Sandy Dragon Lachie Carrigan the forgotten player of the 2021 AFL national draft

Lachie Carrigan hasn’t played football for two years but the Sandringham Dragons regard him highly.

Lachie Carrigan has had little luck in the past 12 months but he’s taking positives from it.

They’re all talking about the Sandringham Dragons ahead of this week’s AFL national draft.

Callaghan. Sinn. Chesser. Howes. Owens. Windhager.

A few others too; it’s shaping as another bumper draft haul for the Dragons.

But they’re not talking about Lachie Carrigan.

He’s a classy player, with exceptional running ability and a penetrating left foot.

However he hasn’t played football for two years and his name is unlikely to be mentioned in the next few days.

Is he the forgotten footballer of the 2021 draft?

“Well, I don’t feel forgotten,’’ Carrigan was saying last Wednesday.

“But I definitely would have loved to have showed what I could do this year, especially after missing all of last year too.’’

Compartment syndrome caught up with him in the way few opponents have.

Carrigan’s last match was for Hampton Rovers Under 19s in their grand final in 2019.

He had a strong build-up for 2020, and before the season there was talk of him being elevated to the Vic Metro squad.

In the NAB League testing he was in the top seven for the 20m (2.91sec), the top six for the yo-yo (stage 21.6) and the top three for the standing vertical jump (73cm).

But he had noticed he was cramping in the calves; he’d never experienced it before.

He continued to train during the year, working towards the AFL combine as Covid crushed any hope of the NAB League season going ahead.

Lachie Carrigan last played football in 2019.

The pain wouldn’t go away. Eventually he saw some specialists. Compartment syndrome was diagnosed and surgery was required.

In a three-month period from last December he had four operations, the last an emergency procedure in February to release a blood clot.

He was on crutches until April. Meanwhile his teammates were getting into the 2021 season, making their names at the Dragons.

Carrigan began working on his fitness with strength and conditioning coach Jarrad Kay, steadily improving it.

And he was close to playing for the Dragons as a 19-year-old player when the season was shut down. Luck had again eluded him.

“That was pretty frustrating,’’ he said. “I felt good. I felt I was ready to play. The season got stopped on a Thursday. There was a game on that Saturday. And the week after, I was going to play in that one and then hopefully in the finals if I played well.’’

The calves? They’re good. No problems, he said. All fixed.

Kay said Carrigan was in poor shape when they began to work together. It was even a struggle for him to balance on one leg.

“He’s been extremely focused. He came in with a set goal and that was to get back to where he was before with his fitness and the strength in his legs,’’ Kay said.

“He did whatever we set for him. I told him how far to run, he’d run it. I told him how long to run, he’d do it. Be at the gym this time, he’d be there. Be at the track this time, he’d be there. He’s put in the effort.’’

Carrigan said the Dragons had been most supportive, with teammates and coaches constantly asking him how he was faring.

He said football hadn’t been much fun in the past 12 months or so, “but everything else has been all right’’.

“I’ve learned a lot, and I’ve done it a young age. I’m pretty grateful for that,’’ he said.

“There are always positives. I’ve had to be resilient. You can’t take anything for granted.’’

He said he was chuffed to see so many Dragons players in contention for the draft. “I’m so happy for them. Hopefully we get a good few on AFL lists,’’ he said.

Carrigan will try out for the Richmond VFL squad, starting training on November 30, and will have the Rovers as his local club.

When news of his Richmond connection appeared on social media, Dragons assistant coach Nick Moodie replied: “Just get him on as a rookie on their AFL list!’’.

And Dragons coach Josh Bourke called him a “star’’.

They certainly haven’t forgotten Lachie Carrigan.