Mid-season draft order 2019: Carlton locked in to get the No.1 pick

The AFL’s mid-season draft has its first medical drama that could dash Coburg’s Sam Lowson draft hopes as Carlton weighs up who to take with the No.1 pick. UPDATED MID-SEASON DRAFT ORDER

The AFL’s mid-season draft has its first medical drama, with Coburg’s Sam Lowson awaiting advice on knee and ankle injuries that could dash his draft hopes.

Lowson has the chance to be one of the draft’s best stories, having overcome troubled teenage years hanging out with a bad crowd and making a series of poor choices.

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But Coburg football boss Sebastian Spagnuolo told the Herald Sun the club would on Monday have his scans assessed by an independent doctor.

The club is hopeful he has only a two to three-week ankle injury but must have those scans diagnosed through a sports doctor without any affiliation to an AFL club.

AFL club doctors are unable to have independent medicals with draft-eligible players.

The carpenter from East Ringwood could still be selected by an AFL club even if he has a serious injury because that club would still hold his playing rights.

The small forward told the club his knee injury was less serious than the ankle concern but clubs with early picks have only 12 more rounds of the season left.

St Kilda on Sunday put Paddy McCartin on the long-term injury list because of his concussion battle to ensure they have a mid-season pick.

Sam Lowson’s draft hopes could hinge on his scan results. Picture: Lawrence Pinder

Recruiters believe Carlton will choose between ex-Fremantle midfiender Josh Deluca and Gippsland Power midfielder Kyle Dunkley, brother of Bulldog Josh, with the first overall selection.

Dunkley has starred since making the move to a different NAB League club, with Sydney overlooking him in the draft and now unable to secure him as a mid-year father-son despite father Andrew’s career at the Swans.

Gold Coast has dropped to the second overall pick, and has been consistently scouting 24-year-old Coburg running defender Lochie Dickson.

They were at Coburg’s contest on Saturday to watch 190cm running defender Dickson recruited by the VFL side to replace Luke Ryan when Fremantle drafted him two years ago.

South Fremantle midfielder Marlion Pickett, hoping to prove he is ready for the AFL after a stint in jail, had surgery on his broken finger.

His manager Anthony Van Der Wielen said he had a small wire inserted into the top of his index finger by leading hand surgeon Jeff Ecker.

It will be a setback of between 6-10 weeks, which would put paid to a club’s hopes of him having an instant impact this year.

But Van der Wielen is still hopeful he be picked up by an AFL club would would secure him ahead of others and keep him on their list leading into 2020.

Kyle Dunkley is in the mix as the No.1 selection. Picture: AFL Photos

Brisbane, West Coast and Geelong will not have picks in the draft, which takes place at 6.30pm at AFL House.

Daniel Wells’ knee injury could open up a second spot for Collingwood to use at the mid-season draft.

The Magpies will make a decision on Wells after consulting a specialist on Sunday to assess the damage to his injured left knee.

There are fears Wells has hurt his posterior cruciate ligament in a heavy fall in his comeback game against Sydney Swans on Friday night.

Wells kicked three goals in the win over the Swans but his night ended with the injury in the third term.

If he requires months on the sidelines to recover, the Pies may put him on the long-term injury list for the rest of the season, creating another vacancy on Collingwood’s list.

The Pies already have one spot to fill tomorrow night to replace veteran defender Lynden Dunn, who suffered a torn ACL.

Collingwood remains hopeful Wells has not suffered a serious knee injury and will be able to return in the second half of the season.

The luckless 34 year old has played only 15 games in his three seasons at Collingwood since departing North Melbourne. He made his return on Friday night from a serious foot problem.

- with Jay Clark

FIRST ROUND

Pick 1 — Carlton

Pick 2 — Gold Coast

Pick 3 — Melbourne

Pick 4 — Sydney

Pick 5 — North Melbourne

Pick 6 — St Kilda

Pick 7 — Western Bulldogs

Pick 8 — Essendon

Pick 9 — Fremantle

Pick 10 — Port Adelaide

Pick 11 — Hawthorn

Pick 12 — Adelaide

Pick 13 — Richmond

Pick 14 — GWS Giants

Pick 15 — Collingwood

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James Mottershead

A number of VFL stars had their last chance to shine ahead of Monday night’s first ever mid-season draft.

Coburg is shaping as the draft’s ‘footy factory,’ with a handful of players likely to be considered by AFL clubs.

Likely number one pick, Sam Lowson, 23, was largely starved of service in the Lions’ 77-point loss to Geelong at GMHBA Stadium but still managed to kick two goals.

The dreadlocked forward also got busy around the ground and finished with 15 disposals.

Prolific midfielder Marcus Lentini was at his ball-winning best against a hardened Cats midfield.

The 19-year-old collected 24 disposals, but what will impress AFL clubs is the defensive side of his game having laid a game-high 13 tackles.

Lentini was joined in the middle by 24-year-old inside midfielder Lochie Dickson who also finished with 24 touches for the Lions.

Dickson’s sheer size, standing at 190cm and weighing 94kg, should have clubs sniffing around the former Norwood player.

Marcus Lentini is in the mix to be taken in the mid-season draft.

Former Dandenong Stingrays co-captain Campbell Hustwaite picked a good week to put his most complete game of the VFL season in the bank in Collingwood’s 14-point win over Box Hill.

The 18-year-old midfielder finished with a season-high 22 disposals and seven tackles, playing a major part in the Pies’ win.

Collingwood VFL coach Jared Rivers said Hustwaite was really impressive and couldn’t speak highly enough of him.

“He’s a great young kid and one of the things that impresses me most is his leadership ability,” he said.

“He had a fantastic game and I can’t speak highly enough of him.”

The mid season draft is on Monday night and will be broadcast on Fox Footy.

Originally published as Mid-season draft order 2019: Carlton locked in to get the No.1 pick