Draft Diaries is back for a third year, introducing Bond University's young gun Ava Usher and rising Dandenong Stingrays star Mizuki Brothwell to the wider footy world. Both players are eligible for the Telstra AFLW Draft in December, with Usher tied to Gold Coast through its club academy.

This is Usher's final check-in for the year, and you can catch up on her previous edition here.

THIS was meant to be Ava Usher's comeback year.

After rupturing her right ACL in March, 2024, she was every chance of returning to football this season, but her knee had other plans.

The Gold Coast academy product has barely played since being named one of two Player of the Championships at the U16 national carnival in 2023, and 2025 was another frustrating year for the bullocking midfielder.

She was closing in on a return during the June camp with the Marsh AFLW Academy, but a stray tackle during training resulted in a follow-up operation.

"I just got hit from behind in a one-on-one contest and landed on the knee a little bit and had some scar tissue build up inside the knee," Usher told AFL.com.au.

"There wasn't anything wrong with the meniscus or anywhere else, which was a really good sign. It was just a little bit of a scare. I got a little scope (arthroscope, commonly known as a 'clean out') to get the scar tissue out, and it was the best thing I ever did.

"Relief (when the scans came through), and a little bit of excitement too, to know that something like that, coming that early, wasn't going to actually interfere with any of my football, being one of my first proper contests back in footy.

"For it to be like that, and to have a good result out of it and only a little bit of a scare was really good. The emotions were quite high, through the roof."
Usher has always been a high achiever on the field, or the court, or the pool, or through the waves, with whatever sport took her fancy. 

She found her way to football through Sunny Lappin – who has committed to the Suns as an academy signing, rather than go to Carlton as a father-daughter – and her dad, Matthew.

So an injury-enforced two-year absence has been a tough pill to swallow, with the gym bearing the brunt of her frustrations.

"It's been different, very different. Obviously, I'm used to being the one on the other side of the white line on the field, but I've found different ways to still be part of it. The girls, my coaches and the staff who have been around me have been very helpful with that stuff and keeping me involved. I wouldn't want it any other way," Usher said.

"Now I look back and I've come out the other end much better for it, and being back now, I can see that. 

"The last time we [talked], I wasn't really back playing footy yet, so I couldn't tell if I was better or coming back stronger, but now I'm back, I know I am, which is something really exciting to look forward to next year."

Although Usher was – somewhat puzzlingly – held back from the Telstra AFLW Draft Combine physical testing, she is now fully fit and ready to go for next year's football, which is highly likely to be with Gold Coast through the academy link.

"To be completely honest, I'm just super excited. I don't really get that nervous, to be honest, and I think with the position I'm in, I'm quite grateful for everything that's happened previously, with the knee and with the club (Gold Coast) helping me," she said.

"I'm just super excited about what's to come, whether that's at the Suns or somewhere else. I'm not afraid about what's going to happen, and the moment that my name gets called out, hopefully it's going to be a big relief and everything's going to calm down for me."