He was delisted from the AFL. Now he’s the top punter in American college football

Like any first-year student on a big university campus, Billy Gowers spent the first week of the semester getting lost looking for his classes.

It was the second time he’d started a degree, having dropped out after one semester a decade ago. Back then, Gowers was playing in the AFL and, hailing from a high-profile family in the sport, imagined his career would begin and end in Aussie Rules.

He never imagined that instead, at 29 years old and on the other side of the world, he’d be starting all over again as the oldest freshman on the University of Hawaii’s American football team. Nor that after just six games this season, he would be the highest-ranked freshman punter in American college football.

Gowers is the son of 1991 grand final winner and current Hawthorn president Andrew Gowers, and was raised playing the sport. He spent five years in the AFL during stints at Carlton and the Western Bulldogs, for whom he played 33 games over three seasons. But his budding career came to a shuddering halt in 2020 when he was delisted.

“I was ready to hopefully burst onto the scene, but it wasn’t really the case. I got delisted and immediately it was like, ‘Holy shit, it’s all over’,” he said.

“I consider myself really lucky that I still really enjoyed the game after. There were times in which I despised the game and really felt hard done by, but I was lucky that I was young enough to finish when I did... I had enough time to get over it and get back to loving the game.”

After his axing by the Bulldogs, Gowers played VFL with Southport Sharks and started working as a barber in Melbourne. He was content with his life, which included a successful business, regular footy and the chance to live near his partner, family and friends. He certainly wasn’t looking to embark on a new career in an entirely different sport on the other side of the world.

But when his father asked last year if he’d ever considered playing in the NFL, Gowers began giving the option some consideration.

“[I thought], I might as well try and see, because I’d hate to get to 40 years of age and remember when dad was like, ‘You should try NFL’.”

Following in the footsteps of other ex-AFL players – and even other children of club presidents – Gowers joined ProKick Australia, which coaches athletes to play American football.

At the same time, the coaching staff at the University of Hawaii had a dilemma. Their starting punter, Australian Lucas Borrow, had been knocked back in his application for one more year of eligibility to play college football. The team urgently needed to find a replacement.

After watching a video of Gowers kicking, they made him a formal offer. The 29-year-old jokes that it took him all of about “0.3 seconds” to decide whether to accept it: “It was a bit of a no-brainer in my eyes.”

Within months, Gowers had flown to Hawaii, leaving his job and family behind. He enrolled in a new degree in business – this time, he’s determined to complete it.

“It’s certainly interesting to say the least,” he said. “I’m almost 30 and a lot of the kids are 17, 18 years of age. To be honest, I feel a bit awkward from time to time, and it’s certainly pretty humbling.

Gower’s barbering skills and offer of regular trims for his teammates have helped him become a firm favourite within the squad. While he is still at the start of the road in Hawaii, Gowers is determined to one day make it to the NFL.

“Obviously, the big [aim] is to play in the NFL and to have a long career in the NFL, but knowing all too well that it’s a hard job,” he says. “There are only 32 spots in the world, really. You’ve got to be top 32 kickers in the world with an NFL ball.”

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