Sam Lalor

Last updated

Sam Lalor
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
YearsClubGames (Goals)
2025– Richmond 1 (2)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of round 1, 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). He was selected as the number-one pick in the 2024 AFL draft. [3]

Contents

Junior career

Lalor was born in the Victorian town of Bacchus Marsh and played junior football for the Bacchus Marsh Football Club in the Ballarat Football Netball League (BFNL) with his older brother. [4] [5] He attended St Patrick's College in Ballarat and played for the school's football team in the Herald Sun Shield. [6] [7] Lalor also played cricket with the Northcote Cricket Club in the Victorian Premier Cricket competition. [8] [9]

In 2022, at the age of 15, Lalor debuted for the Greater Western Victoria Rebels in the Talent League. He played for Vic Country in the AFL Under-16s National Development Championships, and was named in the All-Australian Team. [10] He also played for Geelong Grammar School in the Associated Public Schools (APS) competition. [11] [12]

Lalor continued playing for the Rebels in 2023 and 2024, and signed with Bacchus Marsh's senior team at the end of the 2023 season. [13] In his three full games for the Rebels during the 2024 season, he averaged 27 disposals and 7 marks per game, and kicked three goals in each of Vic Country's final two matches of the 2024 AFL National Championships. [14] [15] However, he suffered a hamstring injury which saw him miss the Talent League grand final against the Sandringham Dragons. [16] [17]

AFL career

Lalor was selected by Richmond with the first overall selection in the 2024 AFL national draft. [18] On 17 February 2025, Lalor suffered a fractured jaw in a collision during a pre-season match simulation against West Coast. [19] He was unable to play in Richmond's practice march against Collingwood as a result. [20]

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. [21] [22] The effort earned Lalor a rising star nomination for round 1. [23]

Personal life

Lalor's father, Steve Lalor, played for Benalla in the Ovens & Murray Football League (OMFL) during the 1980s. [24] His grandfather, Ray Lalor, played six games for Essendon in 1956, and he is also related to John O'Neill, who played 136 games for Geelong. [25] Lalor's cousin, Jordan Petaia, is a professional rugby player. [25]

References

  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. ↑ 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.
  4. ↑ 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.
  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. ↑ 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. ↑ "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.
  11. ↑ 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.
  12. ↑ 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.
  13. ↑ "Sam Lalor". Rookie Me Central. Archived from the original on 22 September 2024. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  14. ↑ Keating, Mitch (23 October 2024). "AFL Draft Profile: Sam Lalor". ZeroHanger. Archived from the original on 21 November 2024. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
  15. ↑ "Richmond lands on Lalor". Richmond Football Club. 20 November 2024. Archived from the original on 21 November 2024. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
  16. ↑ 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.
  17. ↑ "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.
  18. ↑ 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.
  19. ↑ "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.
  20. ↑ "Sam Lalor injury update". Richmond Football Club. 18 February 2025. Archived from the original on 28 February 2025. Retrieved 13 March 2025.
  21. ↑ 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.
  22. ↑ 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.
  23. ↑ 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.
  24. ↑ 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.
  25. 1 2 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.
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