AFLW: Fremantle Dockers star Kiara Bowers on watching from the sidelines after birth of son Luca

Fremantle’s greatest-ever AFLW player doesn’t like watching her team play from the sidelines.

But making this season easier for Kiara Bowers is the Dockers’ electric form, which has them on track for a return to finals.

In her first interview since the birth of her son Luca, Bowers has revealed the start to his life was “sketchy” and involved a long stint in hospital.

Luca, now two months old, was born weeks premature. But her now family of four are settled, happy at home and have even returned to the football club.

Bowers’ partner Adele Coxall, four-year-old Nate and Luca were at the launch of the club’s Pride jumper on Thursday. Luca was the star attraction with teammates, staff and coach Lisa Webb.

“It’s going good, it was a bit sketchy at the start, but he’s home and we’re happy,” Bowers told The West Australian.

“I loved having Nate come down all the time and now we’re just lucky we get two and hopefully we don’t annoy Webby too much with having too many boys down.

“Obviously I was in hospital for a while, but now that I’m settled and at home I’ll be coming down a hell of a lot more just to annoy the girls and rev them up. I’m excited to be able to come back down.”

Fremantle sit sixth with a 5-2 record and are eyeing a finals series after two seasons on the outer.

They’re going so well, Bowers even joked she might not walk straight back into their starting midfield.

“I think I’ going to have to earn my spot, I think anyone on the team will have to earn their spot back and I’m excited to try that,” she said.

“Super impressed. I think what’s impressed me most is probably the younger girls stepping up and obviously our recruits in (Gabby) Newton and Ash Mac (Aisling McCarthy) and Braz (Ash Brazill) — she’s just solid out back — they have probably impressed me the most.

“I’m just excited to watch the girls this season, that’s first and foremost, next year is a whole different year. Excited to see what the girls can do this year.”

But she does want the Dockers to put a stop to their close finishes.

“I’m a horrible watcher. Especially the last couple of weeks have been close games, I am screaming at the TV,” Bowers said.

“I think I text Webby and said ‘can we please not make them that close anymore’.