Pick 1 of the 2024 AFL Draft, Sam Lalor, has revealed the most challenging aspect of his new AFL life since joining the Tigers in November.
In one of the deepest pools of draft talent in recent memory, Lalor became the anticipated top selection just a couple of days before the draft took place, joining seven other teenagers at Punt Road this off-season.
The GWV Rebels product soared up into Pick 1 contention despite having an interrupted draft year, with ready-made size and game-winning qualities.
Lalor has adapted strongly to the pre-season workload despite it being a "full-on" experience, although the work on gameplans, strategy and vision has been a drastic change since Lalor's junior days.
"There's so many things in the AFL that you learn about, education side (of things)," Lalor said.
"We'll watch one clip and break it down heaps, there's so much more to it than what you think.
"It's a lot of education so I'm just trying to get my head around it all. That's probably been the most challenging part but I think once you start learning out on the field and in training it makes it easier."
It's been a vast change of lifestyle for Lalor, a country boy previously living in Bacchus Marsh with his family, to an inner-city move with a sudden increase in public profile.
Lalor and the other draftees spent Thursday with the AFLPA in the first-year player seminar, where they were educated on topics such as dealing with their newfound fame and potential negative experiences on social media.
The training load has also been significantly higher than the 18-year-old has experienced too, as he enters the life of a full-time athlete.
"It's been a lot different (since November), moved out of home," Lalor said.
"Living in Melbourne's a bit different than being from a country town, but it's been awesome, we've been full-out training five times a week, so it's been full on, but I'm loving it.
"It's a lot different to junior footy. It's a full-time job, you're in there every day pretty much, the workload's pretty high, but I've loved it.
"Everyone's been really good and the coaches and staff around the club have been awesome.
"I haven't looked at (my social media) too much, but I've got a bit of status now which is something new, but they've educated us on social media today which has been good."
"I think in Melbourne it's been pretty busy (getting recognised in public), but I went away to South Australia over the break and that wasn't too bad. It's been alright but I've gotten used to it a bit now."
Lalor entered his pre-season at the Tigers under a minor injury cloud as he recovered from a hamstring injury, but post-Christmas is back working into the full training block.
"I'm fully training now, I have been for a couple weeks," Lalor said.
"We're into our match sim now which is pretty full-on, we've got a game in three weeks against West Coast.
"I'm travelling pretty well at the moment and just trying to get my head around the education side of things."
With a solid pre-season block under his belt, Lalor is hoping he'll make early inroads into his career with selection for the pre-season matches and Richmond's Round 1 clash with Carlton.
"Hopefully I do get picked (for the practice matches), I'll put my hand up to play, training's going very well so hopefully," Lalor said.
"I think that (playing Round 1) would be a goal.
"Still obviously a while away and a lot of learning still to come, but if I can get my body right and get my head around the education side of it I could be a chance."
Already connecting well with his new coach, Adem Yze, Lalor is enthusiastic about the year ahead for Richmond, aiming to prove to the competition that the Tigers will be competitive in 2025.
Yze was elected as Richmond's new head coach after Damien Hardwick's shock departure in 2023, with the former Demon player taking the reins last year.
"(Yze)'s been awesome, he's good with us young boys - although to be fair the whole club's pretty young," Lalor joked.
"He just treats us like we're he's one of his mates.
"I think we've got a really exciting group and our standards at training have been pretty good.
"I think we're going to be an exciting team. I don't know how long it will take (to rise up the ladder) but I know we'll show some good signs throughout the year."
Lalor could be in the side for a Round 1 debut on March 13, with matches against Port Adelaide, St Kilda and Brisbane to follow.
