Fowler looms as a key plank in Australia's bid to win the Women's Asian Cup for the first time since 2010, with the Matildas' campaign beginning against the Philippines at Optus Stadium on Sunday.
There were grave fears Fowler would miss the showpiece home tournament when she tore her anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee while playing for Manchester City in April last year.
But after spending nine-and-a-half months on the sidelines, Fowler made her return as a 75th-minute substitute in a 5-1 FA Cup win over Chelsea in early February.
Fowler spent another three weeks on the sidelines after that before being handed a start last weekend, and although lacking match fitness, she's confident of making an impact at the Asian Cup.
"After getting my first minutes against Chelsea, I then had a few little bumps along the road, so I missed a couple of games," Fowler said.
"But then on the weekend I got to get my first start. So that was really good for the confidence and really good to just see how the body feels during a game, but also pulling up afterwards.
"I feel good being here. And I think the heat's really going to help because half the issue's my knees being frozen. So just excited to be out there."
Fowler, who has scored 16 goals from 63 Matildas appearances, was just 20 when she announced herself as a star of the future with a series of dazzling displays at the 2023 Women's World Cup.
But being in the spotlight combined with the grind of day-to-day football took its toll.
It meant when Fowler's knee injury came about it was easy for her to see the silver lining.
"Because I've been playing football for so many years it becomes such a routine," Fowler told CommBank Newsroom during a sit-down interview.
"I think it's easy to lose the joy in it when you're just doing the same thing over and over again.
"And I think not having heaps of time off makes it harder to stay as fresh and energetic, coming into work every day and trying to perform.
"So I think for me, whenever I've had time away from the sport, it's always given me a fresh perspective on how lucky I am to be playing it and doing it as a job.
"So having this time out it's allowed me to just mentally also have a bit of a break."
Fowler said going through rehab made her appreciate how lucky she was to have such a high-functioning body.
"It's just opened my eyes to so many little things my body does and it's made me more grateful for that," Fowler said.
"The girls at (Manchester) City - I love being around them as well. And so since coming back everyone's just been so excited for me and that's been heartwarming as well.
"I think I've just had a good nine months out of it where I've been able to switch off from football and enjoy stuff outside of it as well. And now I just feel really ready to be back in it."
Fowler also released a book during her injury absence - Bloom: Creating a life I love.
The star attacker hopes sharing her own struggles with mental health will help others along their own journey.
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