Sam Lalor wasted no time turning heads at the elite level, bursting onto the scene in Richmond’s Round 1 win over Carlton, where he picked up the AFL Rising Star nomination.

It was a game that gave the 19-year-old huge confidence to start his career, instilling a sense of belonging among the competition's best.

“I wasn’t really sure what to expect in Round 1,” Lalor admitted to Richmond Media.

“Obviously, we went out and had a good win. I felt a lot of confidence in myself going out to play.

“I understood that I did belong at the level, and that was a real confidence booster for the rest of the year.”

Riding that confidence across his 11 games this season, and proving himself as an impact making forward/midfielder, Lalor’s poetic start was derailed by a hamstring injury, which kept him sidelined for chunks of the campaign.

After a vigorous six-week rehab block, Lalor was recalled for the Round 17 clash with Geelong, only to re-injure his hamstring in the first term, ruling the youngster out for the remainder of the season.

“Yeah, it was pretty challenging, especially when some of your best mates are playing every week and you’re missing out,” Lalor said.  

“Obviously, it didn’t go the way that I had planned in the back end of the year, but I managed to get 11 games of footy in.

“I have really enjoyed it and embraced it, but there have definitely been some challenges.

“You want to be out there playing footy, but it was really nice to see Taj (Hotton) play after a long stint out. He has worked so hard, and all the other boys who played as well.”

Alongside his injury woes, Lalor learned how to navigate the external expectations that came with being the number one pick in the country - a challenge he welcomed.

“There’s a few challenges to it, but here at the Club, no one has any expectation on me, coaches or players,” Lalor said.

“I like to hang out here with my mates, walk to the ground and just take it all in, then go out and play footy.”

Lalor wasn’t the only one finding his feet at the elite level, as he was joined by seven other first-year players, who inspired new energy at the Club.

“All the boys looked really comfortable, we have a good group, and the recruiters did really well,” Lalor said.  

“We all gel really well together, and I can’t wait for the next couple of years. Hopefully we can get some more boys playing soon, and I can’t wait to play together.”

In just 11 hit outs, Lalor averaged 12 disposals and contributed 11 goals whilst rotating between the forward line and the centre bounce. 

The rookie praised second-year coach Adem Yze, along with the leadership of the senior players, for helping make his transition into AFL football feel seamless.

“He has helped me a lot, he is open to conversations where you feel comfortable,” Lalor said of Yze.

“Being in rehab is obviously pretty tough, but he is always on the other side getting around us and helping us out, so yeah, he is really good.

“I think the older boys are really good at that, Broady (Nathan Broad) and Lynchy (Tom Lynch) especially.

“They just made sure that we were just chipping away and not getting too caught up in anything.”

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.”