WEST Australian prospect Evie Cowcher has been dominating draft talk since she was 16 years old, and now it's finally her year. 

While there's others in this year's draft crop that have been making waves, Cowcher has been firmly on clubs' radars since she won the WA MVP award in the U18s National Championships as a 16-year-old.

The Peel Thunder product then made it back-to-back honours when she won the award again in 2024, and she's been named in the All-Australian side twice. 

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Despite all the attention around her potential, the 18-year-old has kept a very level head. 

"I don't know … everyone every now and then sends you like links on Instagram or whatnot that you've been up on the media, but I don't know, I wasn't too fussed about it," Cowcher said. 

"I don't really look into it as much as most people do, but yeah, [I'm] just a pretty lowkey fly-under-the-radar type person."

At 175cm, Cowcher's made her name as an elite intercept defender, but with her brilliant ball movement out of half-back, she's been prominent in the midfield too.  

"Centre-half back's probably my bread and butter. That's where I played most of my footy growing up and even now" she said.

"But every now and then you get chucked in the mid or whatnot, to have a go, have a crack, have a run. So, yeah, I didn't mind it in there either."

With plenty of talent and accolades to show for it, Cowcher was ready to impress recruiters in her draft year before it all came to screeching halt. 

Stress fractures in her back forced the youngster to the sidelines in 2025, ultimately missing the National Championships.

But while she was taking time away to rehab the injury to ensure she's well prepared for her future, Cowcher's made sure she's taken plenty of positives from the experience.  

"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. 

"I got to hang out with my friends that I didn't really see as much, because I just have so much footy going on, so you learn so much and see so much more off the field. But it will always be good to play footy.

"It was pretty annoying, like you're in your top age, you want to get drafted, and you can't really show clubs what you're made of. But then also, just think of the years, like what you've done in your time you could play.

"I just didn't really dwell on it too much, or get too much in my head."

Pain free for the past three months, Cowcher was able to participate at this year's AFLW draft combine in a final effort to show recruiters her potential. As the Telstra AFLW Draft looms, Cowcher still remains calm about where her football career may take her.  

"It's pretty, I don't know, weird, crazy to think that you could be on other side of the country next year, but I don't know," Cowcher said. 

"I'm so close to my friends and my family that I know they support me, whatever I want to do."