Mykelti Lefau

Mykelti Lefau (born 22 June 1998) is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the Richmond Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). Lefau made his debut for Richmond in their match against Port Adelaide Football Club in round 2 of the 2024 AFL season.

Early life
Lefau was born in Auckland, New Zealand to a Samoan father and New Zealander mother. Raised on rugby union, he had never heard of Australian rules football prior to moving to Australia in 2012 where he joined his father in Australia to attend year 8 of school. A talented rugby player, he was scouted by the National Rugby League team Melbourne Storm who signed him up as a "development player" being part of the club's U16 and U18 lists.

Lefau was introduced to Australian rules football in his late teens and decided to try out for the Gippsland Power however was not selected. Instead he played for the local Melbourne side St Kilda City Football Club in the Southern Football Netball League where he excelled, kicking 25 goals in one Under 19s match.

In 2016, at the age of 19, he had become an established player at the Casey Demons, the Victorian Football League (VFL) affiliate of the Melbourne Football Club, with a goal to be drafted to the AFL. He was invited to attend the AFL International Combine in April 2017 held at ASB Sports Centre, Wellington. Due to his heritage he earned selection in the New Zealand national Australian rules football team in Wellington against the AFL Academy, however his selection in the side came after the 2017 Australian Football International Cup and as such missed representing New Zealand in that tournament. He was a member of Casey's 2017 VFL Development League premiership side, kicking two goals in the grand final victory over.

Lefau returned to the New Zealand senior side playing against the AFL National Academy in 2018 and 2019.

Lefau joined the Richmond Football Club's reserves team ahead of the 2023 VFL season.

AFL Career
After a consistent season in the VFL Lefau was selected as a rookie by Richmond in the 2023 AFL Draft Pre-season supplemental selection period. Less than a month later he had made his AFL debut in Round 2, 2024 against Port Adelaide though had been rushed into an injury ridden side and was not given much game time. In Round 3, he kicked 2 goals against the Sydney Swans.