games in three seasons wearing the yellow and black.
“Dylan is an outstanding young leader and a fine example to the developing players on our list,” Cameron said in a statement announcing the addition of Grimes and ruckman Ivan Maric to Richmond’s leadership group.
“Both players fully deserve their inclusion in the leadership group, for the respect they have within the club and the way they conduct themselves, both on and off the field.”
Grimes was a standout in nine matches this season, averaging 16 disposals and seven marks a game.
A left hamstring injury against Essendon in Round 8 forced him to miss four matches. He returned against Adelaide in Round 14 and earned 20 possessions before suffering a recurrence of the injury.
Grimes then set off to Germany to receive radical treatment from one of the world’s leading experts in soft-tissue injuries, Dr Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt.
In 2011, Grimes tore the tendon from his right hamstring in the Dreamtime at the ‘G clash against Essendon which ended his season.
His older brother Jack is captain of Melbourne. The 23-year-old became co-captain of the Demons with Jack Trengove prior to the commencement of the 2012 season and finished second in the club’s best and fairest in his first season as skipper.
Grimes’ ascension to the Richmond leadership group follows a long list of former NFL juniors who are now leaders at their AFL club.
