Emma Kilpatrick, Erica Fowler push past draft, delisting disappointment amid fresh start with Geelong
South Australian teen Emma Kilpatrick and experienced footballer Erica Fowler arrived at Geelong at different stages of their AFLW journey. But both have been fuelled by past disappointments ahead of their first season in hoops.
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Geelong recruit Emma Kilpatrick hopes to prove she belongs at AFLW level, after getting looked over in last year’s draft.
The South Australian product earned one of two vacant list spots for the Cats back in May, after defenders Chantel Emonson and Anna-Rose Kennedy were placed on the club’s inactive list.
Kilpatrick, who turns 19 tomorrow, was in the mix for the national draft in mid-December, but had no previous interactions with Geelong before they called.
But armed with strong form playing for West Adelaide in the SANFL to begin the year, Cats’ coach Dan Lowther’s take on Kilpatrick was: “If we didn’t act on her now’ … in six months time she’d be a pretty good draft prospect”.
Kilpatrick, who also lined up in SANFL’s representative team earlier this year, said she’d spoken to a handful of clubs leading into the draft, but felt little assurance she’d get picked up.
“I didn’t really go into the draft thinking of getting picked up, so when I didn’t … I was obviously disappointed, but it just put that eager into me to keep playing cause I love the game,” Kilpatrick said.
Asked if she had a point to prove to other clubs in her rookie season with Geelong, Kilpatrick remained level-headed.
“Not so much a point to prove, more that I am capable of playing at this level,” Kilpatrick said.
“Having the opportunity here is amazing, and (I’m) just taking it in my stride.
“It still is a bit surreal.”
With four seasons already under her belt in the SANFL, the feedback the hard-running winger got from AFLW clubs, as well as the Cats since joining, has been to use her foot skills to her advantage.
“Not just kicking long down the line … (but) using the shot kicks,” she said.
Making the move to Geelong just over a month ago – and residing with a host family – one player Kilpatrick has looked up to since the start of pre-season has been leadership member and winger-turned-forward Mikayla Bowen.
“The way she goes about training, she’s so lovely, she’s only small but what she does at training – I remember my first training, she tackled someone, and I was like, wow this is scary,” she said.
The VFLW call which sparked new Cat’s second chance
Geelong recruit Erica Fowler says she was tempted to step away from footy this year, after a six-year stint at Collingwood ended in delistment.
Fowler joined the Cats in May as its final signing ahead of the 2025 AFLW season, following 46 games for the Pies since 2019.
Fowler, who turns 33 next week, said she wasn’t actively looking for a second chance at AFLW level before Geelong called, but had loved her time since joining the Cats’ program following a brief stint back in the VFLW.
Fowler, a 5’9” key position player who adds much needed height and depth to the Cats’ list, revealed it took some time to get over the emotional toll of getting cut from Collingwood.
“Everyone has a different journey to how they wanna deal with that, but I felt like I dealt with it in a pretty good way,” Fowler said.
“I was quite upset by that, but reflecting on my career, I was pretty proud.
“This opportunity came up (with Geelong) and was something I jumped at … the door was obviously ajar.”
Fowler said she held no ill-will towards the Pies for their decision.
“They’re in a rebuild phase, bottom of the ladder and things have to change so unfortunately that was for me not to be on the list anymore, and I was okay with that,” she said.
Taking some time to “work out what 2025 looked like”, Fowler didn’t think she’d pick up a footy this year.
But with her partner Lachlan Harris coaching Sandringham’s VFLW side, the opportunity was there to attend an training.
“He kind of kept prodding and poking me to come down, and I came down,” she said.
“I was kind of in awe of the playing group, and just eager to learn and get better and after a few training sessions with them, they were the reason I wanted to keep playing, at least at that level for maybe another year.
“I don’t regret going down, I probably would have regretted not playing.”
Fowler, who juggles her footy with work as a paramedic, impressed in her first six games for Sandringham, averaging 13.5 disposals, 3.5 marks, 6.3 tackles and 24.2 hit outs.
She believed it became easier to showcase her talents and leadership at VFLW level once she processed her delisting.
“I could also provide a bit of guidance and leadership to such a young playing group – it allowed me to see AFL and AFLW from a different perspective which in hindsight, probably made my football a lot better,” she said.
Now, Fowler, who will don the number 17 jumper for Geelong, is confident with her experience, she can offer a similar level of guidance and knowledge to Geelong’s young playing list – including emerging rucks Caitie Tipping and Piper Dunlop.
She credited former Collingwood leaders Brianna Davey, Steph Chiocci, Sharni Norder and Ash Brazill as key mentors from her time at the Magpies.
“They’ve guided me throughout my career and I’ve learnt so much from them, that hopefully I can bring that to the Cattery and be able showcase that to our younger players as well,” Fowler said.
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Originally published as Emma Kilpatrick, Erica Fowler push past draft, delisting disappointment amid fresh start with Geelong
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