LIFE, on and off the field, has changed quite drastically for Sam Powell-Pepper recently.

A couple of years ago, after a chat with Yartapuulti coach Ken Hinkley, the tough and physically imposing inside midfielder was handed the task of seeing if his distinctive skillset could be transitioned into an attacking role. Powell-Pepper didn't think twice. He instantly set about becoming the best pressure half-forward he could be.

The positional change came amid a period where life, off the field, was also altering significantly for Powell-Pepper. In March 2022, he became a father for the first time when his partner, Brya, gave birth to their daughter Frankie. The pair are now expecting their second child in July.

Powell-Pepper took to the on-field switch as seamlessly as he has taken to fatherhood. Life, ever since, has hardly been better. The 25-year-old has become one of the League's most damaging and effective forwards, with the unique perspective provided to him by Frankie's introduction to the world at the heart of his excellent run.

"Being a father, it puts a lot of things into perspective," Powell-Pepper told AFL.com.au this week.

"When my little girl came along, you can't really explain it. It changes you instantly. It's given me so much meaning and purpose. It's given me a reason to get up every morning and go to training and work as hard as I do. Everything I do is for her, to set my kids up and to make them proud as well."

Powell-Pepper's shift in role has been gradual. Having been recruited to Yartapuulti with the 18th pick in the 2016 national draft, the hardened West Australian prospect played almost exclusively as a bullish and big-bodied inside midfielder throughout his first two seasons in the League.

The decision to throw him straight into the deep-end as one of the side's starting midfielders was emboldened by the fact he won an AFL Rising Star nomination on debut, having racked up 19 disposals and seven clearances, as well as kicking two goals, in a thrilling round one performance against Sydney back in 2017.

He has since split his time relatively evenly between the midfield and the forward line, before transitioning to a full-time attacking role over the last two campaigns. It's been there where Powell-Pepper has truly excelled.

Champion Data notes that Powell-Pepper ranks 'above average' among all forwards this season for disposals (14.7 per game), contested possessions (6.8 per game), forward-50 groundballs (1.9 per game), forward-half pressure points (27.9 per game), tackles (3.2 per game), score involvements (5.3 per game) and goals (1.3 per game).

Fully comfortable with his surroundings, and having emerged as a proud leader both within the side's forward line and among the group more holistically, Powell-Pepper has nailed the task set for him by Hinkley and the side's coaching group.

"I think it was Kenny and a couple of the coaches that had the chat with me. We had quite a few midfielders and they saw that I could play a bit up forward, just through my goal sense and my pressure and stuff like that. They saw a lot of opportunities for me to go up forward," Powell-Pepper said.

"It was a bit different, not training with the midfielders and stuff like that. But as soon as we started getting into match play and games, I really enjoyed it. It was a bit of a shock in the first couple of months, but you learn pretty quickly to adapt.

"In the midfield, you're obviously around the ball a lot more. It's different running. But with that half-forward role, you're running up and down the wings and getting out to help the defenders before sprinting back towards goal. You've got to finish your work as well, once you do get the footy. It's a pretty taxing role, it's a tough role, but it's fun."

That Powell-Pepper had no qualms in doing what his coaches asked of him, even despite the fact it meant sacrificing midfield time, speaks volumes to his unquestionable team-first nature. His selflessness, and his competitiveness, have always been the standout feature to his game.

It's what Powell-Pepper's manager, Andrew McDougall from Corporate Sports Australia, first noticed about the talented young East Perth product when he was coming through the junior pathways. It's also what he's noticed since, having continually knocked back interest from elsewhere – often despite the promise of more midfield time – to remain at Yartapuulti and establish a winning culture.

"Sam is loving playing for the footy club," McDougall told AFL.com.au.

"He's just such a team-first person. I remember before Sam got drafted and was playing at East Perth, I called him after he'd played an amazing game. He'd kicked three or four goals and starred in the midfield but East Perth had lost the game. I remember saying, 'Well played today Sam' but he was really down. He was just so disappointed that the team had lost the match. He wasn’t focused on anything else.

"I think that attitude is testament to Sam's great character and he's shown that mindset in every game he's played. It's been fantastic to see his football career go from strength to strength at the club."

Much of Powell-Pepper's development can be owed to the guidance of Hinkley, with the highly respected coach becoming a significant mentor in recent years and trusting the youngster with leadership roles both on and off the field. Powell-Pepper, in turn, has repaid that faith by becoming one of his coach's most reliable players.

"Kenny's had a huge impact on my career," Powell-Pepper said.

"We get along really well. We have a really close relationship outside of footy. He's really proud of the man I've become and he backs me all the way. Footy-wise, he's a really great coach, but he's an even better person.

"Kenny's a really passionate guy. He celebrates all of the good things. But also, if something is going wrong, he's really positive and talks us through it. I reckon it's a really good change, him being down on the bench. I can speak for all of the boys, too. We really enjoy having him there. It's different, but it makes you feel more comfortable."

While much has changed in the seven years and 123 games that Powell-Pepper has already spent in the AFL system at Yartapuulti, more is still to come on and off the field for the hugely respected talent.

He has recently started working with Ladder, a community mentoring program, while he is also undertaking volunteer work with Indigenous mental health organisations. His second child is due in the coming months, and the matter of helping Yartapuulti break through for an elusive premiership under Hinkley is also on the agenda.

"As Sam's manager, I'm so proud of his journey both on and off the field," McDougall said.

"Sam has been through highs and lows like every AFL player, but he has persevered through every challenge he's faced and has become one of the club's most loved players."