PERTH prospect Koby Evans made his return to action over the weekend, having missed most of the year due to back stress fractures. The explosive midfielder-forward made an impression with 28 disposals and two goals in Round 1 of the Colts season, but has only played one National Academy game since.

Evans is a member of West Coast’s Next Generation Academy (NGA), and in a talented crop this year, may well be the best of the lot. He’ll have the remainder of the season to prove so having gotten back into the swing of things as the Demons knocked off West Perth in stifling conditions on Saturday.

Perth, Western AustraliaForward-Midfielder

Koby Evans

Height: 187cm

Weight: -

DOB: 08-09-2007

STRENGTHS:
+ Competitiveness
+ Power
+ Size
+ Speed
+ Tackling pressure

>> Preseason Q&A: Koby Evans (Perth)

PLAYER FOCUS

2025 WAFL Colts Round 17
Perth 8.13 (61) def. West Perth 3.8 (26)

#11 Koby Evans (Perth)
Stats: 25 disposals (9 kicks, 16 handballs), 2 marks, 7 tackles, 1 inside 50

Centre Bounce Attendances:
Q1: 2/4 | Q2: 2/3 | Q3: 4/5 | Q4: 1/1 | Total: 9/13

FIRST QUARTER:

Conditions were at their worst in the opening quarter with a massive downpour making life hard for all comers. Ironically it may have allowed Evans to make a smoother entry into the game after so much time away, with the ball plugged in congested areas and his size a useful trait in those situations.

While his direct opponent won the opening centre clearance, it didn’t take Evans long to get his hands on the ball. His first touch came from a mark on forward wing, and with a surge of adrenaline he immediately handed the ball off. It was the first act in a productive opening quarter.

Evans went on to win plenty of ball at the stoppages, using his strong frame to shield the pill while collecting, before dishing off to a teammate. His hands were relatively clean considering the conditions and he held up well under physical duress, able to absorb contact in the act of disposing.

One of Evans’ best moments for the game was a defensive one, as he courageously dived in front of a leading opponent to get a spoil in, knowing full well he’d soon be collected by a charging set of legs. It was indicative of his defensive appetite, as he anticipated when to apply pressure acts.

SECOND QUARTER:

The rain began to dry up after quarter time and that allowed Evans to add more expansive elements to his game. He started out with another ground ball get, but instead of immediately firing off a handball, he looked to fend off an opponent and burst away on the exit.

He did the same later in the term to work out of a tight spot, and perhaps on a drier day he’d have been able to drive his legs forward – as opposed to feeding out the back. A flashy collect and flick handball over his shoulder was also among Evans’ second quarter highlights.

The defensive side of Evans’ game remained as he managed his running between contests, going when the opportunity was there and paying back some heavy wrap-up tackles from the opposition. He stepped into contact well and kept his arms free, which was pivotal in the clinches.

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THIRD QUARTER:

Evans continued to work into his rhythm after half time, repeatedly winning the ball off the deck, fending off opponents, and distributing handballs out the back. He attempted to wheel and go by foot on a couple of occasions, although looked neater when opting for short lateral kicks.

A double tackle effort was among Evans’ best moments in a quieter term, which saw West Perth re-join the scoring with a couple of goals. He was less involved at the coalface, although had a quickfire snapshot on goal which bounced just inside the point line before being rushed over.

FOURTH QUARTER:

With Perth holding a comfortable lead and Evans showing plenty of promise throughout the opening three quarters, he ended the game in steady fashion. In what was a goalless term up until the final kick, he tried to take the game on and drive forward more often than he had previously.

That added dynamism was seen in one play when he sensed the opportunity to join a loose ball contest third in, won possession with a one-two handball, and darted a nice kick across the forward 50. He spent the closing stages on the bench having been one of Perth’s top ball winners all day.

CLOSING THOUGHTS…

If not for the rain, one could argue a baptism of fire awaited Evans upon his return to action. He handled the conditions well, utilising his physicality and clean ball winning attributes to rack up 25 disposals. His size and power around the contest helped him get there, particularly in stifling first half conditions.

He didn’t get to show his line-breaking attributes on Saturday, but certainly got a tick for his ability to adjust as a both a key distributor and defensively minded midfielder. Perhaps on a drier day he’d have been able to wheel out the back of stoppages untouched, or break the lines with his patented pace.

Evans did much of his work by hand, so it will be interesting to see if he has made any improvements in the way of composure and execution by foot. He usually plays an exciting brand. How he backs up after a tough and physically challenging first game back will be intriguing – the second game is always toughest.

Having somewhat been out of sight and out of mind this year, Evans took little time to get back up to speed. He missed the National Championships but has a terrific opportunity to put himself back into the top 25 frame with strong form in the back-end of the season. West Coast, and others, will be watching.