RICHMOND has crowned Sam Lalor as the No.1 pick in the 2024 Telstra AFL Draft, separating the game-breaking midfielder from the pack on a historic night for the Tigers, who added six new players with first-round selections.
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In a blockbuster trade to end the night, Richmond also secured North Melbourne's future first-round selection after the Kangaroos gave it up to snare the last pick in Wednesday night's opening round (No.27) and a future second-round pick.
In the most even race in years between the country's best junior players, Lalor edged ahead of Oakleigh Chargers midfielder Finn O'Sullivan at the top of the draft, with the Tigers also opting not to bid on father-son prospect Levi Ashcroft, who was considered by some the best talent available.
The powerful and explosive Lalor has earned comparisons with Richmond champion Dustin Martin and was handed his jumper on stage by triple-premiership captain Trent Cotchin as he starts his career in yellow and black.
"It was a really surreal feeling, and I was pretty shocked, but to share it with family and friends in the room was really special and I've got a lot of relief, so I can enjoy it a bit more," Lalor told AFL.com.au after his selection was made official.
"They (the Tigers) came over on Monday night with a bit of media, and the coach came over and they let me know then, but it's kind of hit me now.
"I'm really excited to come in with a lot of new boys and I can't wait to see who they are."
Lalor joins the Tigers with the club's first No.1 pick since the club recruited Brett Deledio in 2004 and he shapes as the centrepiece player in a rebuild that will be turbocharged by the strongest draft hand of any club since Greater Western Sydney entered the competition.
As part of their haul, the Tigers added dynamic midfielder Josh Smillie (No.7), talented onballer Taj Hotton (No.12), Jonty Faull (No.14), Luke Trainor (No.21) and key forward Harry Armstrong (No.23).
The club was able to stagger its picks by trading out at pick No.27 to land the Kangaroos' future first-round pick, with the club set to round out its draft with the opening pick on Thursday night (No.28).
Lalor has risen in prominence through the second half of the year to emerge late as a No.1 contender, with ankle and hip injuries and a serious hamstring setback restricting him at different stages.
Recruiters have long identified upside in the 18-year-old's talent, however, and were given plenty of glimpses of his ability to impact games with his penetrating kick, one-on-one strength, and explosiveness in big moments throughout 2024.
"It's pretty hard to play like him, but I suppose some of the things I do on the field are kind of like him," Lalor said of comparisons to Martin.
"He's someone I've watched growing up, so I'd love to play like him.
"For me, I don't look into it too much. I just can't wait to get in there, chip away and work hard."
Hailing from Bacchus Marsh and playing his school football with Geelong Grammar, Lalor is the second No.1 pick to come from the Greater Western Victoria Rebels in three years after Aaron Cadman was crowned by Greater Western Sydney in 2022.
Richmond secured access to the No.1 pick after winning just two games in its first season under new coach Adem Yze, with an exodus of senior players at the end of the year setting up a bumper draft for the club.
In a tribute to late recruiting manager Chris Toce, the talent scout's young son Harry entered the details in the Tigers' draft room to make Lalor's selection official after he was informed of the club's decision on Monday.
O'Sullivan was snapped up at pick No.2 by North Melbourne, joining a midfield that is stacked with young talent, before Carlton pounced on Oakleigh Chargers midfielder Jagga Smith.
Adelaide opted for local talent Sid Draper with pick No.4 in a selection that shaped the top end of the draft, given the Crows had been weighing several options into this week.
Melbourne finally bid on talented father-son talent Levi Ashcroft at pick No.5, with Brisbane matching immediately to secure the Sandringham Dragons talent and pairing him with Norm Smith Medal-winning brother Will at the Lions.
The Demons then used their pick No.6 to add Dandenong Stingrays midfielder Harvey Langford, who was the joint winner of the Larke Medal as the best player in the 2024 Marsh AFL Under-18 Championships.
Richmond's second prime selection landed at pick No.7, with the Tigers selecting 195cm midfielder Smillie before St Kilda entered the draft with back-to-back selections, welcoming versatile half-back Tobie Travaglia with the first of those at No.8.
The Saints then used pick No.9 to bid on Gold Coast Academy player Leo Lombard, who joined Langford as a Larke medallist this year and was a VFL premiership player with the Suns as a 16-year-old.
Once the Suns matched, the Saints used their pick, which arrived originally as compensation for losing free agent defender Josh Battle, to add a replacement tall defender in Alix Tauru, rounding out the top 10.
Melbourne pounced on left-footed U18 All-Australian midfielder Xavier Lindsay at pick No.11 before Richmond pulled a surprise at No.12 and added talented Sandringham Dragons midfielder Hotton, who is returning from an ACL injury and will likely be sidelined for the first half of next season.
The Tigers used pick No.13 to bid on Essendon Academy forward Isaac Kako, with the Bombers quickly matching before Richmond used its selection on Vic Country key forward Faull in a surprise move.
With WA onballer Bo Allan still on the board, West Coast entered the draft at pick No.15 but opted to trade the selection to Port Adelaide for pick No.16 and No.45, with the Power using their new pick on Murray Bushrangers small forward Joe Berry.
Allan then landed at the Eagles via pick No.16, giving the rebuilding Eagles another talented and big-bodied midfielder who can also play as a half-back.
Fremantle entered the draft at No.17 and added silky Sandringham Dragons onballer Murphy Reid to an already star-studded midfield, with Greater Western Sydney landing Vic Country small forward Oliver Hannaford at No.18 and tough defender Harrison Oliver at No.19.
The Western Bulldogs' first selection came in at No.20 as a group of highly touted key-position players started to slide, but with no need for another young tall the Bulldogs opted for strong-bodied midfielder Cooper Hynes.
Richmond used its fifth and sixth selections at No.21 and No.23 to add versatile 194cm defender Trainor and powerful key forward Armstrong as it balanced positional needs with its suite of picks.
Sydney was sandwiched between those two picks, using pick No.22 to bolster its front half with Northern Knights forward/midfielder Jesse Dattoli.
The Giants pulled a surprise at pick No.24 selecting dashing Claremont forward Cody Angove to add even more front-half speed to their list, with Sydney then using pick No.25 to bid on Brisbane Academy midfielder Sam Marshall.
Once matched by the Lions, the Swans selected Norwood forward Ned Bowman at pick No.26, before North Melbourne traded into No.27 to land 199cm Murray Bushrangers swingman Matt Whitlock.
2024 Telstra AFL Draft – First Round
1. Sam Lalor (Richmond)
2. Finn O'Sullivan (North Melbourne)
3. Jagga Smith (Carlton)
4. Sid Draper (Adelaide)
5. Levi Ashcroft (Brisbane – matching Melbourne's bid)
6. Harvey Langford (Melbourne)
7. Josh Smillie (Richmond)
8. Tobie Travaglia (St Kilda)
9. Leo Lombard (Gold Coast – matching St Kilda's bid)
10. Alix Tauru (St Kilda)
11. Xavier Lindsay (Melbourne)
12. Taj Hotton (Richmond)
13. Isaac Kako (Essendon – matching Richmond's bid)
14. Jonty Faull (Richmond)
15. Joe Berry (Port Adelaide)
16. Bo Allan (West Coast)
17. Murphy Reid (Fremantle)
18. Oliver Hannaford (Greater Western Sydney)
19. Harry Oliver (Greater Western Sydney)
20. Cooper Hynes (Western Bulldogs)
21. Luke Trainor (Richmond)
22. Jesse Dattoli (Sydney)
23. Harry Armstrong (Richmond)
24. Cody Angove (Greater Western Sydney)
25. Sam Marshall (Brisbane – matching Sydney's bid)
26. Ned Bowman (Sydney)
27. Matt Whitlock (North Melbourne)