Potential No. 1 pick Sam Lalor on his horror injury run, cricket background and game that changed everything

Sam Lalor hasn’t been at more than 80 per cent this year, yet he remains firmly in the No. 1 pick conversation. He opens up on how his injury struggles proved to be a blessing and more.

Sam Lalor is a red-hot contender to be the No. 1 pick in this year’s AFL Draft, and he hasn’t even been able to showcase his best footy.

The boy from Bacchus Marsh has been cruelled by injury for the past year and hasn’t played at more than 80 per cent fitness in 2024, but he has still managed to wow recruiters.

Lalor was underdone entering his draft year – although he has never had a fully fledged footy pre-season growing up due to his high level cricket commitments.

A hyperextended knee impacted his pre-season and then the big bodied midfielder sustained a hip injury playing school cricket for Geelong Grammar.

Then came an ankle blow in May that left him in a moon boot, followed by a quad niggle.

Sam Lalor in action for the AFL Academy. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Sam Lalor flies high for Vic Country. Picture: Josh Chadwick/AFL Photos

“Every time I come back for a couple of games and had another so it has been pretty frustrating,” Lalor said.

“It has been pretty frustrating having so many injuries and missing out on some good games like finals for the Rebels and fair bit of school footy and an academy game. But at the end of the day it’s out of my control and I can just try get my rehab done and get myself right.

“Early I was probably 50 per cent (fitness), the highest I’ve been this year is probably 80 per cent, so I think next year if I end up at a club then I can get a good base in and show a bit of fitness and really improve.”

And just when he got his body right towards the end of the year with the GWV Rebels, he suffered a serious hamstring injury that kept him out of combine testing.

But, somehow, he kept playing.

“Yeah, stupidly,” Lalor said with a smile.

“I didn’t want to lose, so I said to my coach, ‘I’m not coming off until I know we’re winning’.

“It does show my probably loyalty to my teammates as well and my competitiveness.”

BLESSING IN DISGUISE

That cursed injury run also proved to be a blessing in disguise.

The first game he played for the year – where he was at around 50 per cent with only two or three sessions under his belt – came in round one of the APS season for Geelong Grammar.

He was gassed after a first half in the midfield against Wesley College and Geelong Grammar head of football Troy Selwood and coach Andy Allthorpe made the call to move him forward – a role that was relatively new to him at that point.

“When it came to halftime he was already cramping, I remember Andy and I had a chat and I was like, ‘look, it’s probably no surprise here but let’s get him one out inside 30 and see if we can get the ball into him’,” Selwood said.

“And he took hold of the game after that.”

The 188 centimetre bull kicked a bag of six in the second half to finish with seven for the match.

“We like to take the credit, but it was probably Sam’s body where we had no other option,” Selwood said with a laugh.

Sam Lalor kicked seven goals against Wesley. Picture: Alan Barber

Fast forward six months later and his marking threat and ability to impact up forward is regarded as one of Lalor’s biggest points of difference.

Lalor broke a game open up forward with the strength and power of his idols Jordan De Goey and Dustin Martin at the national championships against the Allies with three goals, including the sealer.

In his next game for Vic Country he took a towering grab and another contested mark at the death.

And in both those games he laid bonecrunching tackles that showed his fierce defensive intent.

SAM LALOR. REMEMBER THE NAME.#AFLDraft | @FOXFOOTYpic.twitter.com/QM1dB7643m

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“I’d hardly played any forward, but it’s opened a new door. I’m happy I did go forward that day (against Wesley), but I think I’m just pretty competitive and pretty confident when I go forward,” Lalor said.

A season of injuries has also helped Lalor improve his professionalism.

Lalor has managed to dominate both cricket and footy despite limited preparation thanks to his immense talent, so it wasn’t something that came naturally to him.

Selwood had his champion younger brother Joel to draw on.

Joel famously had a draft year of injury misfortune in 2006 before winning a premiership in his very first season at Geelong.

“We spoke a lot about Joel’s journey in relation to getting ready to be an AFL player well and truly before the national draft hits,” Selwood said.

“Just as things were unfolding for Sam, I was like, ‘hey mate, I want you to know as frustrating and as lonely as it feels right now, there have been boys in your situation’.

“Some have thrived like my younger brother did, and others went backwards and didn’t see the opportunities that were in front of them.

“Hopefully Sam was able to pick up some of that along the way – and I do I feel like he did and it’s helped him become, not only the best footballer he can be but the best leader, the best teammate.”

Joel Selwood in his draft year.

Lalor at the draft combine. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

DUAL SPORTSMAN

Until he made the call to pursue footy, Lalor’s main sporting love was cricket.

Lalor represented Vic Country at under-17 level and played representative junior cricket with Northcote, where he hit 111 off 65 balls in one blistering knock.

He hit four half centuries from eight digs in the most recent APS season for Geelong Grammar, all of those at more than a run a ball.

“It used to be my true love until probably halfway through last year. I still love cricket and I would love to play again sometime soon, but I definitely love footy more,” Lalor said.

A powerful batter who can hit a big ball – he put one on the roof at Geelong Grammar one day – Lalor helped his school to back-to-back cricket premiership alongside another junior sporting star.

Lalor and U19 Cricket World Cup winner Ollie Peake wreaked havoc in their final game together ear, Lalor finishing with 79 from 54 as Peake made a lazy 154.

Geelong Grammar won the 2023/24 APS cricket premiership. Picture: Geelong Grammar

“It was pretty emotional, actually,” Lalor recalls.

“We were just out there just having a laugh, having a good time. That was so good.”

“Me and ‘Peakey’ have been mates for a while now and we’re really close friends, he’s one of my best mates.

“We’ve played cricket together and footy together, so to kind of ride this experience of hopefully ending up as professional athletes is pretty cool to have someone that close with me and my family as well, it’s pretty special.”

Peake, 18, is fresh off two centuries in India for Australia’s U19 side and he may well join Lalor on the MCG in the future.

“He’ll be out there on the MCG on Boxing Day pretty soon I reckon, he is a superstar” Lalor said.

Could Lalor make the switch to cricket in the future?

“If footy doesn’t work out I may have a go at the Big Bash or something, we’ll see how I go. I’m not sure I’m that good though,” Lalor joked.

ALL OVER THE PLACE

Coming from Bacchus Marsh, boarding in Geelong and playing in the elite talent pathway in Ballarat has had its challenges.

Selwood sat down with Lalor at one stage and worked out that he had around 40 people supporting him along his journey: people from his various football programs, family, close friends and more.

That’s a lot for one 18-year-old kid to take in

“It is pretty overwhelming and pretty hard to navigate all the programs that I’m in with the (AFL) Academy, Vic Country, Rebels, school,” Lalor said.

“And then finding time just to hang out with my friends and everything, so I think you’ve just got to find a couple people you can talk to so you don’t have too many voices sitting in the back of your head.”

For Lalor, those main voices were Selwood at Geelong Grammar, Rebels midfield coach Eamon Gill and Geelong Grammar physio Trav McComb.

A player with Brisbane and recruiter with Geelong in the past, Lalor has gained valuable experience from him.

Lalor celebrates a goal with Geelong Grammar. Picture: Alan Barber

“He’s been awesome for me, he’s got a wealth of knowledge, so I’m grateful,” Lalor said.

His boarding experience means he is ready for a move interstate — although that seems unlikely, with interest coming as early as Richmond who holds the very first pick.

“I’ve already moved away from home being at boarding school. But yeah, I’d love to go anywhere and I’ve got really no idea where it’s going to end up, so it’s going to take until the night I think,” Lalor said.

Lalor has spent most of the year sidelined or playing through injury, but if anything absence has made the heart grow fonder for clubs.

“I think they can see the potential and impact I have, it’s just probably just working on getting the ball more in my hands and probably the endurance side, the running. I think if I can get a base like that, then it’ll improve,” Lalor said.

“I think when I have the ball in my hands, I do something pretty special.”

Originally published as Potential No. 1 pick Sam Lalor on his horror injury run, cricket background and game that changed everything