Sandringham Dragons AFL Draft prospect Lochie Burrows has emerged as a bolter in the 2026 crop.
The competitive and powerful Bentleigh junior has risen from relative obscurity this year with strong footy for Sandringham and Vic Metro.
He started the year as a forward who showed the capability to play deep and high up the ground, before being swung into defence in a Vic Metro trial match which was the undisputed highlight of his season as he locked down star small forward Marlon Neocleous and offered drive and energy as a rebounder.
"I think I'm a bit of both. I'm whatever the team needs me to be. I can play either," Burrows told Zero Hanger when asked his best position.
"I've got good forward craft, something I worked on over the pre-season and through the season I played as a defender for Vic Metro and developed an ability to win in the back half and play defend-first."
Burrows has spoken to 16 clubs during 2026 and there is an almost 50-50 split in the industry about his best position long-term.
"It's weird, I'll go to one meeting with a recruiter and they'll say, 'We see you as a midfielder/half-forward so you'll come into our team there' and the next one is saying, 'We see you as a half-back'," he said.
"It's weird but it shows my versatility and I just want to get drafted."
Until this year, Burrows had never previously played in defence so there is a view that he has upside in that role if given an AFL pre-season there.
Like most, as a junior he played through the midfield. Last year, he won best-on-ground in a grand final his Bentleigh side won by a point, kicking three goals and working through a tag.
Last year was Burrows' first in the talent pathway, having missed selection as an under-16s player.
Burrows honed his forward craft and after playing firsts footy at Wesley College under now Box Hill premiership coach David Mirra in 2024, he got a taste of Talent League last year.
"I wasn't sure where I was at after missing under-16s. I was at interleague where you're playing with friends in your region and then I didn't get selected for Sandy which is frustrating and annoying when you think you're good enough for it and there's players that you think you're better than," Burrows reflected.
"It can be a frustrating thing. I didn't know where I was at, if I was good enough. I used it as motivation to keep pushing and striving and thankfully playing ones in year 10 and then getting a pre-season as a bottom-ager.
"I think AFL was always the dream so having to miss a key part of that, which doesn't end up mattering, but as a 16-year-old, that's all you're thinking about so definitely it was quite devastating and annoying and something I thought about quite a bit.
"Then I think this year it helped me to just worry about footy rather than worrying about selection."
Alongside teammate and close friend George Dimer and Vic Country defender Gus Kennedy, Burrows is one of the most highly-respected characters in this year's crop.
He made an immediate impact with his Vic Metro teammates and has always been a popular member of the Dragons squad.
"I got nervous (before the Vic Metro trial game) because I didn't know a lot of the boys well but once they realised I actually knew how to play footy, then they started to like me a bit more and I got better friends with all of them," Burrows quipped.
"It was a good game for my development and gave me confidence.
"I always try and bring a bit of kindness to gain people's respect. You can build relationships from there. I try to be a bit funny to build culture and staying on my own, chilling and bring the toughness to training and what I have. Things like that will help me develop good relationships."
Burrows knows Port Adelaide mid-season pickup and Wesley College alumi Xavier Bamert well. Having played at school and Talent League level with the former Dragons captain has given him an insight
Burrows ran his two kilometre time trial in a respectable 6:28 minutes at the AFL Draft National Combine and while he's known as more of a power player who impacts in bursts, developing his tank and becoming more reliable by foot are areas he's keen to improve.
Regardless, his traits as a clean and quick utility who can play on any line have Burrows well and truly in top-20 considerations.
"Everything I do in life, I want to win," he said.
"Even if it's just at training, I try to win the drills.
"It comes from me wanting to be a better player. The only way you will improve is by putting in 100 per cent effort at all times."
Sandringham coach Rob Harding admits even he was surprised by how Burrows went when swung into defence in the game where he truly arrived on the scene, but has been pleased by his growth.
"He walks into a foreign role with not much preparation and nails it which shows the mindset of the kid," Harding told Zero Hanger's Craft of the Draft discussing Burrows' role at the National Championships.
"He's got a great personality and I still think he's more of a mid-forward but the beauty is we saw him for four National Championships down back."
