Richmond have selected Sam Cumming with pick No. 7 in the Telstra AFL Draft.
Richmond is delighted to welcome bull at a gate midfielder/forward, Sam Cumming, to the Club after swooping on him with its first pick, No. 7 overall at tonight’s Telstra AFL Draft.
Born and raised in Wentworth, New South Wales, Cumming moved to Adelaide in 2023, where he boarded at Prince Alfred College and played football for North Adelaide.
Cumming made an immediate impact in South Australian football circles, including winning the SANFL U/18 MVP award as a bottom-aged player last year.
He averaged 17 disposals and a goal as part of South Australia’s National Championships winning team in 2025 and earned All Australian selection.
Cumming also looked more than comfortable at senior level in the SANFL, averaging 21 touches across four games before a shoulder injury cut short his season.
A strong tackler and clearance player, Cumming is always in the thick of it around the coalface when playing through the midfield, though his contested marking also makes him a difficult forward match-up.
Richmond National Recruiting Manager Rhy Gieschen said that Cumming was combative and played with a hard edge.
“Sam has great speed and power and is a strong overhead mark. He is a team-first player and was a highly valued teammate across all teams he represented,” he added.
“After a strong and consistent U18 National Championships, he made his SANFL debut, and in his second league appearance, he had 21 disposals, five clearances, five tackles, and kicked three goals, which highlighted his ability to impact both as a midfielder and forward.
“He is a player of high character, and we are thrilled to welcome him and his family to Tigerland.”
Cumming continues a strong success line with Richmond and the Sunraysia region, which includes Richmond greats Matthew Knights, Mark Lee, and Dale Weightman (Mildura).
