Woodville-West Torrens secures signature of Alli Evans - sister of dual Sturt premiership star Fraser Evans
She’s set up a clothing line to support mental health awareness and now, after a year off footy, Alli Evans, sister of dual Sturt premiership star Fraser Evans, is making a return to the SANFLW.
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Six months ago Alli Evans had no intentions of playing league football again.
Evans, the sister of dual Sturt premiership player Fraser Evans, featured with West Adelaide during the first two SANFLW seasons, captaining the Bloods.
Then when the 2018 season ended in April that year, she took a step back from footy.
Her focus switched instead to event management, travel and establishing – with her partner Ebony-Rose Philcox – The Good Fight, a not-for-profit clothing company that supports mental health research.
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Evans believed her state league football days were over.
But a few conversations with Woodville-West Torrens coach Tess Baxter sparked the old fire.
Now, the 27-year-old is ready to go again, with an aim of helping develop youngsters at the Eagles.
“Tess and I had a bit of a friendship and we kept in contact during the time I took a break from footy,” Evans says.
“In probably July of last year she had a chat with me to see whether I’d be interested in coming out to the Eagles.
“I’m pretty sure I told her ‘no’ and said I’m not really interested.
“I just felt like I wasn’t ready to play SANFL again.
“It was a pretty demanding level, I was working … and that required a lot of after-hours work and I don’t like to commit to something if I can’t commit to it properly.
“Then my partner Ebony and I were playing for (Adelaide Footy League side) SMOSH and we decided we’d give the SANFL one more crack.”
Both are now back on the training track with Woodville-West Torrens. Evans and Philcox’s clothing brand takes up a lot of their time.
Its mission is to spark awareness of mental health, with an aim of removing any stigma.
The Good Fight was developed in 2018 with Philcox’s own battle with depression and bipolar disorder a critical factor.
Evans says her new teammates are supportive of The Good Fight and she hopes it helps encourage them to speak up if they are suffering.
Woodville-West Torrens endured a tough inaugural SANFLW season in 2019, finishing winless.
But Evans is confident the Eagles will be competitive this year.
They begin their campaign with a clash against South Adelaide at Noarlunga Oval on Friday, February 14.
“Hopefully with the talent Tess has recruited and the talent that’s already there we can give it a better crack this year,” she says.