A Central Highlands Football League great is not expected to go around next season.
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Hepburn coach Jason Olver has revealed spearhead Lee Cox isn’t part of his planning for the 2017 campaign.
Olver said Cox, a three-time premiership player with the club, and his partner are expecting a baby in the coming months.
“I’d love to have him because what he has done for our club has been unbelievable… he’s won us flags off his own back,” Olver said.
“But his priorities in life have changed with his first baby on the way and he hasn’t got time to commit to the level that Hepburn requires to try and win a premiership.”
Cox first joined the Burras from Darley in 2007 and quickly became one of the most dominant forces in the competition.
He played in the 2008, 2010 and 2013 flags before moving to Tooleybuc-Manangatang in 2014.
Cox returned to Hepburn a year later, and after kicking 69 goals in a solid 2015 campaign, struggled last season, managing just 27 majors from 17 matches.
On top of the grand final triumphs, Cox is a multiple century goal-kicker and league team of the year member, who is widely regarded as one of the best forwards to grace the competition in recent years.
The loss of emerging forward Jackson Carrick is another blow for the Burras, with the North Ballarat Roosters-listed player off to Darley.
Last year’s pick-ups Adem Asani and Craig Brown are others to request clearances away from the club.
As was the case last off-season, Olver has made significant turnover to his playing ranks.
A string of new footballers have been lured, with eight potential senior players already lodging clearances to the club.
The son of former Melbourne and North Melbourne player – and ex-Hepburn senior coach – Rodney Wright is among the recruits.
Forward Tallan Wright arrives at the Burras from Castlemaine, where he played last season.
Dual Hepburn premiership player Daniel Rees is also back from a successful stint with Horsham Saints.
Rees joins onball options Aron Burns (Hurstbridge), Sean Salmon (Yarroweyah), Clinton Gribble (Bears Lagoon Serpentine) and Kamen Ogilvie (East Sunbury), former Carlton draftee and tall utility Luke Stanton (Greensborough) and key forward Jackson Hogan (Donald) on the list of ins.
Hepburn, preliminary finalists last season, will open its 2017 campaign with an away clash against Newlyn on Saturday, April 1.