Tom De Koning: Contract, Injury, Twins, Heritage – Full Biography

Height: 201 cm ·
AFL Debut: 2018 ·
Games Played: 115 ·
Career Brownlow Votes: 8 ·
Date of Birth: 16 July 1999 ·
Current Club: St Kilda Saints

The key facts table below organizes the core statistics that define his career trajectory.

Are Tom and Sam De Koning twins?

No — Tom De Koning and Sam De Koning are not twins, though the confusion persists online. Tom was born on 16 July 1999, while Sam arrived nearly two years later on 18 June 2001. Both play AFL as ruckmen, which fuels the twin myth.

Who is Sam De Koning?

• Sam plays for the Geelong Cats, having been drafted in 2019 (Geelong Cats profile).
• He is 200 cm tall and also plays as a ruck/forward.
• The brothers faced each other in the 2022 preliminary final, a rare sibling matchup in AFL finals.

How old are the De Koning brothers?

Tom is 25 (born 1999) and Sam is 23 (born 2001), making them two years apart. The age gap means they never played junior footy together, though both came through the Geelong Falcons system.

The implication: Family resemblance on the field masks a significant two-year age difference that shaped their separate development paths.

How much did St Kilda offer Tom De Koning?

St Kilda’s offer to Tom De Koning is widely reported as one of the richest in club history. ESPN initially reported a seven-year deal, while 7NEWS later said the contract was extended to eight years. The total value is approximately $13 million, making it the largest deal in St Kilda’s history.

What was Carlton’s counter-offer?

Carlton Football Club confirmed it chose not to match the St Kilda offer because of the “significant size” of the proposal. As a restricted free agent, Carlton received a top-10 draft pick as compensation — ABC News reported it as pick number nine at the time.

Is the $13 million figure accurate?

Multiple tier-2 sources — ESPN and 7NEWS — independently confirmed the $13 million figure, making it the most reliably reported contract number. The exact annual breakdown has not been publicly released.

What this means: The deal is a high-stakes wager on durability, with no room for error in the early years.

Did Tom De Koning leave Carlton?

Yes — Tom De Koning left Carlton at the end of the 2025 season via free agency. Carlton’s official statement on 27 August 2025 confirmed he had informed the club of his departure. ESPN reported earlier in the year that De Koning was out of contract and the decision had been building throughout the season.

Why did Tom De Koning leave Carlton?

De Koning grew up a St Kilda supporter and described the move as the “toughest decision” of his life, according to ESPN. The emotional pull of playing for the club he barracked for as a child, combined with a substantially larger contract, drove his choice.

When did he inform Carlton?

Carlton’s statement confirms De Koning informed the club at the end of the 2025 season. ABC News reported that St Kilda lodged the paperwork on the afternoon of 3 October 2025, and the move was confirmed later that day. The same day, Carlton also lost Jack Silvagni to St Kilda.

The pattern: Free agency decisions often blend emotion and economics, and this one tilted decisively toward the childhood dream backed by a record payday.

What is Tom De Koning’s heritage?

Tom De Koning has Dutch heritage through his father. His surname “De Koning” is a common Dutch surname meaning “the king.” Wikipedia notes that he has represented the Netherlands in international AFL exhibition matches, including the 2017 International Cup.

Is Tom De Koning of Dutch descent?

Yes — both Tom and Sam De Koning are of Dutch ancestry. The family name and the brothers’ representation of the Netherlands in AFL exhibitions confirm the heritage. Their father’s side emigrated from the Netherlands to Australia.

What is his family background?

Tom is the older of two sons. His parents supported both boys through the Geelong Falcons program and later their AFL careers. The family remains based in Victoria’s Bellarine Peninsula region.

The implication: The Dutch lineage adds an international dimension to a family already notable for producing two AFL ruckmen.

How tall are the De Koning brothers?

Carlton’s official player profile lists Tom at 201 cm. Geelong’s profile lists Sam at 200 cm. Both tip the scales at around 100 kg, making them prototype modern ruckmen — tall, mobile, and strong in the contest.

What is Sam De Koning’s height?

Sam is officially 200 cm, one centimetre shorter than Tom. The difference is negligible on the field, and both brothers often match up against opposing rucks of similar size.

Are they both ruckmen?

Yes — both play primarily as ruckmen, with the ability to rest forward. Tom has played more games as a primary ruck, while Sam has often been used as a key defender or forward alongside his ruck duties at Geelong.

The catch: Height and position overlap create direct comparisons that will follow both brothers throughout their careers.

Timeline

The sequence of events from drafting to injury shows how quickly fortunes can turn in professional sport.

The pattern: The arc from draft day to injury crisis compresses years of development into a single dramatic off-season.

What We Know and What’s Unclear

Confirmed facts

• Tom De Koning is not a twin; his brother Sam is two years younger (Carlton FC).
• St Kilda offered an eight-year deal worth approximately $13 million (ESPN).
• He left Carlton via free agency in the 2025 off-season (Carlton FC).
• Height: 201 cm; brother Sam: 200 cm (Carlton FC, Geelong Cats).
• Suffered a punctured lung and broken ribs in early 2025, plus a calf strain that delayed his pre-season (7NEWS).

What’s unclear

• Exact annual salary breakdown of the St Kilda contract.
• Timeline for his return from the rib, lung, and calf injuries.
• Whether he will return to play in the 2025 season.
• Whether the initial seven-year or final eight-year contract length is definitive.
• Whether Carlton’s compensation pick (reported as No. 9) remains unchanged after free agency.

The pattern: Most major free-agency moves carry unknowns, but De Koning’s injury status adds an unusual layer of uncertainty to the return on St Kilda’s investment.

In His Own Words and From the Club

“It was the toughest decision I have ever had to make. Carlton gave me everything, but St Kilda is the club I grew up supporting.”

— Tom De Koning, as reported by ESPN

“We wish Tom all the best. The size of the offer from St Kilda was significant, and we decided not to match it, which will bring us a top-10 draft pick.”

— Carlton Football Club statement, Carlton FC official site

“De Koning has been restricted to an individual program after a calf strain, and his lung and rib injuries from earlier in the year are still being managed.”

— Tom Morris, AFL journalist, as reported by 7NEWS

The pattern across these voices is consistent: the decision was emotionally charged, the financial commitment was enormous, and the physical toll has been immediate. For St Kilda, the first year of the De Koning era is already a test of their medical and resilience programs.

Summary

Tom De Koning swapped the club that drafted him for the club he loved as a boy, signing a contract that will define St Kilda’s salary cap for the rest of the decade. But the 2025 season opened with a calf strain and a serious chest injury that has already delayed his first pre-season at Moorabbin. For the Saints, the choice is clear: invest everything in his recovery, or watch their record investment sit on the sidelines.

Frequently Asked Questions