Sam Lalor

Sam Lalor
Lalor in April 2025
Personal information
Full name Samuel Lalor[1]
Date of birth (2006-08-30) 30 August 2006 (age 18)
Original team(s) Bacchus Marsh (BFNL)
Greater Western Victoria Rebels
Draft No. 1, 2024 AFL draft
Debut Round 1, 2025, Richmond vs. Carlton, at MCG
Height 188 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Midfielder / Forward
Club information
Current club Richmond
Number 22
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2025– Richmond 4 (5)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of round 4, 2025.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Samuel Lalor (LAW-lah,[2] born 30 August 2006) is an Australian rules footballer who plays for the Richmond Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). A powerful midfielder-forward, he was selected as the number-one pick in the 2024 AFL draft and made his debut in round 1 of the 2025 season.

Early life and junior football

[edit]

Lalor was raised in the Victorian country town of Bacchus Marsh, 50 kilomtres north-west of Melbourne.[3] He is one of four children to father Steve and mother Caitlyn.[4]

Lalor played junior football with Bacchus Marsh Football Club in the Ballarat Football Netball League (BFNL).[3][5] He attended St Patrick's College in Ballarat through year 10 in 2022, and played for the school's football team during that time.[6][7][8][9]

In 2022, at the age of 15, Lalor debuted for the Greater Western Victoria Rebels in the Talent League. He co-captained Vic Country in the AFL Under 16 National Championships, and was named in the tournament's All-Australian Team.[10][11]

In addition to football, Lalor was a highly talented junior cricketer, playing as a top order batter and specialising in limited-overs formats.[12] He represented Victoria's Country region at the 2022/23 Under 17 National Championships and played with the Northcote Cricket Club Under 17s and for the club's fourth division team in the Victorian Premier Cricket competition that same summer.[13][14] Lalor had previously played extensive first XI cricket with Bacchus Marsh in the Gisborne & District Cricket Association, including scoring a century in January 2022 at age 15.[15] He quit cricket to focus on football mid-way through 2023.[12]

In 2023 Lalor moved schools, taking up a sporting scholarship to board at Geelong Grammar School, where he played for the school's cricket and football teams in the Associated Public Schools competitions.[16][12][17] Despite being a year younger than most of his teammates, Lalor was that year selected to represent Vic Country at the 2023 AFL Under 18 Championships, where he played two matches.[18] During that year he hyperextended his knee, an injury which lasted into the early months of the 2024 junior football season.[4] Lalor spent a week with the Western Bulldogs in the summer of 2023/24, as part of the AFL Academy Program.[4]

Lalor was appointed the Rebels Talent League captain in 2024, but managed just four matches with side due to a range of injuries including to his hip, quad and ankle.[4][9] A further injury, to his left hamstring injury ensured he missed his side's losing Talent League grand final against the Sandringham Dragons.[19][20]

Lalor kicked three goals in each of Vic Country's final two matches of the 2024 AFL Under 18 Championships.[21][22]

AFL career

[edit]
Lalor kicks for goal during the round 4 2025, AFL match between Richmond and Brisbane at the MCG.

Lalor was selected by Richmond with the first overall pick in the 2024 AFL draft.[23][24]

In a pre-season practice match against West Coast in mid-February 2025, Lalor suffered a fractured jaw in a marking contest collision.[25] He was unable to play in Richmond's practice march against Collingwood as a result.[26] Lalor made his AFL debut in round 1 of the 2025 season, recording 18 disposals and kicking two goals in front of a crowd of 80,009 people at the MCG in a 13-point victory over Carlton.[27][28] The effort earned Lalor a rising star nomination for round 1.[29]

Player profile

[edit]

Lalor plays as a midfielder and forward. He is notable for his strength and handballing skills from stoppage and for his one-on-one contest strength as a forward.[9] As a junior, his playing style was compared to those of Jordan De Goey and Christian Petracca.[12]

Personal life

[edit]

Lalor's grandfather Ray Lalor played six games for Essendon in 1956, while the family also has relation to John O'Neill, who played 136 games for Geelong.[30] His father Steve, played for Benalla in the Ovens & Murray Football League (OMFL) during the 1980s.[30][4]

Lalor's cousin, Jordan Petaia, is a rugby union player who represented Australia at the 2019 and 2023 Rugby World Cups, while another cousin, Jack Lalor, played with the Victoria cricket team's second XI in 2022 and has been a member of the Melbourne Renegades Academy program.[30]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "2022 NAB AFL National Development Championships U16 Boys title winners crowned". AFL.com.au. 13 July 2022. Archived from the original on 12 September 2024. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  2. ^ Sheehan, Kevin (8 November 2024). "Kevin Sheehan's 2024 Telstra AFL Draft top prospects: Midfielders". Richmond Football Club. Archived from the original on 13 December 2024. Retrieved 13 March 2025. Sam Lalor, Pronunciation: Law-lah
  3. ^ a b Batten, Dan (30 October 2024). "Potential No. 1 pick Sam Lalor on his horror injury run, cricket background and game that changed everything". The Mercury. Archived from the original on 30 October 2024. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d e McGowan, Marc (18 November 2024). "He's tipped to go No.1, but this draft hopeful might not even be the best athlete in his family". The Age. Archived from the original on 18 November 2024. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  5. ^ "Samuel Lalor". GameDay. Bacchus Marsh JFNC. Archived from the original on 21 November 2024. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
  6. ^ "2022 Herald Sun Shield - Boys Grand Final". AFL Photos. 3 August 2022. Archived from the original on 21 November 2024. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
  7. ^ Jackson, Rachel (19 November 2024). "Rising Rebels: Why Sam Lalor could go as pick one in the AFL Draft". The Wimmera Mail-Times. Archived from the original on 21 November 2024. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
  8. ^ Higgins, Ben (5 August 2022). "The young gun on the path to elite Aussie Rules and cricket career". Herald Sun. Sunbury Leader. Archived from the original on 27 August 2023. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
  9. ^ a b c Bolch, Dylan (20 November 2024). "'Got no flaws': Inside the rise of AFL's No.1 pick... a Dusty clone who's set to replace him". Fox Sports. Archived from the original on 21 November 2024. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
  10. ^ Alvarro, Michael. "Scouting Notes: 2022 AFL U16s – Vic Metro vs. Vic Country". Rookie Me Central. No. 13 June 2022. Retrieved 11 April 2025.
  11. ^ "2022 NAB AFL National Development Championships U16 Boys All-Australian Team". AFL.com.au. 3 August 2022. Archived from the original on 12 September 2024. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
  12. ^ a b c d Niall, Jake (3 February 2025). "Crouching Tiger, hidden talent: Why Richmond used the No.1 pick on a kid known for smashing sixes". The Age. Nine Entertainment. Retrieved 11 April 2025.
  13. ^ "2022-23 U17 Male Emerging Players Program squad named". Cricket Victoria. 26 July 2022. Retrieved 11 April 2025.
  14. ^ "U17 National Championships - Male Round 1". PlayCricket. Retrieved 11 April 2025.
  15. ^ "Lalor slashes maiden century". Star Weekly. 24 January 2022. Retrieved 11 April 2025.
  16. ^ Ellis, Lachlan (27 November 2023). "Footy dream develops". Times News Group. The Moorabool News. Archived from the original on 21 November 2024. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
  17. ^ Johnston, Andrew (20 November 2024). "Grammar gun goes at one". K ROCK 95.5. Archived from the original on 21 November 2024. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
  18. ^ "Sam Lalor". Rookie Me Central. Archived from the original on 22 September 2024. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  19. ^ Chellappah, Jasper (10 July 2024). "Sam Lalor: The powerful goalkicking midfielder likened to Dusty by his coach". ESPN Australia. Archived from the original on 11 November 2024. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
  20. ^ "LISTEN TO GETTABLE: Potential No.1 draft pick joins the show". AFL.com.au. 18 September 2024. Archived from the original on 21 November 2024. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
  21. ^ Keating, Mitch (23 October 2024). "AFL Draft Profile: Sam Lalor". ZeroHanger. Archived from the original on 21 November 2024. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
  22. ^ "Richmond lands on Lalor". Richmond Football Club. 20 November 2024. Archived from the original on 21 November 2024. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
  23. ^ Pavlou, Anna (20 November 2024). "From cricket to the No.1 pick: How Sam Lalor gave up the bat to become the best of the 2024 AFL Draft class". Nine's Wide World of Sports. Archived from the original on 21 November 2024. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
  24. ^ Schmook, Nathan (20 November 2024). "Six of the best? Tigers grab gun mid with pick 1, Roos shock late". AFL.com.au. Archived from the original on 21 November 2024. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
  25. ^ "Richmond's Sam Lalor in doubt for round one as Tigers confirm fractured jaw after preseason match collision". ABC News. 18 February 2025. Archived from the original on 1 March 2025. Retrieved 13 March 2025.
  26. ^ "Sam Lalor injury update". Richmond Football Club. 18 February 2025. Archived from the original on 28 February 2025. Retrieved 13 March 2025.
  27. ^ Smith, Martin (12 March 2025). "TEAMS: Recruit named, six new faces for Tigers-Blues blockbuster". AFL.com.au. Archived from the original on 13 March 2025. Retrieved 13 March 2025.
  28. ^ Slevison, Andrew (13 March 2025). ""No.4 reincarnated": Sam Lalor is Richmond's second coming of Dusty". SEN. Archived from the original on 13 March 2025. Retrieved 13 March 2025.
  29. ^ Black, Sarah (17 March 2025). "Tiger's time: No.1 pick goes from broken jaw to Rising Star nom". AFL.com.au. Archived from the original on 17 March 2025. Retrieved 18 March 2025.
  30. ^ a b c Hill, KB (23 February 2023). "'Buggsy' and the Lalor clan…a true sporting dynasty". The Footy Almanac. Archived from the original on 21 November 2024. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sam Lalor.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sam_Lalor&oldid=1285025139"