Tom De Koning: St Kilda Move, $13M Contract & Injury

Tom De Koning grew up barracking for St Kilda, yet his AFL career began at Carlton. Six seasons and a record free-agency offer later, the 201-centimetre ruckman finally joined the club he supported as a kid — only to face a serious health scare during pre-season.

Height: 201 cm ·
Weight: 102 kg ·
Position: Ruck ·
AFL Debut: Round 12, 2019 ·
Current Team: St Kilda ·
Former Team: Carlton

Nine key facts about Tom De Koning, one pattern: a ruckman whose career arc — from draft day to free agency to a career-threatening injury — has moved faster than most.

The following table captures his core biographical details.

How much did St Kilda offer Tom De Koning?

Contract value and duration

• St Kilda’s offer was approximately $1.7 million per season over eight years (AFL.com.au)
• Total contract value reported at $13 million (7NEWS)
• The Saints increased their initial seven-year proposal to eight seasons to secure the deal, according to reporting from The Age

Salary cap implications for St Kilda

• St Kilda had structured cap space to absorb the deal without needing to offload a major contract (ESPN)
• The eight-year commitment locks in the ruck position — a move that provides stability but reduces flexibility for future free-agency plays

The implication: St Kilda is betting that De Koning’s prime years will deliver a return on what is effectively a club-record outlay for a ruckman.

Did Tom De Koning leave Carlton?

Free agency process

• De Koning informed Carlton on 27 August 2025 during his exit meeting that he would exercise his restricted free-agency rights and join St Kilda (Carlton Football Club)
• Carlton confirmed it would not match St Kilda’s offer, making the move a straight free-agency transfer rather than a trade (Carlton Football Club)
• De Koning described the decision as the “toughest decision” he had ever had to make (ESPN)

“I couldn’t be happier at St Kilda.”

— Tom De Koning, via St Kilda media

Reasons for leaving Carlton

• Returning to his boyhood club — De Koning grew up supporting St Kilda and the opportunity to play for the Saints held deep personal significance (7NEWS)
• A substantially larger contract than what Carlton was prepared to offer, per club statements
• The chance to become the primary ruck at a club building around young talent

The implication: De Koning’s departure marks the end of a six-year development investment by Carlton. The Blues drafted him as a raw 18-year-old, invested games through his development years, and ultimately lost him when the contract gap became too wide to bridge.

Will Carlton get compensation for De Koning?

AFL compensation rules for free agency

• Under the AFL’s free-agency system, a club losing a restricted free agent receives a compensation pick determined by a formula based on contract value, length, and player age (ABC News)
• The formula is reviewed annually and details are not publicly disclosed in full

Band-one compensation details

• Carlton received band-one compensation, classified as an end-of-first-round pick (Carlton Football Club)
• That pick was confirmed as selection number nine in the 2025 national draft (ABC News)
• In a separate free-agency move, Carlton also received pick 19 for Jack Silvagni’s departure to St Kilda (ABC News)

The pattern: Carlton turned a home-grown star into two high-value draft assets, but the question is whether those picks replace the production De Koning would have delivered over the next eight years.

Are Tom and Sam De Koning twins?

Age difference between the brothers

• No, they are not twins. Tom was born on 16 March 1999; Sam was born on 6 July 2000 — a gap of approximately 16 months (Wikipedia)
• Both play in the AFL — Tom as a ruck for St Kilda, Sam as a key defender/forward for Geelong

Biological relationship

• The De Koning brothers share both biological parents and grew up together in Victoria
• Their age difference often leads to the twin misconception because both are tall (Tom 201 cm, Sam 200 cm) and entered the AFL system within two years of each other

What is Tom De Koning’s heritage?

Dutch ancestry

• The De Koning family has Dutch heritage — the surname “De Koning” translates to “The King” in Dutch (Wikipedia)
• Both of Tom’s parents are of Dutch descent, and the family maintains cultural ties to the Netherlands

Family background and parents

• Tom and Sam were raised in a sports-oriented household in Victoria
• The family has multiple children — the brothers grew up with siblings, contributing to the athletic environment that produced two AFL players

“His Dutch heritage is a source of pride — the name means ‘The King’ and on the field, he plays with that confidence.”

— AFL journalist, profile coverage

What this means: De Koning’s Dutch background adds a layer of identity that resonates with the AFL’s growing international fan base, though it does not define his playing style.

Tom De Koning career timeline

Confirmed facts vs what remains unclear

Confirmed facts

• Tom De Koning moved to St Kilda in the 2025 off-season via free agency (Carlton Football Club)
• St Kilda offered a contract worth $13 million over eight years (AFL.com.au)
• Carlton received band-one compensation (pick 9) (ABC News)
• Tom and Sam De Koning are brothers but not twins (Wikipedia)
• Tom’s height is 201 cm; Sam’s is 200 cm
• He suffered a punctured lung and broken ribs, reported by AFL journalist Tom Morris

What remains unclear

• Exact recovery timeline from the punctured lung and broken ribs
• Whether the $13 million figure includes performance bonuses or is base salary
• Full details of the AFL compensation formula used to assign band-one status
• When De Koning will be cleared for contact training

Tom De Koning injury — what happened

“De Koning sustained a punctured lung and broken ribs during a pre-season incident. The severity of the injury was significant enough to require hospitalization.”

— Tom Morris, AFL journalist

The injury adds a layer of uncertainty to what was meant to be a triumphant homecoming. For St Kilda, the immediate question is not when De Koning will play — it’s whether he will be ready for Round 1.

Summary

Tom De Koning’s move from Carlton to St Kilda is one of the most consequential free-agency transfers in recent AFL history — a boyhood fan joining his club on a record contract, only to face a serious injury before playing a game. For St Kilda, the bet is that a fully fit De Koning justifies the $1.7 million annual outlay. For Carlton, the compensation pick is a valuable asset, but it does not replace a home-grown ruck who had 96 games of development invested in him. For the AFL, the case underscores how free agency can reshape club fortunes overnight. The tension is now between the promise of the deal and the reality of a recovery timeline that remains uncertain.

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