Sam Lalor [merged]

[one-eyed]

IF ...
this year's batch of Telstra AFL Rising Stars might be one of the greatest ever ...

THEN ...
while Sam Lalor, because of injury, won't be on the main presentation board there is every reason to think he may be the standout best.

https://www.afl.com.au/news/1403945/sliding-doors-if-it-was-plugger-in-the-90s-and-buddy-in-the-10s-then

[Simonator]

Geez I hope he can stay healthy.

[the claw]

I have zero problem with our drafting of 2024 - so far.
Every players looks like they belong apart possibly from Algar.
Had you told me that last November I wouldn’t have believed it.
 
There is no such thing as a broken 19 year old.

This might well change in coming seasons but for me I would like our focus beyond the rehab program is getting these kids Adelaide Crows strong because if we can get them up to speed breaking and making tackles like them we are in for one hell of a ride.

Looking at the class of 2021, that doesn’t appear a focus. I hope the club is taking notice.

Don't think any club would have a problem with the top 20 players taken in the 24 draft even the top 30.
Every single top 20 pick looks at the worst a good player apart from the two who could not get on the park. Smith knee and Smillie multiple injuries.

It was touted as the draft for the ages and so far it is turning out that way. It should also be remembered for just how deep it may eventually go.

We sure got lucky that last year was the year good players decided they wanted to leave.

[Andyy]

I have zero problem with our drafting of 2024 - so far.
Every players looks like they belong apart possibly from Algar.
Had you told me that last November I wouldn’t have believed it.
 
There is no such thing as a broken 19 year old.

This might well change in coming seasons but for me I would like our focus beyond the rehab program is getting these kids Adelaide Crows strong because if we can get them up to speed breaking and making tackles like them we are in for one hell of a ride.

Looking at the class of 2021, that doesn’t appear a focus. I hope the club is taking notice.

Don't think any club would have a problem with the top 20 players taken in the 24 draft even the top 30.
Every single top 20 pick looks at the worst a good player apart from the two who could not get on the park. Smith knee and Smillie multiple injuries.

It was touted as the draft for the ages and so far it is turning out that way. It should also be remembered for just how deep it may eventually go.

We sure got lucky that last year was the year good players decided they wanted to leave.

And were probably also spoken to about leaving, let's be honest.

If you're running the club you'd tell them guys we're going for a rebuild, you have currency, you've said you might move inter-state at some stage etc, start looking now for both our sakes.

[Hard Roar Tiger]

Spot on Andyyy. I have it on good authority that the club orchestrated this mover very cleverly.

[Andyy]

Spot on Andyyy. I have it on good authority that the club orchestrated this mover very cleverly.

Of course it did!

Bet there were no hard feelings either.

And I'm also convinced the club knew certain players would leave so both parties agreed to contracts (ie Bolton and Rioli) that secured earnings for the players and trade power for the club.

[Francois Jackson]

no hang on the club wouldnt do that. It was rioli and bakers fault for leaving us in the lurch 

i can assure you dimma had some say in those picks going our way. If that was the pies or any number of clubs, there would be no chance that would be offered up in a very strong draft.

[Hard Roar Tiger]

no hang on the club wouldnt do that. It was rioli and bakers fault for leaving us in the lurch 

i can assure you dimma had some say in those picks going our way. If that was the pies or any number of clubs, there would be no chance that would be offered up in a very strong draft.

Don’t forget Mini at the Eagles although the Freo deal was also very good and can’t be pinned to either.
It might haunt us in years to come but it’s a sensational roll of the dice and applaud the club for giving it a crack

[one-eyed]

Early learnings shape Lalor’s future

Having been a part of three of the side's five wins this year, the young talent hopes to return fit and healthy for a big 2026 campaign.

“I finished surgery five weeks ago and I’m now back doing a fair bit of running and training,” Lalor said.

“I will be training for most of the off-season. I’ll manage to get away for a bit, but I should be alright to hopefully get a full pre-season in.

“I want to improve upon my game and play a bit more in the midfield. Working on my midfield craft alongside Jack Ziebell, Blake Caracella and Dion (Presita), Tim (Taranto) and Hop (Jacob Hopper) to try and get more time there.”

Full article here: https://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/1896615/early-learnings-shape-lalors-future

[the claw]

Lol at at the defenders of everything and anything the club does talk about rewriting the books.

They  had Rioli and Bolton on long term contracts they publicly stated they wanted to keep Baker and the other rat of the sinking ship whats his name oh yes Graham was offered another contract.

It was a cunning plan Baldrick and about as haphazard as any plan Baldrick ever thought of.

The simple fact is they beled the list dry in attempting to win more flags. The dire state of both our tall list and mid lists and rthe hit and very miss nature of our drafting sinse 2016 all says hello.

The simple truth is they did recognise the need to rebuild  were in serious decline and with a sprinkling of fairy dust got kissed on the idiot.

[TigerLand]

Spot on Andyyy. I have it on good authority that the club orchestrated this mover very cleverly.

Of course it did!

Bet there were no hard feelings either.

And I'm also convinced the club knew certain players would leave so both parties agreed to contracts (ie Bolton and Rioli) that secured earnings for the players and trade power for the club.

What surprises me is that clubs haven't taken advantage of rebuilding whilst getting 'overs' for draft compo and agree to pay for part of a contract under the minimim salary cap payments.

For example.

We agree to pay 50% Vlastuin wage, send him to GC and thy send 2 first round draft picks based on Vlastuins wage and the package that we pay half his wage for 3 years. We HAVE to pay certain % of the salary cap, and could easily afford paying 50% of a few players wage at another club whilst getting an extra 1st rounder we otherwise wouldn't have got in a normal trade. Pretty much the deal that Bowes and GC did however Cats got everything in that scenario.

We don't have anyone wanting out, but say in Merrett case, for those clubs who can't afford him, Essendon should offer to pay part of his wage, with full knowledge they are miles off a premiership, so get overs in draft picks for him and widen the amount of clubs that could draft him cause his wages fitting into salary cap are lesser an issue.

[one-eyed]

IF ...
Sam Lalor didn't register any votes in the 2025 Telstra AFL Rising Star count ...

THEN ...
he still did more than enough in 11 matches in his debut season to suggest he could emerge as the best of his crop. Tigers need to prepare him very carefully for his second season of football.

https://www.afl.com.au/news/1434669/sliding-doors-if-you-take-your-mind-back-to-the-2021-grand-final-then

[wayne]

Spot on Andyyy. I have it on good authority that the club orchestrated this mover very cleverly.

No coincidence Freo and GC had the draft capital either

[Hard Roar Tiger]

Spot on Wayne.

[Dusty3Peat]

Please just let this kid play a long career. We've seen enough from the glimpse in year one to know he'll be amazing if he can stay on the park.

Do we think it's a having not fully comitted to footy before his draft year thing? His body needs work conditioning for the rigours of footy more than kids who have been doing pre-seaosns for years?