THREE-TIME premiership defender Dylan Grimes has been rewarded for standing tall in a difficult season for Richmond, winning his first Jack Dyer Medal on Thursday night.

Grimes, whose previous best placing was third in 2019, polled 51 votes to win the award from midfielder Jack Graham and defender Liam Baker, who tied for second on 46 votes.

Exciting midfielder/forward Shai Bolton polled 45 votes to finish fourth for the second straight year, with premiership heroes Jack Riewoldt and Dustin Martin tied on 40 to round out the top place-getters.

Grimes, who remains one of the competition's best and most versatile defenders, played 21 games in 2021 and ranked No.1 at Richmond for intercepts and one-percenters.

He is the fourth separate player to win the award in the past four seasons, joining Jayden Short (2020), Dion Prestia (2019) and Riewoldt (2018) in the years since Martin went back-to-back in 2016-17.

Two-time premiership player Graham enjoyed the best of his five seasons individually, playing all 22 games and averaging a career-best 19 disposals and 3.9 inside 50s.

Baker, who also played every game and improved on his sixth placing last year, was used in a variety of roles to average 20.3 disposals, 4.6 intercepts and 4.1 score involvements.

Retiring defender David Astbury was voted by the players as the Francis Bourke Award winner for best upholding the team's trademark values.

Midfielder Riley Collier-Dawkins was named the best first-year player after making his debut in 2021, with Will Martyn winning the Tigers' VFL best and fairest.

2021 Jack Dyer Medal top 10  

1. Dylan Grimes - 51 votes
=2. Jack Graham (46)
=2. Liam Baker (46)
4. Shai Bolton (45)
5. Jack Riewoldt (40)
6. Dustin Martin (40)
7. Jayden Short (39)
8. Tom Lynch (38)
9. Kane Lambert (35)
=10. Trent Cotchin (33)
=10. Nathan Broad (33)

How they vote: Every player is awarded between zero and five votes after each match.