Luke Trainor

Luke Trainor (born 10 April 2006) is an Australian rules footballer who plays for the Richmond Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). A tall intercepting defender, Trainor was drafted in the first round of the 2024 AFL draft and made his debut early in the 2025 season.

Early life and junior football Trainor played junior representative football with the Sandringham Dragons and attended high school at Brighton Grammar School. In his early years he played primarily as a forward and a midfielder, only switching to defence in 2024. In the summer of 2023/24, Trainor took part in the AFL Academy program, training with over the summer and being awarded best on ground in a special exhibition match against VFL team Coburg.

Trainor represented Victoria Metro at the 2024 AFL Under 18 Championships, playing four matches, averaging 19.8 disposals and 5.8 marks per game and earning selection in the tournament's All-Australian team. Trainor kicked the winning goal for his side after the final siren in Metro's grand final victory over Victoria Country.

He also won the Associated Public Schools of Victoria championship with Brighton Grammar in 2024, as part of the school's undefeated season. For his performances, Trainor was named in the Herald Sun's APS team of the year.

In the same year, Trainor's representative side, the Sandringham Dragons, claimed the Talent League premiership, though Trainor missed playing most of the finals series with a concussion sustained in an earlier match. He finished the season averaging 19.8 disposals, 5.6 marks, 2.4 intercept marks and 6 intercept possessions per game and was selected in the league's Team of the Year.

In the week prior to the 2024 AFL draft, Trainor was projected by AFL Media and the Herald Sun to be selected with the 28th and 29th pick, respectively.

AFL career Trainor was drafted by Richmond with the club's fifth pick and the 21st selection overall in the 2024 AFL draft. He recorded 12 disposals and four marks in Richmond's only official pre-season match and subsequently earned selection for an AFL debut in the club's first match of the regular season; a round 1 victory over which also featured the debuts of fellow first-round draftees Sam Lalor and Harry Armstrong. After three matches, Trainor was ranked second among 2025 AFL Rising Star eligible players for both metres gained and one-percenters as well as third for kicks and marks that season.

Trainor played his first senior game for Richmond in their round 3 match against Fremantle. He recorded a career high 28 disposals and 9 marks.

Player profile Trainor plays as a hybrid defender, with particular skills in intercepting and rebounding from defence. His playing style was compared pre-draft to 's Tom Stewart.

Personal life Trainor is the grandson of Australian Football Hall of Fame inductee Doug Wade, nephew of AFL Commission member and former board member Gabrielle Trainor, grandson of Tony Trainor who served as President from 1965 to 1971 and great-grandson of Frank Trainor who was President of the same club from 1937 to 1952.

Statistics Updated to the end of round 22, 2026.

30 !! 1 !! 7 !! 283 !! 136 !! 419 !! 130 !! 53 !! 0.0 !! 0.2 !! 9.4 !! 4.5 !! 14.0 !! 4.3 !! 1.8 !! 0