Richmond Tigers’ 3-time premiership star Dylan Grimes faces possible retirement

Richmond Tigers’ three-time premiership star Dylan Grimes faces possible retirement. He last played for the club in Round 9.

The club confirmed on Wednesday in a statement released on their official website that the defender underwent back surgery for the recurring issue. They confirmed that he is recovering well but there is no definite date for his return to the squad.

The 32-year-old who is in the final year of his contract with the Tigers is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. Grimes stepped down from the captaincy last year and handed over to Toby Nankervis.

The addition of Grimes to the Richmond Tigers' injury list means they will be without three first-choice key defenders for the rest of the season. Josh Gibcus and Tylar Young, who are also important to the Tigers setup, are out for the rest of the season with ACL injuries.

Richmond Tigers to make decision on Dylan Grimes at the end of the season

Adem Yze, Senior Coach of the Tigers talks to the media.

Dylan Grimes remains uncontracted at the end of the season and with the recurring back issue ending his season untimely. The club confirmed that the surgery was successful but many are speculating that the 2021 Jack Dyer medalist would hang up his boots at the end of the season.

Richmond Tigers coach Adem Yze, however, believes a decision concerning the defender must not be made immediately. According to foxsports.com.au, Yze said that the club will discuss Grimes future towards the end of the season.

“He’ll make that decision later in the year and so will we. We’ll have that discussion with him, but we can see when he’s not in the team how important he is to us,” Yze said.

“We’ll just see how he pulls up from this operation – hopefully, later in the year, he’ll be back on his feet and getting some training in, and then we’ll make that decision as a footy club,” he added.

Grimes in his time with the Tigers has played 234 games and was named on the All-Australian in 2019. He was part of the Richmond Tigers team that won the premiership in 2017, 2019 and 2020.