By Marc McGowan
The late Chris Toce convinced Richmond’s list boss Blair Hartley that Dustin Martin clone Sam Lalor was the best prospect in this year’s AFL draft as part of his successful application to be the Tigers’ chief recruiter.
Toce, a highly respected recruiting mind, lost his battle with cancer in October, only months into his time at Richmond – but his football legacy will live on through Lalor, who the Tigers anointed as the No.1 pick of this year’s loaded draft class.
Sam Lalor’s AFL journey is just getting started.Credit: Penny Stephens
Richmond last had the top pick of the national draft back in 2004 – when they selected Kyabram’s Brett Deledio – and were the busiest club on the opening night as they continue to regenerate in the post-Damien Hardwick era.
Among their six first-round picks, all of whom are locked away for the next three seasons, were key forwards Jonty Faull and Harry Armstrong, who Richmond will hope can succeed premiership-winning spearhead Jack Riewoldt and, eventually, Tom Lynch.
Speaking afterwards, Hartley outlined how their decision-making was based on the vision for their next premiership team, rather than immediate success next year.
“It’s funny – drafting is partly production this year, and then also upside, and I’ve always likened it to studying for an exam, but then you wait five years for the results [and even] five to seven years sometimes,” Hartley said.
“But we’re really excited about all the guys we’ve picked. Obviously, we’re picking for upside, we want them to improve, but that involves them getting to work and getting right into the environment and maximising their talent.”
The Tigers also scored North Melbourne’s future first-rounder – which could be a top-four selection – in exchange for the last pick, No.27, of this year’s first round, and a future second-rounder.
The Kangaroos’ bold trade was a bet on them ascending sharply next season, and they used the acquired selection on Shepparton’s Matt Whitlock, a 198-centimetre key-position player who performed strongly at both ends in 2024.
Whitlock’s twin brother, Jack, who was visibly emotional after his brother’s selection, was surprisingly overlooked in the first round, but looms as an early pick on Thursday.
Lalor, 18, becomes the second GWV Rebels player to be the No.1 pick in the past three years, behind GWS Giants forward Aaron Cadman.
The Tigers visited Lalor’s family home in Bacchus Marsh on Monday night to break the news to him that he was going to be the top selection. Hartley raved about how Lalor was a “difference-maker” at the contest with his power and speed, while his marking ability in attack was also a key factor in their decision.
“I just told some close family and friends, but a lot of people here [at Marvel Stadium] I didn’t tell, so it was a bit of a surprise for them, which is nice,” Lalor told Fox Footy.
“The other night when they found out, even dad [Steve] was in tears. It’s a pretty special moment, and I’m pretty happy with it, especially having my family in the room.
“There’s obviously a lot of pressure, but with Richmond this year, they’ve got a lot of picks, so not all the spotlight is going to be on me … and I think just getting into a really good club like Richmond is going to be so good, and I can’t wait.”
The rest of the top 10 went according to the script as well, with North Melbourne adding to their midfield riches with Koroit-raised Finn O’Sullivan, while the draft’s best ball magnet Jagga Smith (Carlton) and South Australian flyer Sid Draper (Adelaide) landed at the clubs they were tipped to.
Melbourne placed a bid on Brisbane Lions father-son gun Levi Ashcroft – which the Lions matched – before drafting Harvey Langford, a 191-centimetre midfielder from the Dandenong Stingrays who shared the Larke Medal as the best player at this year’s AFL under-18 championships.
Josh Smillie (Richmond), Tobie Travaglia (St Kilda), Leo Lombard (Gold Coast) and Alix Tauru (St Kilda) rounded out the top 10.
The Demons also grabbed a second midfielder at No.11, selecting sweet-kicking Gippsland Power left-footer Xavier Lindsay, and were one of three clubs to place a bid inside the top 13 picks.
The Saints put in a bid on tough and speedy onballer Lombard at pick nine, while Richmond bid on Essendon’s Next Generation Academy forward Isaac Kako, who will play for the Bombers next season.
Lalor is likened to triple-Norm Smith medallist Martin for his dual-position impact as a midfielder and forward, toughness, power, overhead marking and clean skills.
He even boasts a fend-off like Martin’s and wore the same No.4 on his back for the Rebels and his school side Geelong Grammar. There is the potential for Lalor to inherit Martin’s number now he is a Tiger and the 2017 Brownlow medallist has retired – a prospect he told this masthead would be “a dream come true”.
Lalor battled a number of injuries this year, including to his right knee, right hip and right ankle before a season-ending grade-three hamstring tendon strain on his left leg in September.
He has also never completed a proper football pre-season because he is a talented cricketer as well, and the consensus in recruiting ranks was that he would be eased into the AFL environment, regardless of where he ended up.
Lalor’s cousin, Jordan Petaia, represented the Wallabies at the past two rugby world cups, while another cousin, Jack Lalor, has played cricket for Victoria’s second XI. He is also close friends with batting prodigy Ollie Peake, who attended Geelong Grammar with him.
The Tigers’ extraordinary draft night followed the trade exits of stars Daniel Rioli, Shai Bolton and Liam Baker last month.
Smillie, who is often compared to Patrick Cripps, was long-linked to Richmond, with Hartley and football boss Tim Livingstone both having a connection to the tall midfielder’s junior club, Park Orchards.
The top three picks of this year’s draft: Jagga Smith (No.3), Lalor (No.1), and Finn O’Sullivan (No.2).Credit: AFL Photos
They grabbed midfielder-forward Taj Hotton, who is recovering from an ACL rupture in May, and Faull – a combative key forward – with their third and fourth picks.
The Tigers also recruited intercept defender Luke Trainor and left-footed sharpshooter Harry Armstrong, both of whom were considered top-10 talents at different stages this past season.
Recruiters had some concern about Trainor’s concussion history but the AFL medically cleared him and he could proven a bargain, as could Armstrong, who kicked five goals in Victoria Country’s narrow victory over Victoria Metro at the under-18 championships.
“We were very keen on getting a balance within our picks,” Hartley said.
“Jonty Faull is a highly competitive key forward, and they’re hard to find, and they do become very important when the whips are cracking, so to get him in the bag and then Harry Armstrong, who was highly touted through the course of the year [was a good result].”
Port Adelaide were the first club to trade up the order in the first round, climbing one spot in a pick swap with West Coast to select forward speedster Joe Berry, after being linked with various key forwards in the lead-up.
The bolters on the night were forwards Cody Angove and Ned Bowman, who joined the Giants and Swans at picks 24 and 26, respectively, while tall forward Jobe Shanahan joined Jack Whitlock as the biggest slider after being touted as a first-round selection.
THE FIRST ROUND OF THE 2024 AFL DRAFT
- Sam Lalor (Richmond)
- Finn O’Sullivan (North Melbourne)
- Jagga Smith (Carlton)
- Sid Draper (Adelaide)
- Levi Ashcroft (Brisbane Lions)
- Harvey Langford (Melbourne)
- Josh Smillie (Richmond)
- Tobie Travaglia (St Kilda)
- Leo Lombard (Gold Coast)
- Alix Tauru (St Kilda)
- Xavier Lindsay (Melbourne)
- Taj Hotton (Richmond)
- Isaac Kako (Essendon)
- Jonty Faull (Richmond)
- Joe Berry (Port Adelaide)
- Bo Allan (West Coast)
- Murphy Reid (Fremantle)
- Ollie Hannaford (GWS)
- Harrison Oliver (GWS)
- Cooper Hynes (Western Bulldogs)
- Luke Trainor (Richmond)
- Jesse Dattoli (Sydney)
- Harry Armstrong (Richmond)
- Cody Angove (GWS)
- Sam Marshall (Brisbane Lions)
- Ned Bowman (Sydney)
- Matt Whitlock (North Melbourne)
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