The former Redan junior was part of the Tigers' first premiership in 37 years.

He played a pivotal role as a makeshift ruckman, with the radical move being one of the major talking points of the grand final.

Grigg missed out on Richmond's 2019 premiership, having made the difficult call to retire mid-season after persistent injuries.

Despite being a past player on grand final day last year, Grigg was still very much a Tiger.

A year down the track Grigg finds himself in a polar opposite situation, plotting to bring down Richmond and his former premiership teammates in Saturday night's grand final in his role as Geelong's match-day bench coach - the link between the players, and head coach Chris Scott and his coaching panel.

"It is a little bit of a strange feeling if I am completely honest," said Grigg, who is a development coach at Geelong.

"However, being so invested in what I am doing currently and the opportunity the Geelong Football Club has given me, I love to win," he said.

"I was really fortunate that towards the end of my career at Richmond, Damien Hardwick really encouraged me to have a crack at coaching and gave me a great insight and experience to kick-start my coaching career while I was playing and also in my last year when I had retired.

"So the transition to be honest has been fairly smooth. The coaches at the Cats have been unbelievable in supporting me and also backing me into having as much influence as I feel comfortable in having," Grigg said.

The Courier caught up with Shaun Grigg in what is a much different AFL grand final week for him this year.

In his first year as a Geelong development coach, Grigg will finds himself opposed to his former club and Tiger teammates in Saturday night's grand final in Brisbane.

QUESTION: First up, you've been working on the bench in matches throughout the season. What has been your exact role on the coaching panel?

GRIGG: Development coach. On game day I coach from the bench - the link between the players and the coaches. I'm mainly talking to the players, letting them know what's going on within the game, what's working and what isn't, what needs tweaking and what the opposition is doing - resetting them or reinforcing messages.

QUESTION: Without taking COVID-19 into consideration at this point, how have you found life in the world of coaching, given you were virtually straight out of playing ranks?

GRIGG: I have loved it. I have really enjoyed working closely with the younger players and seeing some of them go in and play well in the AFL.

QUESTION: You already had the experience of two AFL clubs, how quickly did you adjust to another club environment, especially in the pre-season when life was normal?

GRIGG: It was really refreshing going into a new environment after being at Richmond for so long. I am very lucky to experience another successful club with great people. There are some minor and some major differences in regards to what is trained, what is valued and how things are done, but at the end of the day footy clubs are made up of great people and I have been so lucky to be learning off some absolute greats. The biggest and best thing that has changed is the traffic! I have enjoyed not fighting the traffic heading into Punt Road.

QUESTION: Any first season in AFL coaching ranks has its challenges. It's a whole new world to playing. How did you find the adjustment?

GRIGG: I was really fortunate that towards the end of my career at Richmond Damien Hardwick really encouraged me to have a crack at coaching and gave me a great insight and experience to kick-start my coaching career while I was playing and also in my last sesason when I had retired mid-year. So the transition to be honest has been fairly smooth. The coaches at the Cats have been unbelievable in supporting me and also backing me.

QUESTION: Richmond and Geelong are two big clubs with strong cultures. How would you compare that side of things - desire for success, etc?

GRIGG: Very similar in the leadership. Trent Cotchin and Joel Selwood are both unbelievable players and such great leaders. The standards are high and it is a really enjoyable place to be around. The way Geelong just keeps on contending is a credit to the club.

QUESTION: Even though you had retired, you were still well and truly a Richmond person at grand final time last year. This time you are on the other side plotting the downfall of your old teammates. How strange does it feel?

GRIGG: It is a little bit of a strange feeling if I am completely honest. However, being so invested in what I am doing currently and the opportunity the Geelong Football Club has given me, I love to win.

QUESTION: How have found hub life away from home in the strangest of years? Have you been able to have enough time "away" from football in that situation to remain mentally fresh?

GRIGG: I have seen this year as a great opportunity personally. Coming into a new club trying to get to know new people, all living together has fast-tracked my relationships with the club and the players. On being new to full-time coaching, I have been grateful to have been able to spend lots of time with some great coaches such as Chris Scott Nigel Lappin, Matt Knights, Matt Scarlett, Corey Enright and Shane O'Bree - not only learning the art of coaching and managing people, but also getting to know them as people and friends. Spending the winter on the Gold Coast is definitely a different experience to spending a winter in Victoria.

QUESTION: It is a much different build up to this year's grand final - much different to what would be frenzy in Geelong. What impact is that having on the player group?

GRIGG: The players have really thrived within the hub so it is business as usual. The program the club has created for the players has had a great balance of football, connecting with each other, fun and time off.

QUESTION: Finally, what are you most looking forward to about grand final day?

GRIGG: Hopefully being able to touch that magical premiership cup. Once you have experienced the elation of winning a flag all you want is more. So that is the only thing on my mind.