Former division one college basketball player Ned Renfree has committed to Richmond’s VFL program for 2026, bringing his trademark competitiveness to the Swinburne Centre.

Hailing from Ballarat, Victoria, Renfree grew up playing football, where he rose through the talent pathways and represented the GWV Rebels alongside Sam Lalor and Jonty Faull.

Renfree also represented Australia as a junior basketballer, which led him to pursue an opportunity overseas, where he joined the Milwaukee Panthers for the 2025/26 college basketball season.

However, the 19-year-old has now returned to footy and is looking to make an immediate impact within the program.

“I’ve come back from the States after playing college basketball and reached out to my agent and said we have to change some things up,” Renfree told Richmond Media.  

“We tried some stuff with an NBL club, and it didn’t work out, so we decided that we would try and enter the (AFL) draft, but turns out I wasn’t eligible to be drafted.

“So, I started to look elsewhere down a VFL path and landed on Richmond, seeing how good the program is and the people around it."

After a year competing against the best college basketball players in America, Renfree believes his experience in the United States will hold him in strong stead as he transitions back to football.  

“I really enjoyed competing with those guys over there in the States, and they made it really easy for me to move there,” Renfree said.  

“I think it is an experience I will never forget and I really enjoyed it, and I’d love to see other people succeed over there, but unfortunately, it wasn’t for me, but that’s alright, I’m happy to be here now.”

Renfree also highlighted the opportunity to reunite with his junior teammates as a key factor in his decision to join Richmond’s VFL program.

“It was another reason why I like Richmond, because I know a few boys around here,” Renfree said.

“I grew up with Josh Gibcus as well and played Rebels with Faully and Sammy (Lalor), and built really good connections with them from the start.

“I really enjoyed my time at the Rebels.”

Standing at 188cm tall, the explosive forward combines speed, athleticism and power with an elite aerial marking skill set.

As a basketballer, Renfree helped Australia win gold at the FIBA U17 Oceania Championship and the U18 Albert Schweitzer Cup, while he also played for the Ballarat Miners in NBL1.

Tiger fans have a lot to be excited about with Renfree's addition to the team, as he looks to bring a unique and competitive style of play to the field. 

Richmond's VFL team will face Coburg in a practice match on February 13, in its first competitive hit-out of the season. Click here for more information.