One-Eyed Richmond Forum
Football => Richmond Rant => Topic started by: mightytiges on November 19, 2025, 08:02:50 PM
-
Welcome to Tigerland, Sam :)
-
(https://resources.afl.com.au/photo-resources/2025/11/17/54e829be-10ac-459b-9419-ad3b9565ebb4/140783_AFL-Editorial-GFX_PD_Article-Straps-Clean_FA_10-2x.jpg?width=1511)
This is where it gets interesting. Richmond has been doing plenty of work on its key targets, and sent a delegation of recruiters to fly to Mildura on Friday to visit Cumming and his family for a final interview. He is a player with real physical grunt, a tough edge, a tenacious mindset and great overhead marking ability to give himself a point of difference in the top rungs of this year's draft pool. He had a strong carnival with South Australia before making his SANFL senior debut with North Adelaide, where he impressed at the level. If the Tigers want to add some more hardness, matched with skill, to their group then Cumming is right in the frame.
(https://resources.afl.com.au/photo-resources/2025/11/17/e66a7972-5414-4118-b509-e23c368aa93e/JMEkbQhI.jpg?width=1064&height=600)
https://www.afl.com.au/news/1453760/cal-twomeys-2025-phantom-draft-top-30-late-picks-whispers
-
Sam and family when his name was called out.
VIDEO: https://x.com/NorthAdelaideFC/status/1991075274897715582/video/4
And Cumming with Bachar getting his guernsey.
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/G6G4LTBbEAABv_P?format=jpg&name=large)
https://x.com/theTiser/status/1991075019095724378
-
Already wearing the Tiger guernsey.
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/G6G5L66aUAAJSqo?format=jpg&name=large)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/G6G5L7AbIAAt1yZ?format=jpg&name=large)
https://x.com/zacmilbank/status/1991076133379457180
-
Looks pretty slick. Happy with this pick
-
Sam Cumming arrives at Richmond
By Richmond Media
Nov 19, 2025, 7:49 pm
(https://resources.richmondfc.com.au/photo-resources/2025/11/19/2a5cad62-46ba-4880-a802-f0983d31502d/Cumming_Web-1-.png?width=2128&height=1200)
Richmond is delighted to welcome bull at a gate midfielder/forward, Sam Cumming, to the Club after swooping on him with its first pick, No. 7 overall at tonight’s Telstra AFL Draft.
Born and raised in Wentworth, New South Wales, Cumming moved to Adelaide in 2023, where he boarded at Prince Alfred College and played football for North Adelaide.
Cumming made an immediate impact in South Australian football circles, including winning the SANFL U/18 MVP award as a bottom-aged player last year.
He averaged 17 disposals and a goal as part of South Australia’s National Championships winning team in 2025 and earned All Australian selection.
Cumming also looked more than comfortable at senior level in the SANFL, averaging 21 touches across four games before a shoulder injury cut short his season.
A strong tackler and clearance player, Cumming is always in the thick of it around the coalface when playing through the midfield, though his contested marking also makes him a difficult forward match-up.
Richmond National Recruiting Manager Rhy Gieschen said that Cumming was combative and played with a hard edge.
“Sam has great speed and power and is a strong overhead mark. He is a team-first player and was a highly valued teammate across all teams he represented,” he added.
“After a strong and consistent U18 National Championships, he made his SANFL debut, and in his second league appearance, he had 21 disposals, five clearances, five tackles, and kicked three goals, which highlighted his ability to impact both as a midfielder and forward.
“He is a player of high character, and we are thrilled to welcome him and his family to Tigerland.”
Cumming continues a strong success line with Richmond and the Sunraysia region, which includes Richmond greats Matthew Knights, Mark Lee, and Dale Weightman (Mildura).
https://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/1932034/sam-cumming-arrives-at-richmond
-
VIDEOS:
(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/PeAkBxWlsU8/maxresdefault.jpg) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeAkBxWlsU8&t=2s)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeAkBxWlsU8&t=2s
(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/XLZD-95YdBE/hqdefault.jpg) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLZD-95YdBE)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLZD-95YdBE
-
Pics:
(https://www.aflphotos.com.au/image/imagerender?key=64842399&src=afl-gal-clear-0w-450h) (https://www.aflphotos.com.au/image/imagerender?key=64844335&src=afl-gal-clear-0w-450h)
(https://www.aflphotos.com.au/image/imagerender?key=64842397&src=afl-gal-clear-0w-450h) (https://www.aflphotos.com.au/image/imagerender?key=64844347&src=afl-gal-clear-0w-450h)
(https://www.aflphotos.com.au/image/imagerender?key=64844930&src=afl-gal-clear-0w-450h) (https://www.aflphotos.com.au/image/imagerender?key=64842401&src=afl-gal-clear-0w-450h)
(https://www.aflphotos.com.au/image/imagerender?key=64844344&src=afl-gal-clear-0w-450h) (https://www.aflphotos.com.au/image/imagerender?key=64844331&src=afl-gal-clear-0w-450h)
(https://www.aflphotos.com.au/image/imagerender?key=64839434&src=afl-gal-clear-0w-450h) (https://www.aflphotos.com.au/image/imagerender?key=64839571&src=afl-gal-clear-0w-450h)
(https://www.aflphotos.com.au/image/imagerender?key=64837020&src=afl-gal-clear-0w-450h)
(https://www.aflphotos.com.au/image/imagerender?key=64839441&src=afl-gal-clear-0w-450h) (https://www.aflphotos.com.au/image/imagerender?key=64839444&src=afl-gal-clear-0w-450h)
https://www.aflphotos.com.au/gallery/afl-2025-media-telstra-afl-draft?sortby=&search=&pg=20
-
The moment Cumming gets his guernsey!
(https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSBLTT52vBO5x_GkEnAqCWW6x7XQ-Ffd1jE6Q&s) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7ZRS2-jXyM)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7ZRS2-jXyM
-
Sam Cumming
height: 183cm
D.O.B: 27-07-2007
Position: Midfielder-Forward
Leagues: AFL U18 Championships, SANFL
Clubs: North Adelaide
SNAPSHOT:
“An explosive and competitive midfielder-forward who reliably wins contested ball and has added weapons to his game.” – Michael Alvaro
Sam Cumming will be among the most highly sought after prospects at this year’s draft after an impressive couple of seasons with North Adelaide. The midfielder took out last year’s SANFL Under 18 MVP award as a bottom-ager, making 10 appearances for an average of 27 disposals. He also turned out twice for South Australia at the Under 18 National Championships, and was selected to play in the National Futures game.
With such exploits under his belt, Cumming was inducted into the 2025 AFL Academy and impressed during a preseason training stint at Port Adelaide. He came into season proper with huge wraps on his potential, and delivered to become an All-Australian by the end of SA’s title-winning nationals run. The best was yet to come, though, as Cumming stepped up into North Adelaide’s League side and made an immediate impact.
Amid arguably his best patch of form for the year, he starred with 21 disposals and three goals in Round 13 against South Adelaide. Unfortunately, his season ended in a fourth and final senior game after injuring his shoulder three weeks later against Central District. Still, Cumming was fit enough to participate at the National Draft Combine where he showcased his explosive speed with a sub three-second 20m sprint time.
Cumming is quite well travelled already having played his junior football in Wentworth, a town over the New South Wales border in the Sunraysia region. He also represented Bendigo Pioneers in the 2022 V-Line Cup, but ended up attending school at the prestigious Prince Alfred College in Adelaide and thus linked up with North. He’s a Hawthorn supporter and models his game on the likes of Sydney star Isaac Heeney.
STRENGTHS:
+ Competitiveness
+ Consistency
+ Overhead marking
+ Power
+ Scoreboard impact
+ Work rate
IMPROVEMENTS:
- Kicking technique
- Outside game
There's a well-roundedness to Cumming's profile that will appeal to AFL clubs, but mostly it's his ability to hurt the opposition as a powerful midfielder who goes forward. He built his base as an inside ball winner, capable of prising first possession and combining his explosive speed with poise to distribute out of packs. Now, he's also genuine goal threat who has enhanced his forward craft and can impact with strong overhead marks.
Cumming's consistency is part of what makes him such a reliable prospect. Across 15 SANFL Under 18 appearances in the last two seasons, he has dipped below 20 disposals just twice, highlighting his elite ball winning acumen. Part of what keeps him in the game in his competitive nature, applying desperate two-way effort and scrapping for possession at each contest. It lends to his high work rate, but is only one aspect of it.
The other facet of Cumming's work rate is his running power. He has always been a bull on the inside with quick feet to step to the outer, or the strength to break tackles and shrug his way out of congestion. But Cumming has also been developing his ability to accumulate in all parts of the ground. His elite training standards have allowed for that improvement, and helped uncover the versatility to chop out as a high forward or dangerous deep option.
Cumming's weapons forward of the ball include his gutsy overhead marking and consistent scoring record. He posted an 89cm running vertical jump in preseason and is capable of competing for pack marks. That attribute aids his ability to kick goals, which Cumming has done regularly across all levels this year. In all, he's a high-impact type who previously just racked up the ball, but now can cut up the opposition in a variety of ways.
Further improvement will come as Cumming continues to refine his skills. His kicking technique can look a little awkward at times and there were stages where Cumming struggled to execute under pressure. He's quite neat in the short range and can pick out targets, but being able to consistently deliver on the run or in tight spots will only make him more dangerous. He is already quite apt at doing so by hand, so can add that string to his bow.
AFL U18 Championships
Season Team K HB D M CP UP T HO CLR I50 R50 GL GM K H D M HO T G DC
2024 South Australia 11 12 23 9 14 12 10 0 2 5 2 1 2 5.5 6.0 11.5 4.5 0.0 5.0 0.5 54
2025 South Australia 31 37 68 14 18 48 13 0 5 13 3 4 4 7.8 9.3 17.0 3.5 0.0 3.3 1.0 69
Total - 42 49 91 23 32 60 23 0 7 18 5 5 6 7.0 8.2 15.2 3.8 0.0 3.8 0.8 123
DRAFT RANGE: 5-15
SUMMARY:
The powerful and impactful midfielder-forward is a highly desirable archetype in current day football, and that’s exactly the mould Cumming fits into. His competitive nature won over recruiters heading into the season and his remaining skillset took over in match situations. Having developed his outside game and ability to hit the scoreboard, Cumming’s explosive contest work is not the only way he can hurt the opposition. A club like Essendon may be inclined to have a look with their dual top-10 selections, otherwise Cumming won’t be on the board much longer on night one with the likes of Greater Western Sydney lurking.
https://central.rookieme.com/afl/player/samuel-cumming/