Nick Lowden ; a tribute by Chris Brown

21 August 2024

Nick Lowden was born in Victoria on 10 February 2000, the fourth child and the first son of parents Tony and Kerry who already had three daughters – Elena, Chelsey and Cailin. He attended St Michaels Primary School (2006-2012) and Lavalla College (2013-2018), both in Traralgon. 

Lowden’s journey as a footballer began as an eight year old, playing in the u/10s, u/12s and u/14s for the Combined Saints Junior Football Club. He played over 100 games there, winning premierships and collecting five best and fairest trophies in a row. Thereafter, he played for the Traralgon Football and Netball Club from u/16s, (also winning premierships there); Gippsland Power (2015-2018), Victoria Country (2016), Casey Demons (2019-2021), North Ringwood (2019), and the Darwin Buffalos (2020-21). In 2022, he moved to Norwood, re-joining his old Casey Demons coach Jade Rawlings who was coaching Norwood. 

From 2010-2018, Lowden also played 67 games for the Traralgon Imperials Cricket Club and a further seven games representing the Traralgon District Cricket Association. 

Lowden’s goal had always been to be drafted to play in the AFL and moving to Adelaide to play for Norwood was part of this plan. When he arrived he was ‘a 98kg ball of muscle’ and was told by coach Rawlings that his playing weight needed to be 93kg. So he played his first 7 games at Norwood in the reserves and lost that 5kg, before making his league debut against the Adelaide Football Club in round 8 at Norwood Oval. (This was the game when Norwood’s Matt Panos made his return from a long-term knee injury and kicked four goals including the final goal of the match to seal a 5 point victory in the dying moments of the game). After his debut, Lowden only played one more game of reserves football (in Round 9 2022) and became a regular selection for the league team. In just his third league game, televised live by Channel 7, Lowden won the “Coles Value Player” award for best player in Norwood’s 26 point defeat of Sturt at Norwood Oval. 

In Round 15 against South Adelaide at Noarlunga, Lowden kicked a critical goal in the 22nd minute of the final term to get Norwood to within 3 points of South Adelaide in a low scoring affair. Norwood went on to kick the match winning goal through Connor McLean and coach Rawlings believed this win sealed a vital top 3 spot for Norwood at the end of the minor round. In Round 18, Lowden won the SANFL ‘Powerade Breakthrough Player’ of the round with 19 disposals and ten tackles against Glenelg and quelled the influence of Glenelg’s key midfielder Matthew Snook. 

Norwood marched into the 2022 finals series and found itself in the Grand Final against North Adelaide. Lowden’s performance in that Grand Final was described by coach Rawlings as “trademark Lowden. He was a key pillar in the midfield, strong at stoppages, had big contest wins and imposed himself on the opposition physically. He got the last clearance of the game – a left foot kick from centre wing – and at the famous stoppage where Matt Panos snapped the winning goal it was Lowden who created the spill that resulted in Panos kicking that goal”. 

Lowden became a premiership player at Norwood in his first year and not only that, was a member of a premiership team that is already part of folklore and was described by Norwood Hall of Fame Legend Michael Aish as ‘the greatest premiership the club has won in my lifetime’. 

In 2023, Lowden played every game until he suffered a calf injury in Round 9 against South Adelaide. This would be his final game for Norwood. The club had lost the first 8 games of the season and fittingly, Lowden’s final game was the club’s first win since the 2022 Grand Final. Lowden struggled to recover from his injury and on 21 July he sought permission to return home to Traralgon as he wasn’t coping. On August 3 2023, Lowden tragically took his own life. His funeral at St Michaels Catholic Church in Traralgon on 16 August was attended by hundreds, including 7 Premiership players from Norwood’s 2022 team and other club officials, as well as friends and team mates from the many other clubs he was associated with. The funeral was also live streamed in the Wolf Blass Centre at the Norwood Football Club where a ‘huge’ contingent of players, officials and supporters were in attendance. 

Lowden always had a dream to play in the Australian Football League. The year 2018 was his VCE year at school and his final year with Gippsland Power and thus, it was a pivotal year to perform in order to be considered for the draft. However, Lowden suffered a severe concussion and was sidelined for six weeks. He lost 8kg in weight, became disengaged at school and his mental health was deeply affected. Lowden was devastated at not being able to showcase his talents to AFL scouts and in that same year, he also lost a close friend and a cousin which affected him deeply.
 
Norwood player number 1,515 is described by his coach Jade Rawlings as having had a significant impact at the club with his trademarks being his physicality, tackling, contest wins and defending the opposition’s best midfielder. He was a key pillar in the midfield and strong at stoppages; intelligent; competitive, committed and loved a laugh. He always attacked training, would impose himself on the game at key times, stood up to the opposition and he valued being a Norwood player. He was always a thoughtful contributor during team meetings and occasionally combative. 

Lowden’s death occurred during a bye weekend for Norwood and the first game following his death was played against South Adelaide at Norwood Oval on Saturday 12 August, 2023. There was something about Lowden and South Adelaide – he had kicked a vital goal against them in 2022 to secure a top 3 berth and a double chance for finals; his final game was against South Adelaide and what became the tribute game to Lowden was also against South Adelaide. All SANFL matches were preceded by a minute of silence for Nick Lowden and all players wore black armbands. A photographic tribute was also shown on the electronic scoreboard at Norwood Oval. Norwood led by 39 points in the last quarter but on an emotionally draining day, South charged home with the last six goals of the match and Norwood just clung on to win by 2 points. After the game, tears were openly shed in the Norwood rooms and players then gathered around Lowden’s locker to listen to some music, where more tears were shed. 

Lowden’s family donated his brain to scientific research into concussion.

The Norwood Football Club encourages anyone suffering from Mental Health issues to seek support. If you are struggling or this article raises any issues for you, please contact:
Lifeline: 13 11 14 or www.lifeline.org.au  
Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636 or www.beyondblue.org.au 

Chris Brown
July 2024

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