The importance of Sam Lalor and Jonty Faull to Richmond’s AFL future can now be gauged by the numbers on their backs.
Lalor will now wear the No.4 previously worn by Dustin Martin, one of the greatest players in the club’s history.
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Earlier on Tuesday, Faull was welcomed into the Tigers’ informal No.8 club by fellow members Dick Clay, Michael “Disco” Roach and Jack Riewoldt.
Between them, those No.8s won eight premierships at Richmond.
Lalor was the No.1 pick a year ago, leading a bumper draft haul for Richmond in their rebuild after their three premierships from 2017-20. Faull was recruited at No.14.
While Lalor only managed 10 senior games and was hampered by hamstring injuries, he won the club’s best first-year player award. Likewise, Faull impressed in his 16 matches.
Lalor wore 22 in his debut season and Faull will change from 26. Sam Banks, recruited in 2021, also moves up from 41 to six.
Sam Lalor of the Tigers attempts to mark against the Kangaroos at the MCG. Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images
Royce Hart, Geoff Raines and Craig Lambert are other prominent Richmond players to have worn No.4, but Martin went to a new level with his Brownlow Medal and three Norm Smiths.
“There is some great (No.4) history within the club,” Lalor said in a club statement.
“I wore it as a kid growing up and cannot wait to wear it for the first time.
“I look up to him (Martin) a lot, obviously try to base my game off him a fair bit, and he had such an impact at Richmond.
“Hopefully, I can try and play a bit like him.
“It is a massive honour to wear his number.”
While some sports have a rich tradition of retiring famous player numbers, the older members of the No.8 club are pleased it isn’t in the AFL.
Clay, Roach and Riewoldt were at Punt Rd on Tuesday to anoint Faull as their successor.
“I’m very happy to have a No.8 running around. I’m not big on the retiring of numbers,” Roach said.
Richmond are in the midst of a wholesale rebuild, on and off the field. The old Jack Dyer Stand at Punt Rd is now a cavernous hole as the club also redevelops its spiritual home.
Riewoldt agreed he would have “no greater thrill” than watching Faull wear No.8 for the Tigers.
Clay is the odd man out in this select group, given his three fellow Tigers are all key forwards and he made his name on the wing or in defence.
But he was quick to point out he kicked 84 goals in his career.
“It’s great that it (No.8) is carried on. It’s a very exclusive club, this one,” Clay said.
As members of his family proudly looked on, Faull knew exactly the sort of company he now keeps.
“I felt super honoured and stoked to be part of that club of No.8s,” Faull said.
“If I’m half the player they have been, I’m taking the right steps.
“There’s a wealth of knowledge here, so I will be talking to them about different ways to improve my game – see what they reckon.”
Before this season, some had suggested the new-look Tigers might not win a game.
Instead, they upset arch-rivals Carlton in round one and claimed another four scalps.
Roach said the signs around Richmond were solid.
“We just walked through the gym – we only basically had one barbell, I reckon (when we played),” he said.
“I can’t wait … seeing the development going on, it’s going to be great.
“We’ll be cheering on (Faull) for hopefully 10-15 years.
“We just expect him to be competitive and hopefully he enjoys wearing it.”
Riewoldt was asked about the pressure that Faull might feel as the newest No.8.
“It shouldn’t be daunting for him, it’s an amazing opportunity for him to start to become the player the club obviously thinks he can become,” he said.
“When we see debutants, we celebrate them like wins, because we think about the potential of what these kids might have ahead of them.”
