‘I don’t blame him because the umpires keep paying it’: No MRO case to answer for Grimes

Port Adelaide champion Kane Cornes has urged the AFL umpiring department to get tough on Dylan Grimes after, he claims, the Richmond defender embellished contact he received during his side’s win against Geelong.

Grimes was awarded a 50m penalty after he took a mark but copped late contact from Cat Brandon Parfitt on Friday night.

The Match Review Officer findings from the Tigers-Cats game were released on Saturday, but Grimes’ incident wasn’t in Michael Christian’s list.

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Grimes recently came under fire during the Tigers’ over Essendon after appearing to emphasise contact from Bomber Jake Stringer and fall forward close to goal. He was initially fined by Christian for staging but then cleared by the AFL tribunal after the Tigers challenged in written format.

It came nearly 12 months after Grimes was fined $1000 for staging during his side’s qualifying final win over the Brisbane Lions. Then in July this year, Grimes received backlash for allegedly accentuating contact from Bulldog Ed Richards, which resulted in a free kick to the Richmond defender but not a fine.

“I don’t blame him because the umpires keep paying it,” Cornes told AFL Media’s ‘The Round So Far’.

“It’s clear he’s put a lot extra on that when the contact was there, but he gets a 50m penalty.”

Cornes said the league’s officiators had to make every effort to “stamp this out” by not paying free kicks when Grimes has inflated contact.

“What the umpires have to do is identify Dylan Grimes as a serial stager, someone who continually exaggerates contact and not pay the free kicks. That’s the only way he’ll stop doing it,” Cornes said.

“It’s a shame because he was the best player on the ground.”

Grimes was a major reason why the Cats were held to just one goal in the first three quarters of the game and Coleman medal leader Tom Hawkins struggled to influence the game.

In his season-best game, according to the AFL Player Ratings, Grimes finished with 16 disposals, 12 intercept possessions and five intercept marks.

“When you get this bloke back into the side, what a joy it must be for Damien Hardwick and the whole defensive group,” Melbourne champion Garry Lyon told Fox Footy post-game.

St Kilda legend Nick Riewoldt added: “He’s a very versatile man. He can lock a small away, he can play the loose, he can play the deep and position himself well and then he can float across and intercept.”

A feature of Grimes’ performance was high marking, with the defender soaring high on two occasions to pull down some spectacular grabs.

“What about his marking?” Richmond coach Hardwick told reporters with a smile. “Crikeys – Jesaulenko a couple of times, he was very good. He got a bit carried away there towards the end.

“He’s an incredible player, Dylan. He was a rookie pick for us, he was there in my first year and many people talk about a young Dustin Martin or Trent Cotchin, but this guy’s an incredible talent.

“Defenders often don’t get the due (respect) they deserve. He has been a formidable football player for our footy club, both on and off the field. He’s a wonderful young man.”