Richmond has elevated powerful VFL utility Mykelti Lefau to its AFL list as part of the AFL's Pre-Season Supplementary Selection Period.

The 195cm, strongly built, New Zealand-born Lefau has been training with the Club since November after impressing as part of the VFL program across the past two seasons.

Lefau, who has the athleticism to play all over the ground, has been mostly used as a power forward this pre-season, proving a difficult match-up for opponents with his speed, agility, and brute strength.

The 26-year-old joined Richmond VFL in 2022 but ruptured his ACL in Round 7 of that season.

Lefau returned to football midway through last year and has gone from strength to strength at the Swinburne Centre, topping an already remarkable football journey.

The former Melbourne Storm development squad NRL player only moved to Melbourne in 2012, learning the game at school before announcing himself as a serious Australian Rules talent with a 25-goal display in the U/19s for St Kilda City in 2016.

Lefau signed for Casey's VFL team in 2017 and featured in their Grand Final side the following season. He also represented New Zealand against the AIS on two occasions both at Marvel Stadium and in Wellington.

The COVID-19 pandemic saw Lefau halt his state league career, returning to St Kilda City before the Tigers' VFL Program came calling towards the end of 2021.

Richmond National Recruiting Manager, Matt Clarke said Lefau had earned the next step on his football journey.

"Mykelti has worked hard to put himself in this position, from learning the game as a teenager to coming back from a serious injury last year," he said.

"He has not put a foot wrong since he came to our Club and has shown across the past three months that he can blossom in a professional environment.

"We are excited to be adding him to our AFL list."

Lefau joins last season's mid-season draftee James Trezise and 2023 Bill Cosgrove/Harry Jenkins Medallist (Best-First Year Player) Tylar Young as former VFL Tigers to be elevated to the AFL list in recent years.

Essendon’s Sam Durham, Hawthorn’s Massimo D’Ambrosio and former Bomber Garret McDonagh have also been drafted out of the program since 2021, while Jake Aarts played 42 AFL games for Richmond.

“This is a testament to Steve Morris, Ollie Grant and the guys that have been strongly involved in our VFL program. Trezise, Young and now Lefau in particular, were given opportunities in that program after previously playing local footy, so we are thrilled with the pathways being created,” Clarke added.

Clarke also noted that fellow train-on player Mitch Schofield had been tremendous in his efforts across the pre-season.

"Mitch should be very proud of how he went about training with us these past few months, particularly having moved across the country from Perth," he said.

"He gave us everything he had and has set himself up well for a strong season. We wish him well for what is to come in his football career."