HE WAS one of the Blues’ good stories of 2024, but Lachie Cowan himself is hoping that serves simply as a springboard for better things to come in 2025 and beyond.
The Tasmanian joined his boyhood club in the 2022 AFL Draft and was thrust straight into the spotlight, debuting alongside fellow draftee Ollie Hollands in front of over 88,000 people in Round 1.
With seven games in his debut season, it was a solid start for the gritty defender - and yet this time last year, Cowan said he was behind the eight ball of his expectations.
That changed in 2024, playing 17 of 19 games from Round 6 onwards and emerging as a key part of the Blues’ present and future backline.
“At the start of [last] season, I probably wasn’t where I wanted to be and I missed a chunk of the pre-season. Through injury and some good form, I found my way back in,” Cowan told RSN on Tuesday morning.
“It’s more about the connection with the other backline members and gaining trust from them. Once I felt I had that, I started to play well and get confidence off the back of it - it was more of a confidence thing rather than a skill thing.”
That confidence was case of gradual progression, for someone who concedes he didn’t speak all that much when he first arrived.
Always close with Jaxon Binns, the duo now find themselves living with co-vice captain Sam Walsh, with Fortnite the preferred choice of downtime alongside teammate Brodie Kemp.
More time in the system and more time spent with teammates in and out of IKON Park is allowing Cowan to grow as a player when representing the Navy Blue guernsey.
“Finally - I took my time with it,” he said.
“Jelling with the other defenders has been really good, we’re a connected group down there. It comes from a lot of time spent together - you can’t just walk in and be a connected group straight away.
“It’s time spent together, it’s voice - I was a bit of a mute in my first few years, so I’m finally starting to come out of myself.”
As for his role in 2025, Cowan expects more of the same - although there is now the vacancy left by stalwart defender Nic Newman, who Cowan has made no secret of how crucial a role the veteran has played in his development.
While the Blues will take on a squad approach to his injury layoff, Cowan said the extra responsibility is one he’d be happy to embrace if the coaches saw it that way.
“I’m devastated for ‘Newy’, and know he’ll do everything he can to get back in the best shape. He’s obviously a great player, so I’m trying to emulate what he does on game day and in training.
“If it’s what the coaches see fit, hopefully I can fill that role. We’ve got a lot of depth in our list and a number can go back there and fill a role for the team.”
