As a bottom-ager for Oakleigh, Sam Grlj wouldn’t leave the ground until the lights were switched off for the night at Warrawee Park. Not a minute wasted, his thirst for improvement knows no bounds. What an asset he promises to be.
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https://x.com/JontyRalphsmith/status/1991075375300907351------------------------------
Endurance and competitiveness top 10 prospect’s best weaponsSam Grlj has had a fine season and shapes as a shrewd list addition for a club seeking a pacy midfielder.
Jonty Ralphsmith
zerohanger.com
October 22, 2025 Two things were highlighted about Oakleigh Chargers top 10 prospect Sam Grlj on the opening day of the 2025 AFL Draft National Combine.
The midfielder's endurance and competitiveness.
Grlj (pronounced grill) finished second in the two-kilometre time trial with a time of 5:58, behind only Sandringham Dragons running machine Jack Dalton, who was Grlj's pace-setter throughout his run.
The Vic Metro co-captain finished the AFL Draft National Combine as a rare athlete – breaking three seconds in the 20-metre sprint and six minutes in the two-kilometre time trial, proving his blend of speed and endurance.
“I was surprised with the time,” Grlj told Craft of the Draft the day after the run.
“I was just trying to go around sub 6:30 and then Jack pushed me and I was chasing him the whole time which was really good.
“Two kms is bloody hard to run so the time he did, credit to him, he's a good athlete but it probably helped me out.”
Running a personal best two-kilometre time trial underlined his innate competitiveness, a trait that shines through with the way he plays his footy.
Grlj catches the eye with his devastating overlap run, possession chains and clean skills, but it's underpinned by a hunger to get the best out of himself and beat opponents.
His contest work was on show during a two-game stint for Richmond's VFL side, where he got on-ball minutes and proved he had what it took to match it at the state league.
A bruising tackle on Gold Coast Academy prospect Zeke Uwland in a VFL game epitomised the spirit in a pair of games where he averaged 17 disposals and five tackles.
“His leadership, his exuberance and his excitement to be part of our program, and to be himself, was outstanding,” then Richmond VFL coach Jake Batchelor said of Grlj after his VFL debut.
“We saw on the track out there today he's got speed, he's got smarts, he's got sidesteps and agility.
“He's going to be a heck of a player.
“(I'm) really pleased (with him) and hopefully we can get him for the next couple of weeks as well because he definitely showed he can match it against some really good players.”
Grlj is unfazed about where he starts his career, likely as a linebreaking half-back or hard-working winger, but blossomed when charged with midfield responsibility in 2025, which is viewed as his long-term position.
Lauded within the programs he's been at for leading the way with his work ethic, a big pre-season set the foundation for a Coates Talent League year where he averaged 20 disposals and five tackles, thriving with the midfield time he was given under coach Ash Close.
“Drilling down on what I need to get good at and really improve my kicking efficiency and decision-making under pressure was a really important part of my pre-season,” Grlj said.
“He really encouraged me to show my flair through our games which set me up for a good season.
“I was really excited by the challenge of playing midfield and it suits attributes so I think it helped me out a lot this year.”
Aside: Both new Tigers in the one photoA quieter U18s National Championships where Grlj, by admission, went away from what he was good at, raised some question marks about exactly where he sat in the draft crop.
He averaged 17 disposals in an up-and-down carnival for Vic Metro.
"I probably started thinking a little bit too much about the game and I think for me, when I play my best, I'm not thinking too much," Grlj noted.
"I'm just living in the moment more have that bit of flow so that's probably something I just missed throughout the 'Champs'."
A commanding finish to 2025 as he returned to what worked for him, including that Richmond VFL stint, put him back in discussions at the pointy end.
“My speed, competitiveness and agility would be good for me to bring to an AFL list and I'll be able to show that bring that out,” Grlj said.
“I don't take myself too seriously, try to be a good team person and look after my teammates, so I will invest in the club and the culture they're building.”
https://www.zerohanger.com/afl-draft-endurance-and-competitiveness-top-10-prospects-best-weapons-170179/
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