The astonishing ascension of the George Town product comes at a time when the state game languishes in the doldrums amid prospects that are far and few between.

Nankervis was plucked straight into AFL ranks for the 2014 season after spending two years at TSL club North Launceston as a growing teenager but one year behind his peers.

Three seasons at Sydney yielded 12 unspectacular matches that did not give a hint of what was to come.

To be moved on by the end of 2016 from the Swans, a team that did not stock a superstar ruckman, and be forced to jump the queue ahead of veteran Ivan Maric and early-pick Ben Griffiths looked insurmountable.

So it's the past three years since landing at Punt Road the two-time premiership hero can scarcely believe.

"It's pretty amazing, isn't it?" Nankervis remarks, taking a brief moment to reflect on the past 728 days from Richmond flag to flag that included a shock 2018 preliminary final loss.

"I had serious doubts whether I was good enough to play AFL footy, let alone in a premiership side."

The evolution of the 199cm ruckman - shorter than most in the modern day - is pretty extraordinary.

The 25-year-old realises his limited strengths, but exploits to the best of his ability the contest and his follow-up work.

But Nankervis, who first started out kicking off the morning dew from grounds playing for Lilydale juniors, could one day arguably be the state's greatest ruckman.

That mantle belongs to Percy Jones - who was named in Tasmanian team of the century - as a lynchpin in Carlton's premiership success during the 1970s.

Nankervis could be on the verge of surpassing the work of Ian Paton, who finished a 10-year Hawthorn career back at South Launceston.

It's little coincidence the rise of Nankervis coincided with Richmond's greatest era since three consecutive grand finals from 1972-74, including those last two as back-to-back premiers.

Akin with his burgeoning reputation within the AFL, Richmond's improvement on Nankervis's arrival was a record for one season to the next as the Tigers leaped from 13th to first in 2017.

But the man affectionally known as Nank the Tank by fans attributes his good run on coach Damien Hardwick.

"It's so good the club has shown so much faith in me and to show confidence in me," Nankervis says.

"I think that is sort of all you want - an opportunity.

"I'm so grateful for what the club has done for me and while this year has been difficult at times with injury and stuff, all I want to do is just improve for the club.

"I just want to keep getting better because I am having so much fun as well."

The two grand finals have been somewhat contrasting.

The first, in 2017, was battling Adelaide ruckman Sam Jacobs on his own.

The second, two years on, was with the aid of the emerging Ivan Soldo, who had actually arrived at the club two years before Nankervis but played just 22 games compared to 71.

But the flag numbers of 18 and 17 touches respectively, with 11 and eight of them contested, and 28 tap outs to 22 are similar, securing his fast-growing reputation as reliable when it matters.

"Each year the ultimate goal is to go out and win a premiership," he says.

"It's pretty amazing what we've done over the last couple of years now.

"No doubt we will keep enjoying this one for a few weeks or whatever and we'll try everything to get back up there because it's just the most amazing feeling."

Nankervis may cherish premierships more than most would even expect.

It falls back to when in the name of improving his game and in the midst of Tasmania under-18 appearances, the Lilydale District High School student crossed from George Town to North Launceston.

But 2012 and 2013 wasn't his time down at Invermay.

That was left for defender Corey Nankervis to enjoy.

It's State League folklore that the preceding six years since the Tiger departed, the Northern Bombers won all but one of the grand finals.

"The year I left, my brother went there and won a couple of flags," he says. "I have to say I was quite jealous of him to be absolutely honest.

"But I still follow every one of their games from here [in Melbourne], check out how they are going each week.

"I'm rapt for them all."

But turn the conversation to George Town and the personal love for the NTFA Saints goes up a cog in line with Richmond's fandom.

"Massive" is the word Nankervis repeatedly uses.

"George Town was my first taste of senior football so to play there with my brother was very special," he says.

"I always get so much support from the George Town footy club - I love it.

"I'd love to get the cup back there at some stage. I'll have to talk to someone about that. As far being my biggest fans, they've been absolutely unbelievable."

It just shaped Nankervis.

So did Lilydale as a kid.

The freedom to play on instinct honed the skills to stand out in the state.

That aptitude for playing back home in Tassie comes out in his laid-back tone.

"Country footy is the best," he says. "I don't think I'd get to where I am without it.

"I'm pretty grateful now to be able to play in great little communities like them."

So having dad Kingsley, mum Sharon, Corey and girlfriend Hayley on grand final day meant everything.

The family clan's count totalled 14 of the 100,014.

Looking up in the stands, he remembers every high and low they rode with him.

"I owe them everything," he says. "The sacrifices they all make for me is amazing.

"I will forever be grateful."

Just halfway through a telling career, Nankervis isn't getting too carried away.

But he also doesn't want to let the moment pass.

"In a few weeks when I am in Vietnam with Hayley and we sit down on the beach somewhere, have a few beers, we'll be able to reflect better," he says.

"Right now, it is all a bit of a blur. I want to soak everything in, enjoy the ride because they are bloody hard things to win."

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