PEEL Thunder tall Evie Cowcher has quite the CV already and now the top-ager eyes of reaching the elite level. The West Australian defender has a couple of West Australian MVPs and All-Australian honours to her name, as well as a WAFLW Rising Star award.

Despite recently suffering back stress fractures, Cowcher remains one of the top prospects in this year’s draft. We spoke to the National Academy member at the West Australian Preseason Testing Day about how she has found the last 12 months, her expectations for 2025 and what goals she sets for herself.

Q: Evie, how have you found the last 12 months?

EC: “Yeah I reckon it was a lot better. Being a double bottom-ager the year before was real different, but playing with people more different the year just gone, it was a lot better.”

Q: The expectations coming into a third carnival this year having won those two MVPs, what do you set for yourself?

EC: “To be honest, just to go about it how I want to go about it. Just try my best again, not really fussed if I don’t get it again, but just go hard again.”

Q: From a personal perspective, what have you improved on over the last 12 months?

EC: “I’ve been trying to improve on my contested ball movement and getting it clean on the ground before getting it up.”

Q: You’ve played a bit in midfield as well, is that something you see yourself doing a bit more or is it just the defence?

EC: “I feel at home in defence, it’s just a lot better, playing my role. Coming off the ball and reading it from behind. But I reckon if I was trained more in the midfield I could find myself there one day.”

Q: You’re more of an intercepting third tall, have you been developing the defensive one-on-ones more? Do you like the challenge of having to stop someone as well as intercepting?

EC: “Yeah, 100 per cent. At training we do one-on-one with people who are at my build and my height and really get it into it and just go hard at each other to improve.”

Q: Going forward this year, outside of the champs, what do you set for yourself?

EC: “My main goal is to hopefully get drafted at the end of this year and then hopefully get an AFLW game.”

Q: It’s now a National Draft, have you come to terms with the fact you might have to relocate?

EC: “Yes it’s bit hard, I do enjoy being at home with my family so a move would be hard if I had to move. But I’m up for the challenge.”

Q: What AFL/W club do you support?

EC: “Freo.”

Q: Which players do you mould your game on or look up to?

EC: “I reckon Emma O’Driscoll. I probably don’t have the speed she has, but her bodywork and one-on-ones really looks good.”