Cowcher set to be AFLW Draft bargain after injury-hit year

WA Football’s female talent boss Trent Cooper believes Evie Cowcher is shaping up to be the bargain pick of Monday night’s AFLW Draft in Melbourne.

The Peel Thunder product was one of two West Aussies – and 11 players Australia-wide – invited to the draft alongside Subiaco key forward Olivia Wolmarans.

Long touted as a potential No.1 pick after winning back-to-back State 18s MVP awards to go with dual AFLW U18 All-Australian honours and a WAFLW fairest-and-best award at the Thunder, Cowcher barely got on this park this season due to injury which could see her slide out of the top five.

Cooper, a former Fremantle AFLW coach, described the smooth-moving defender/midfielder as “the most natural footballer” he’s worked with.

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“I’ve obviously worked with some really good players, but Evie’s got everything with her speed, agility and her size,” he said.

“There’s just not a lot there she can’t do already. Evie could have been playing AFLW footy last season.

“Zippy (Fish) was the Rising Star this year, and if I had to have a pick next year, Evie’s one who’s probably most ready to go.”

 

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Cowcher reflected on her injury-interrupted draft year, restricted to a handful of WAFLW appearances due to stress fractures in her lower back which also saw her ruled out of WA’s AFLW National Under-18s Championship campaign.

The good news is the silky-skilled talent is now injury-free and ready to hit the ground running for whichever AFLW club snaps her up.

“I’d never really missed any footy because of an injury, so it’s pretty hard to hear it at the start. But then also, you learn so much, like you learn so much about your body, yourself, your rehab,” Cowcher said.

Cowcher grew up in Boddington and started playing footy against boys at the age of seven in the Upper Great Southern Football League.

She credits those early years, before moving to Mandurah to further her career, for helping her development.

“I think it made a real difference in my game and me as a player,” Cowcher said.

“It’s pretty rough out there, they just give it to you and throw you around, and the boys always got around me, and I’m still best mates with most of them.

“I was living in Mandurah (after joining Peel), but I was still travelling down to Boddington because I love the club and the people around it.”

Cowcher is one of five WA talents in the mix to get draft in the first round on Monday night alongside Wolmarans, Subiaco midfielder Olivia Crane, West Perth ball magnet Mia Russo and Swan Districts on-baller Carys D’Addario.