Richmond selected bull at a gate midfielder/forward, Sam Cumming, with its first pick, No. 7 overall, in the 2025 Telstra AFL Draft.
Born and raised in Wentworth, New South Wales, Cumming moved to Adelaide in 2023, where he boarded at Prince Alfred College and played football for North Adelaide.
Cumming made an immediate impact in South Australian football circles, including winning the SANFL U/18 MVP award as a bottom-aged player.
He averaged 17 disposals and a goal as part of South Australia’s National Championships winning team in 2025 and earned All Australian selection.
Cumming also looked more than comfortable at senior level in the SANFL, averaging 21 touches across four games before a shoulder injury cut short his season.
A strong tackler and clearance player, Cumming is always in the thick of it around the coalface when playing through the midfield, though his contested marking also makes him a difficult forward match-up.
Cumming continues a strong success line with Richmond and the Sunraysia region, which includes Richmond greats Matthew Knights, Mark Lee, and Dale Weightman (Mildura).
