Racing
League
Rugby
Cricket
Golf
Motorsport
Combat Sports
Football
Netball
Basketball
Other Sports
Sport Nation
📻 IMPORTANT AUCKLAND UPDATE 📻
“No idea”: Why Tigers draftee was shocked by selection
Andrew Slevison • November 20th, 2025 1:00 pm
Draftee Sam Grlj was shocked when Richmond read his name out on Wednesday night.
The speedy midfielder was snapped up by the Tigers with Pick 8 in the first round of the 2025 AFL Draft after an impressive season with the Oakleigh Chargers and Vic Metro.
After playing with the Tigers in the VFL in August, Grlj admits he hadn’t spoken to the club from an AFL viewpoint since the Draft Combine in early October.
That’s why there were some emotions when his name was called.
“With Richmond I had no idea because they hadn’t spoken to me for about two months, or since the Draft Combine,” Grlj said on SEN Breakfast.
“I thought I definitely wasn’t going to Richmond so when my name was read out I think that’s why I was a bit emotional. It was such a surprise and I’m grateful to go to such a good club.
“With the ties to the VFL as well, it was really good.”
Already there has been some correspondence with new teammates and his emotional reaction had an immediate impact.
“I’ve got a couple (of text messages), some from the young boys,” said the 18-year-old.
“Then Timmy Taranto sent me one this morning. Apparently I had his girlfriend in tears which is pretty funny.”
And then there is the vowel-less surname which has produced many a nickname and created the odd slip of the tongue.
He says his dad’s side of the family hails from Italy, Slovenia and Macedonia and the Grlj surname is primarily Slovenian where the J is considered a vowel.
“Sgrlj is a big one, the last and first initials - SG, Sizzle, Griller, there’s a few,” he said in regards to nicknames.
During the season, Grlj felt his form somewhat slip away and a lot of it had to do with the mental side of the equation.
He hired the help of former Collingwood sports science guru and high performance specialist David Buttifant who provided invaluable advice.
“David was unreal for me,” Grlj added.
“The thing we really spoke about was when you do get a bit of attention for your footy everyone really wants to talk to you about footy and it kind of becomes consuming, and you worry about what they’re going to say rather than what you do on the footy field.
“It really just helped me stick to what I can control and having some strategies to block that stuff out because it can get on top of you if you’re not used to it.”
Joining Grlj at Tigerland is Sam Cummings who was taken the pick prior at No.7.
The pair have come across each other in the past while playing for Victoria and South Australia respectively which was the main source of their draft night conversation.
“Sam’s unreal. We actually don’t know each other too well, but when we were talking last night he’s an unreal fella,” Grlj said of the NSW-born and bred Cumming who was drafted out of North Adelaide.
“It’s pretty funny, we played against each other on the MCG last year in the Futures game and we had a bit of a scuffle. We were laughing about that.
“He’a a great fella.”
On night one of being a Tiger, Grlj was quick to receive some sage words from a Hawthorn great who is now a development coach at Punt Road.
“Luke Breust said it really well last night - be in a hurry, but don’t be in a rush,” he said further.
“So that’s something I’ll try and stick to.”
Grlj, who played junior footy for both Canterbury and Kew, will start training with the Tigers on Monday.
The second round and beyond of the 2025 AFL Draft takes place on Thursday night with Richmond slated for Picks 31 and 61.
