Footscray midfielder Cooper Craig-Peters will be looking to back up a breakthrough 2024 season when the Dogs' VFL campaign gets underway this weekend.
Increased midfield minutes resulted in Craig-Peters averaging 22 disposals, seven clearances and six tackles last year, leading to selection in the VFL Team of the Year squad.
He was named among the Dogs' best in 14 of the 20 games he played last year.
Forced to bide his time on the flanks for much of the first 29 games of his VFL career, Craig-Peters took the opportunity to play in the engine room with both hands, impacting with his tenacity and contested ball-winning.
It led to the 2019 GWV Rebels graduate garnering mild Mid-Season Draft interest, and the 23-year-old will hope 2025 continues to prove he's a readymade senior footballer.
โI was really happy with how the season turned out,โ Craig-Peters told Craft of the Draft.
โI'm proud individually of my growth (from 2023 to 2024) and also my progression throughout the year which was something I wanted to hone in on, especially with the extra experience I gained from players like Lachie Sullivan and Joel Garner and the extra responsibility of being part of the leadership group as one of the older boys.
โAt the start of the season, (I focussed on) locking on and waiting for the ball to hit the ground whereas as (the season) went on, it was (about) finding a body, putting an arm across, hitting, and as soon as the ball is on its way, moving into it which allowed me to show off that explosiveness a lot more, rather than just relying on that contested cleanliness.โ
While experience at the level and greater on-ball responsibility played a part, Craig-Peters also cited Ben Cousins' โSuch is Life' documentary as a key motivator throughout 2024.
โIt got me thinking about how obsessive I am compared to (Cousins) and how much I want it as well, and I reckon that lit the extra fire in me to go out and when I fizzled out and was down in the dumps, I turned it on and watched it again,โ Craig-Peters said.
โIt would light the fire in me so that's something I reckon I'll do this season as well.โ
Reflecting on 2019, Craig-Peters concedes inconsistency and a lack of versatility hurt his draft case, and while gains were made in both areas across 2024, there remains progress to be made this season.
Balancing his proven inside game with explosiveness and remaining consistent across the duration of the season after a quiet finish to 2024 will be of focus this season.
A chaotic lifestyle forms the backdrop of Craig-Peters pursuing footy at a semi-elite level, as he balances work as a stonemason and setting up his long-term future with a Bachelor of Criminology.
The experience of waking up at 4.40am to allow the Redan local to finish work early enough to fit in study either side of training allows the mature-aged draft prospect to view footy and life through a different lens.
โThrough high school, you think (life is) full on with school and footy and there isn't many hours in the day to socialise or do extras, but coming out of school you realise if you wake up earlier and manage time properly, you can get extra reps in and can see your mates still,โ Craig-Peters said.
โThat's the biggest thing for me personally and is a big part of that transition from being a teenager to becoming an adult.
โIt's important to use your time as wisely as possible and make sure it suits you as well.โ
In 2019, Craig-Peters got the opportunity to design Western Bulldogs' Indigenous guernsey โ an experience he cherishes.
A proud Yorta Yorta, Wadi Wadi Ngurai Illum Wurrung, Dja Dja Wurrung and Yara Yara man, Indigenous studies also made up part of Craig-Peters' degree.
โLearning more about my (family) is important to me because of the stuff that we have had to overcome and I find that I'm really proud of it.
โI'm proud to be an Aboriginal person and be representing the Indigenous community.โ
Footscray's 2025 VFL campaign gets underway on Saturday night against the Northern Bullants at Whitten Oval.
