Draft prospect Thomson Dow says he’d be thrilled to join his brother Paddy at Carlton

Thomson Dow shares the same birthday as his brother Paddy and played in an under-16 premiership with his sibling in Swan Hill. Are they destined to wear the same AFL jumper as well?

Thomson Dow shares an extra special bond with his brother, Carlton young gun Paddy Dow.

The two share the same birthday on October 16 – only two years apart – and shared in a junior premiership together for Swan Hill’s under-16s.

Soon, they could share an AFL club together, with Thomson having caught the eyes of multiple recruiters this season – including Carlton – ahead of the AFL national draft.

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“I’d be happy if I were to go to Carlton but I would be just as happy if I were to go to any other club,” Thomson said.

“But it would be pretty exciting to play with Paddy, as long as we’re not taking each other’s spots.”

Paddy and Thomson are slightly different players.

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Both are agile midfielders, but Thomson is seen to be a little more of an outside player who is able to play a taller and can drift forward and provide a target.

“I reckon he’s a lot more damaging on the inside,” Thomson said of his brother.

“He does a lot more grunt work and he’s really strong with his hands in the contest and he’s powerful in that regard. I can probably be more damaging on the outside and use my jumping ability as well to take some overhead marks.”

Thomson and Paddy have two other siblings and grew up on a stone fruit farm in Swan Hill.

Both went on to attend boarding school at Geelong Grammar and work their way through the talent pathways, including playing for Vic Country in the under-18 national championships.

Thomson Dow completes the agility test at the draft combine.

The pair speak regularly and Thomson likes what he hears from Paddy about life in the AFL.

“He always says it’s a good lifestyle and you stay healthy and fit,” Thomson said.

“You get to play footy which he loves and I love so to follow in his path of playing AFL would be a dream and what he says is exactly what I’m after.”

Originally a North Melbourne supporter now with a soft spot for Carlton, Thomson said he looked at Western Bulldogs star Marcus Bontempelli as a player to try and model his game on.

Paddy Dow poses on the family farm before the AFL draft in 2017. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin.

A nervous wait comes now ahead of the draft, but Thomson said he was as relaxed as he could be.

“You can’t do anything about it really now so we’ll just wait and see,” he said.

Originally published as Draft prospect Thomson Dow says he’d be thrilled to join his brother Paddy at Carlton