{"id":452914,"date":"2026-02-02T04:20:11","date_gmt":"2026-02-02T04:20:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/452914\/"},"modified":"2026-02-02T04:20:11","modified_gmt":"2026-02-02T04:20:11","slug":"brisbane-lions-recruit-sam-draper-set-to-miss-start-of-afl-season-with-foot-injury","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/452914\/","title":{"rendered":"Brisbane Lions recruit Sam Draper set to miss start of AFL season with foot injury"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sam Draper\u2019s Brisbane<\/a> debut will be delayed by a foot stress fracture that will sideline him for the start of the AFL<\/a> season.<\/p>\n

Lions coach Chris Fagan said that the former Essendon<\/a> ruckman reported a sore foot before last week\u2019s pre-season camp at Maroochydore on the Queensland Sunshine Coast.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s had some scans on that and unfortunately he\u2019s got a stress reaction in his foot,\u201d Fagan told SEN.<\/p>\n

Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today Arrow<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s going to probably mean that he won\u2019t be available for selection until about the second week of the AFL season.\u201d<\/p>\n

He was spotted in a moon boot on Monday morning and is now expected to be out of action for the next 6-8 weeks.<\/p>\n

Draper only managed five games for the Bombers last year before a torn Achilles tendon ended his season.<\/p>\n

He and ex-West Coast coast captain Oscar Allen are the key additions for the Lions as they shoot for three-straight premierships.<\/p>\n

Allen is expected to be available for their Opening Round match against the Western Bulldogs on March 7 at the Gabba.<\/p>\n

The tall utility continues to recover from the knee injury that restricted him to 12 games last season.<\/p>\n

Lincoln McCarthy and Keidean Coleman are also pushing for Opening Round returns after their seasons last year were ruined by injury.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Fagan told 7NEWS that he doesn\u2019t believe the Lachie Neale marriage scandal won\u2019t derail the team\u2019s bid to challenge for a three-peat.<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone\u2019s going to launch at us, so that\u2019s OK,\u201d Fagan said.<\/p>\n

\u201cSuccess doesn\u2019t come easily. We\u2019ve got to go out there and, you know, if we want to win it, we\u2019ve got to reclaim the title.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fagan said Neale was like \u201cfamily\u201d and \u201cyou don\u2019t reject your sons or your daughters just because they\u2019ve made a blue\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou try and help them through. So that\u2019s what we\u2019re trying to do,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you\u2019ve won the premiership, everybody\u2019s after you. Everyone\u2019s trying to take away your title. People are trying to work out how to beat you and spending a lot of time on it. So it\u2019s a big challenge.\u201d<\/p>\n

Draper is the latest big-name player to have his pre-season hit by injury.<\/p>\n

Luckless Hawthorn midfielder Will Day (shoulder) and Adelaide defender Dan Curtin (knee) are also sidelined.<\/p>\n

Sydney small forward Tom Papley has also been on a modified program after dealing with a calf issue.<\/p>\n

And Carlton forward Jesse Motlop and North Melbourne defender Jackson Archer most likely will not play at all this year because of ACL knee ligament tears.<\/p>\n

– With 7NEWS.com.au<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Lions coach shares update on Lachie Neale: \u2018Bit going on\u2019<\/p>\n

2 min read<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Josh Rachele makes personal admission on \u2018putting myself first\u2019<\/p>\n

2 min read<\/p>\n

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