Coburg disappointed after star pair Sam Lowson and Lochie Dickson miss out in AFL mid-season draft

As the AFL mid-season draft played out, Coburg players watched together and shared Sam Lowson and Lochie Dickson’s pain in being overlooked and the news for No.1 pick fancy Lowson has only got worse.

Coburg coach Leigh Adams says the entire club is shattered for Sam Lowson and Lochie Dickson after the pair missed out in the AFL mid-season draft.

The playing group watched the draft together at Piranha Park on Monday night but left disappointed.

It’s a double blow for Lowson, who was touted as a possible No.1 pick, with an ankle injury to likely sideline him for as many as seven weeks.

Dickson was seen as a player capable of making an instant impact in defence or midfield after an outstanding start to the VFL season.

Adams said the club remained committed to getting their players drafted come November.

Coburg defender Lochie Dickson.

Sam Lowson in action for Coburg.

“Sammy hurting his ankle on the weekend is obviously the reason he got overlooked,” he said.

“It’s disappointing for him and now he’s going to miss six weeks of footy as well.

“Hopefully we can find out why our boys didn’t get picked up and help them to try and give them a better opportunity to get picked up in November.

“It is bittersweet. We would have loved the boys to get picked up and realise their dream.

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“It’s probably lose-lose for us in Sammy’s case because he didn’t get picked up and we’re not going to have him for six-plus weeks either.”

Lowson and Dickson weren’t the only Lions overlooked with Jesse Corigliano, Marcus Lentini and Harry Nolan also seen as strong chances to make an AFL list.

With three 19-year-olds and three ex-AFL players getting picked up, Adams believed some recruiters may have missed the point of a mid-season draft.

“I think the merit of the mid-season draft was to try and replace injured players,” he said.

Marcus Lentini was also touted as a possible mid-season draft pick.

“Recruiters obviously think players in the mid-season draft aren’t going to come in and have an immediate impact.

“Instead of taking like-for-like players they decided to jump in early and take the 19-year-old kids.”

The Lions will look to erase their disappointment when they face Sandringham on Sunday at Piranha Park.

Dan Hannebery is expected to make his return from injury while the Zebras could be depleted as St Kilda take extra emergencies to face Port Adelaide in China.

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