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"Significant" injury likely to rule out No.1 pick for the remainder of 2025
Jaiden Sciberras • July 6th, 2025 4:11 pm
Richmond’s difficult season has only worsened, with prized No.1 pick Sam Lalor facing a potential season-ending injury.
The 18-year-old has starred for the Tigers in his limited game time throughout 2025, however suffered his second hamstring injury of the season within Richmond’s tough loss to Geelong on Saturday.
Playing only a few minutes in his return game following a hamstring in Round 11, Lalor went down with what appeared to be a significant re-injury, substituted within three minutes of his side’s 72-point loss.
With initial reports suggesting that the injury is far more serious than previous concerns, AFL.com.au’s Josh Gabelich reported that the future star may be sidelined for the remainder of the AFL season.
“We’re going to start with Sam Lalor, who only lasted a few minutes yesterday at GMHBA Stadium,” Gabelich told SEN Crunch Time.
“He might’ve played his final game of his debut season. They believe this is a really significant hamstring.
“It was his first game back from his most recent one back in Dreamtime in Round 11, they were pretty conservative with him.
“They could have played him last week, so they think they got the rehab right, but they’ll look into this one given its now his third since arriving at Richmond. He had some issues with it in his draft year as well.”
Lalor is not the only draftee with ongoing hamstring struggles at the Tigers, with a fellow top 10 pick dealing with ongoing difficulties as he builds towards his AFL debut.
“He’s not the only one this year at Richmond who has had some issues with hamstrings this year,” Gabelich continued.
“Josh Smillie has barely got on the park. He’s had three really minor ones, but enough to have limited him to just four VFL games.
“It is a big shame with Sam Lalor, the fears now that he’s probably ended his debut season due to another hammy.”
With the likes of Taj Hotton expected to debut in the coming weeks and Josh Gibcus returning to the VFL after an ACL in 2024, Richmond fans still have plenty to look forward to for the remainder of 2025, despite the club expecting the worst for their first overall pick.
Lalor only managed 11 games in his debut year, averaging 12 disposals, two tackles and a goal per game, playing out a majority of his football in the front half for the struggling Tigers.
