Josh Cowan Biography

Josh Cowan's career at Geelong is over after failing to secure a new contract for 2018.

The oft-injured Cat played just 16 games in eight seasons, and after another year crueled by injury, Cowan has been told he can explore free agency with another club.

"Josh's great character and resilience held him in high regard with his teammates and coaches over his eight years at Geelong," Cats football manager Simon Lloyd said.

"Josh has and will continue to be greatly respected by everyone at the club and we wish him all the best for his future endeavours."

Josh Cowan is set to miss the rest of the season after Geelong decided surgery was the best option with his Achilles tendon.

He is expected to be out of action for 10-12 weeks.

Josh Cowan is hoping his bad luck with injuries is behind him.

He played the final nine games in 2016 to re-establish a career that promised so much after he arrived from playing in a senior Daylesford premiership to make his debut in round 10, 2011 as the Cats headed to their most recent flag.

"It was really good to finally get back out there and show yourself you can actually play at the level and your body can actually get through because it had been a horrid couple of years watching plenty of footy," Cowan said.

"I was pretty happy with that."

Josh Cowan signs a one-year deal with Geelong to remain at the club in 2017.

"Josh is a young man with resilience and his work ethic and attitude towards his football is why he is so respected within the club.

"When things haven't fallen his way, Josh's character has never wavered and we look forward to seeing Josh enjoy continuity in his football," Geelong football manager Steve Hocking said.

Josh Cowan signs a new deal with Geelong. The midfielder has battled Achilles and hamstring injuries over six seasons and only played five AFL games.

"Josh is a really talented player and when he has been given an opportunity, he has grabbed it with both hands," Geelong football manager Steve Hocking said.

Josh Cowan's long-awaited return from injury has lasted less than a quarter after he was subbed out of Friday night's clash with Collingwood.

Cowan injured his right hamstring during the early stages of the match.

Geelong will keep Josh Cowan on its list in 2015, despite the luckless midfielder being ruled out for the rest of this season due to another leg problem.

Cowaant underwent successful surgery on his right Achilles in London early last year and will undergo a similar operation on his left Achilles next week in Geelong.

"He's got a little anomaly … down in his Achilles," club physio Mike Snelling said.

"There's a little muscle and tendon called plantaris, and that has sort of … grown into his Achilles.

"He'll have that excised in surgery next week."

After travelling to London to have surgery by the world's leading tendon injury expert, Josh Cowan believes his achilles woes are behind him.

"It felt pretty good to know that the club supported me and were going to send me all the way over there to get me right and give me the best chance to get back and play some football," Cowan said.

"I've come back feeling really good. My recovery is moving along pretty fast, so I'm really happy with how it's all going."

Geelong midfielder Josh Cowan is under pressure to play regular senior football in 2013 faces a make-or-break twelve months.

"I just try to forget about that," Cowan said.

"That's where my older teammates like James Kelly and Joel Corey have really helped me. They've been great in telling me not to get caught up in things that you can't control.

"If I focus on playing good footy, then everything else can take care of itself."

Forgotten Cat Josh Cowan says he hopes he can finally rejoin full training with team after overcoming his injury woes.

"I'm feeling a bit nervous about going back to training, actually," Cowan said.

"I watched the boys train today, and when I was watching them do the full-ground drills I was worrying that I'll be a bit slow and forget my skills and forget where I'm meant to run.

"Hopefully it will all come back to me, but it does feel like a long time since I was out there with the boys. It feels like a couple of years, to be honest."

Josh Cowan makes his AFL debut for Geelong with 9 disposals (5 kicks and 4 handballs), 5 marks, 2 tackles and a goal in a 66-point win over Gold Coast.