The journey to becoming a dominant midfielder in the AFL doesn’t happen overnight. It is built over time.

For Richmond young gun Kane McAuliffe, his football journey has been interrupted by injury, but he won’t let that get in the way of his goal of becoming a consistent AFL player.

At just 21 years of age, McAuliffe has played 18 AFL games across three seasons, however his limited appearances haven’t been due to form but rather a run of unfortunate injuries. It's a process McAuliffe has had to learn to trust.  

“Unfortunately, I had the injury with the quad, which happened twice, but I guess it's all a part of the job,” McAuliffe said when reflecting on his injury woes in 2025.

“It allowed me to work on some other stuff, like my power and running in rehab, so I just decided to take a new approach to it.

“I also didn't want to forget those games I put together last year as well, so over pre-season, I just went back and watched some of the footage of the games last year, to remember what I can do at AFL level. That was something I tried to do.

“I could take that confidence into pre-season training because it had been six or seven months in the end between my last game and getting back into training.

“I was just trying to find different ways to get that confidence back into myself without being out there and playing.”

So far this season, that confidence is returning for McAuliffe. He recorded a career-high 23 disposals in the Round 6 clash with North Melbourne, before following it up with another 21 disposals, and his first goal, on Anzac Day Eve against Melbourne.

Working both on the wing and increasingly through midfield, McAuliffe is building a strong patch of form as he enters the next chapter in his football journey. 

Port Augusta to Adelaide

Hailing from Port Augusta in regional South Australia, McAuliffe had a footy in his hand from a young age, participating in Auskick before joining the Central Augusta Football Club, where he carried out his junior career.

McAuliffe acknowledged that football runs deep in his family, with both his grandfather and father having been involved with the Club.

“It all started when I was playing Auskick in Port Augusta,” McAuliffe said.  

“Dad and pop were pretty heavily involved in the footy club there, so I kind of grew up around the footy club and was always involved in it somehow.

“Then I went from the Auskick there to Central Augusta, my junior club. Played in the comp with three other teams in Port Augusta and three teams in Port Pirie, so a little six-team comp, and just went through the juniors there from under-7s to under-15s."

It wasn’t until McAuliffe decided to move to Adelaide for boarding school that he thought his dream of playing AFL could become a reality.

“It was a massive move, moving to Adelaide at 14 into the boarding school, but I wouldn't change it for the world,” McAuliffe said.

“It was some of the funnest years of my life. I really developed who I am as a person, and it made me come out of my shell and really mature a lot quicker than I would have if I'd stayed at home.

“I'm very grateful for mum and dad to be able to give me that opportunity to leave home and go down to Adelaide, so it was amazing for my footy and amazing for my personal growth.

“It really opened up a whole different facet of life.”

Doors opened up for the hard-nosed midfielder after moving to the city, having vice-captained North Adelaide's under-16s team in the SANFL competition and earning selection in the AFL Academy.

In 2023, he represented the South Australian under-18s state team, where he averaged 18 disposals, eight tackles and four clearances across all four games.

Destined for Tigerland

On the back of his impressive 2023 season, McAuliffe was selected by Richmond with the 40^th overall pick in the AFL Draft.

Another move awaited him. This time to the very heart of football in Melbourne.

“Looking back on it, it's a pretty weird feeling. It was a fair bit of excitement and a fair bit of relief because it's something you work for your whole life,” McAuliffe said on getting drafted.

“You're obviously over the moon to be there, but you're also pretty relieved as well. It's a bit of mixed emotions.

“Then you're going to move interstate, pretty soon as well, so you don't really get too much time to take it all in.”

The explosive midfielder wasted no time making a strong impression in Richmond’s VFL side, showing his speed and ability to win the ball at the contest, which earned him AFL selection in Round 4, 2024.

Fate would have it that McAuliffe would make his debut in the yellow and black, back in his home state in Adelaide, as a part of Gather Round.

It wasn’t until he pulled on the jumper for the first time that his dream had been realised.

“To get that first game, pretty early on in my first year, was an incredible experience and I was lucky enough to be back home in Adelaide for it,” McAuliffe said.

“I think going back to my first year, I randomly highlighted in my head that it would be amazing if I could debut in Gather Round, and then it just ended up happening that way.

“I had plenty of family and friends there, in Gather Round as well, which was a unique experience playing at Norwood Oval, where I played plenty of junior footy, so that was cool as well to be able to get back out on there.

“Once you pull on the guernsey, it’s like your armour for the first time, then you really do feel like that AFL footballer."

Leading the next crop

Having moved states to settle into a professional AFL environment, McAuliffe understands the sacrifice and commitment needed to succeed at the elite level.

With three interstate draftees entering the fold this season (Sam Cumming, Noah Roberts-Thomson and Zane Peucker), McAuliffe has taken it upon himself to make their transition feel as seamless as possible.

"Since I've been here, we've had a big group of boys come through each year, but it's always good to see someone that you already know come to the club,” McAuliffe said of former schoolmate Cumming.

“It's a bit of an extra special feeling, just knowing that someone comes from a similar situation to you, who has played at the same school, same club and comes from the same scenario.

“The three SA boys that have come in this year, it's been great to have them in. They’re putting their best foot forward, playing their best footy, and then (Tom Burton) as well coming in through the SSP, you couldn't have asked much more from him.”

Trusting the process

With McAuliffe building into some strong form, he is eager to make an impact and play his role as a supportive teammate.

Just seven rounds into the season, his goal remains to stay injury-free and trusting the process, which will see his hard work pay off.

“I think my main focus is to just stay available, be injury-free and just string together a good block of games now,” McAuliffe said.

“I think I've been able to really grow a heap of confidence in myself at the VFL level, and then every time I've had an opportunity in the AFL, I’ve had something outside my control just pull me back a little bit.

“Now I just hope to string together some good games, just keep trusting my process, keep putting in the work and training each week, working with the older boys to see where I can get better.

“I want to start playing some really consistent footy, just being a good teammate, being someone that the boys really want to play with and enjoy playing with.”