Lalor was raised in the Victorian country town of Bacchus Marsh, 50 kilometres north-west of Melbourne.[3] He is one of four children to father Steve and mother Caitlyn.[4] He grew up supporting Collingwood.[5]
In addition to football, Lalor was a highly talented junior cricketer, playing as a top order batter and specialising in limited-overs formats.[13] He represented Victoria's Country region at the 2022/23 Under 17 National Championships and played with the Northcote Cricket Club Under 17s and for the club's fourth division team in the Victorian Premier Cricket competition that same summer.[14][15] Lalor had previously played extensive first XI cricket with Bacchus Marsh in the Gisborne & District Cricket Association, including scoring a century in January 2022 at age 15.[16] He quit cricket to focus on football mid-way through 2023.[13]
In 2023 Lalor moved schools, taking up a sporting scholarship to board at Geelong Grammar School, where he played for the school's cricket and football teams in the Associated Public Schools competitions.[17][13][18] Despite being a year younger than most of his teammates, Lalor was that year selected to represent Vic Country at the 2023 AFL Under 18 Championships, where he played two matches.[19] During that year he hyperextended his knee, an injury which lasted into the early months of the 2024 junior football season.[4] Lalor spent a week with the Western Bulldogs in the summer of 2023/24, as part of the AFL Academy Program.[4]
Lalor was appointed the Rebels Talent League captain in 2024, but managed just four matches with side due to a range of injuries including to his hip, quad and ankle.[4][10] A further injury, to his left hamstring injury ensured he missed his side's losing Talent League grand final against the Sandringham Dragons.[20][21]
In a pre-season practice match against West Coast in mid-February 2025, Lalor suffered a fractured jaw in a marking contest collision.[26] He was unable to play in Richmond's practice march against Collingwood as a result.[27] Lalor made his AFL debut in round 1 of the 2025 season, recording 18 disposals and kicking two goals in front of a crowd of 80,009 people at the MCG in a 13-point victory over Carlton.[28][29] The effort earned Lalor a rising star nomination for round 1.[30]
Player profile
Lalor plays as a midfielder and forward. He is notable for his strength and handballing skills from stoppage and for his one-on-one contest strength as a forward.[10] As a junior, his playing style was compared to those of Jordan De Goey and Christian Petracca.[13]
^Ellis, Lachlan (27 November 2023). "Footy dream develops". Times News Group. The Moorabool News. Archived from the original on 21 November 2024. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
^Johnston, Andrew (20 November 2024). "Grammar gun goes at one". K ROCK 95.5. Archived from the original on 21 November 2024. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
^"Sam Lalor". Rookie Me Central. Archived from the original on 22 September 2024. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
