‘Got no flaws’: Inside the rise of AFL’s likely No.1 pick... a Dusty clone who’s set to replace himDylan Bolch
Fox Sports
November 20th, 2024 Sam Lalor is the young gun who is likely to hear his name called out first at tonight’s AFL draft.
The 2024 draft class is considered one of the most even in recent memory, but as it stands, the GWV Rebels star has his nose in front.
It’s hard not to be enthralled by Lalor’s presence on the football field. Dustin Martin comparisons don’t happen often, but that is exactly what has been bestowed upon Lalor this year.
Lalor also wears the number four on his back, he’s a fend-off machine and he has the ability to dominate through the midfield or in the forward 50 arc.
“I’m always reticent to compare young players to brilliant AFL players, but he certainly has the traits that Dustin Martin had when he was a younger player coming through at this level of footy,” GWV Rebels coach David Loader told foxfooty.com.au.
Sam Lalor of the GWV Rebels poses during an AFL Draft Media Opportunity at AFL House on November 19, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
Source: Getty Images“He’s so clean around the football, he’s big and he’s strong. He’s got real power from the contest, but he’s just so well balanced when under pressure, so he can use his hands beautifully and he’s a really good kick.
“He’s a really rounded package around the contest and then he can go forward and he’s very, very hard to play one-on-one because he’s just so clever with his body positioning and his strength.
It’s those gamebreaker attributes, plus his character, that have the Tigers in love with him.
Lalor is currently viewed as the likely dux of this year’s class (Finn O’Sullivan a close second) but has spent time with all clubs holding top five draft picks in recent days.
Foxfooty.com.au spoke to the highly rated prospect and those that know him best ahead of the night where his dreams will be realised.
Sam Lalor (Victoria Country - GWV Rebels) poses for a photo during the Telstra AFL National Draft Combine Day 1 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on October 04, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
Source: Getty ImagesA NATURAL BORN LEADERIt doesn’t take long to realise that Lalor is a natural born leader, and he has all the tools to one day possibly lead an AFL club.
Lalor captained both the Rebels and Vic Country this season and is well-respected by teammates, coaches and staff alike.
Lalor says leadership “comes pretty naturally” to him and that he “leads by actions on the field”.
“I think I have a good ability to connect to different people. I can get along with a lot of different people and connect with them,” Lalor told foxfooty.com.au.
Loader says Lalor, a passionate Collingwood supporter, is a down-to-earth kid who lays it all out on the table.
“What I love about Sam is what you see, you get,” he said.
“There’s nothing hidden with him, he’s a really natural leader. He speaks openly in front of his peers and speaks really clearly and concisely, and he doesn’t hide anything.
“He wants the truth on the table all the time and if things aren’t going right, we need to find out why and what we can do about it. He’s one of those people that every player warms to because he’s just so naturally friendly to everyone.”
Sam Lalor of Victoria Country celebrates a goal during the Marsh AFL National Championships match between U18 Boys Allies and Victoria Country at Brighton Homes Arena on July 07, 2024 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)Loader recalled a time where Lalor took it upon himself to welcome a new staff member to the program, which shows the type of character he is.
“I’ll always remember on the camp getting a new staff member that had been with us for five minutes and ten minutes later Sam is sitting across from him at the table talking to him. He’s just that type of person that when he’s in a club environment, everyone’s on the same level. He wants to be a leader; he shows great leadership skills through his honesty and the way he goes about his footy,” Loader said.
Having shone as a leader with the Rebels and with Vic Country (and previously on the cricket field), there’s “no reason why” Lalor can’t be a key leader at an AFL club down the track.
“He’s just got no flaws in him. I don’t want to sound too gushy over the kid but he’s just a great kid. He’s going to be successful. I think he’ll be really successful at footy but outside of that he’s a better person than he probably is at football, which is a real credit to him.”
Sam Lalor of the AFL National Academy poses for a photo with Jacob Hopper of the Tigers and Tarkyn Lockyer, AFL National Academy Manager and Head Coach during the 2024 AFL National Academy Boys Jumper Presentation Function at the State Ballroom, Mercure Albert Park on April 12, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)THE BIG DILEMMALike many of this year’s top draft prospects, Lalor is a talented multi-sport athlete.
He doesn’t have the basketball background of an Alex Dodson, a Taj Hotton or a Murphy Reid, but he is an elite sportsperson in his own right.
Throughout his junior years, Lalor was one of the best cricketers in the state. He featured heavily in the Vic Country program and was strongly linked to Northcote’s Premier Club.
His footy career was booming, and he was flying on the cricket field.
“I was playing cricket a fair bit, it was pretty demanding… I think it came down to what I enjoyed more; I was probably playing a bit too much cricket,” he said.
“I was enjoying footy more and the competitive side of footy. If you make a mistake in cricket, you can be done for a day or two days, I like how you can bounce back straight away in footy.
“Cricket helped me with mental toughness. Sometimes you are out in the field for hundreds of overs or you’re batting hundreds of overs in the heat, and it takes a mental toll. Footy is more physically demanding, but I think the mental side, I learned a lot from cricket.”
Sam Lalor of the AFL Academy kicks the ball during the 2024 AFL Academy match between the Marsh AFL National Academy Boys and Footscray Bulldogs at Whitten Oval on April 27, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)But he hasn’t closed the door completely on his cricketing career.
“If footy doesn’t work out maybe I can have another crack at cricket,” he laughed.
Lalor is also a keen golfer, who enjoys listening to music and hanging out with his mates.
“Playing golf with my friends is a bit of an outlet for me, I’m socialising and playing golf at the same time. I’m not too bad at it, I hit the ball pretty far, but I need to work on my short game a little bit,” he said.
‘PRETTY FRUSTRATING’: HOW LALOR MADE MOST OF INJURY STRUGGLESAsk any footballer, injuries are one of the hardest and most frustrating elements of the sport.
More often than not, these kids live and breathe footy. Most, like Lalor, have had a footy in their hands since they were a little kid and have grown up kicking the ball in the backyard with their brothers, sisters, parents or friends.
While Lalor’s 2024 campaign has been brilliant, it’s definitely had its ups and downs.
The Bacchus Marsh junior has suffered from groin, hip and hamstring issues this year, but Lalor didn’t that get him down.
By his own admission, that serious hamstring injury that ultimately derailed his Rebels finals campaign was “pretty frustrating”.
“I started to play some good footy back in the midfield, and we were doing well as a team. That’s the time of the year where everyone wants to be playing with finals on. It was hard to miss out on the granny, I would have done anything to have played. I tried to stay as involved as best I could, whether that was on the bench or helping out coaching,” he said.
Sam Lalor of the GWV Rebels poses during an AFL Draft Media Opportunity at AFL House on November 19, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)Loader was keen to keep his star pupil involved as much as possible, so Lalor started to familiarise himself with the coaches box.
“I wanted to contribute as best I could to help out. Two of our coaches moved overseas for a bit so we lost some coaches throughout the year. I was just trying to do as much as I could and I have a good relationship with both the coaches and the players, so I could kind of link them together. I loved it, it was something new,” Lalor said.
It just goes to show the type of kid Lalor is. He’s a team-first player, who cares for those around him and will do everything in his power for his club to succeed.
Sam Lalor of the GWV Rebels speaks with media during an AFL Draft Media Opportunity at AFL House on November 19, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)‘BEST DRAFT EVER’: WHY THE REBELS ARE LOOKING AT AN ALL-TIME HAUL2024 has been a successful year for the Rebels and it’s about to get even better.
Lalor says his side were “slept on” at the beginning of the year and having made the Coates Talent League grand final, it’s fair to say he was probably right on the money.
“We knew at the start of the year we were going to have a pretty good squad. We had a fair few boys injured at the start of the year, so we probably got slept on a little bit,” Lalor said.
“It’s an unreal feeling to have such a ground-breaking season for the Rebels. To be doing it with the boys, some of my good mates are through footy, that was pretty special. It clearly meant a lot to our families, coaches and the Rebels community. Some past players were there on grand final day which was pretty cool, it meant a lot to them.”
The vibes were high, with the likes of Ben Hobbs and Shane O’Bree were getting amongst it.
Loader is hoping that the Rebels’ finals run sees plenty of their players make their way onto an AFL list.
Ollie Hannaford and Jonty Faull have plenty of admirers at AFL level, while Harry Charleson, Floyd Burmeister, Rhys Unwin and Jack Ough also have suitors.
Mitch Lloyd had an “awesome year”, while Flynn Penry and Archie Caldow are others who are in the mix.
Lalor’s outstanding season, where he averaged 23 disposals, 6.2 clearances and 5.8 marks a game, has seen those around him thrive, too.
“It’s just going to be sitting back and waiting to see who fits at which club and what the clubs’ needs are, it’s exciting,” Loader said.
“I think the boys would like it to be over and done with so they knew where they stood, but having conversations with them over the last few days it’s been a lot around how they can’t control anything now. Just try and enjoy the ride because you’re in a position that there’s thousands of kids across Australia that would love to be sitting in that seat right at the minute.
PICK 1 PRESSURESIf Lalor’s name is read out first tonight, he will have to deal with all of the pressure and scrutiny that will no doubt come his way.
For some players this can be too much, they go into their shells and struggle to reach their potential due to all the external noise.
Others thrive on the added expectation and become absolute stars of the game.
Lalor thinks he’s in a good position to deal with the aftermath if he is selected first tonight.
“I’d like to go as high as I can. I’d love to (be pick 1), but I’m not looking forward too much. I’ll just see what happens,” he said.
“I think I’d be fine (with the pressures). I probably wouldn’t look into the media or anything too much. I’d just chip away at it, focus on myself and I think I’d be pretty fine.”
Loader believes Lalor’s hard-working attitude and down-to-earth nature will hold him in good stead.
“I don’t think he’ll have any problem with that if it happens. He’s very driven and he’s very clear on wanting to be the best he can possibly be at footy,” Loader said.
“Nothing will stand in his way. As wonderful a person and brilliant kid he is off field, he’s very driven on field too and he’ll make every post a winner, I’m sure.”
In a world where phantom drafts and power rankings are becoming more and more popular, it would be easy for Lalor to get a big head.
But despite all the external noise right now, he’s still the same Sam that his friends and family adore.
“I’m staying close to my friends from home as well. I don’t really talk about footy too much, to be honest. Outside of footy I hardly talk about it. I just try to stay clear of that conversation and don’t get caught up in it too much. My parents are always there to keep me grounded as well,” he said.
“My family inspire me and motivate me every day.”
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