Former AFL player Billy Gowers has joined the Old Xaverians Football Club for 2023.
Gowers, a former old boy at Xavier College, was drafted to Carlton but played all of his 33 AFL games for the Western Bulldogs from 2018 to 2020, kicking 26 goals from 20 games in his first year at the Kennel.
The 187cm forward would remain in the Bulldogs' best 22 for the first 11 rounds of 2019 before hurting his ankle. Ultimately on return from injury he couldn't work a place back into coach Luke Beveridge's side, playing another 14 games before his AFL career would be over.
After his delisting by the Bulldogs at the conclusion of the 2020 season, the 26-year-old made the move to the VFL playing for Queensland side the Southport Sharks.
๐จBILLY IS COMING HOME ๐จ@OldXavsFC are excited to announce that @billgowers (XC14) will be back wearing the red & black full time in 2023. Bill has spent the last 2 years playing for Southport in the VFL after 33 games with the Dogs the @afl. Welcome home Billy #goxavsโฌ๏ธ๐ฅ pic.twitter.com/EpL5PBc3QJ
— Old Xaverians Football Club (@OldXavsFC) October 6, 2022
Gowers would play 31 games across two seasons with the Sharks, booting 61 goals, including an eight-goal haul last season against the Brisbane Lions' reserves.
He would feature in the side's Grand Final defeat to Melbourne's affiliate team the Casey Demons.
He joins Old Xaverians where his grandfather Trevor and his father Andy both played.
Old Xaverians enjoyed an excellent campaign in 2022, with the Reserves, the Under 19s, and the Under 23s claiming this year's premiership in their respective divisions.
