OVER the next three weeks, Rookie Me Central will be counting down our 23 Players Under 23 years of age to watch in the upcoming 2023 season. The criteria is the player must be born in 2001 or later, and must have played at least one AFL Women’s match in Season 7. As the list is completely subjective, the opinion is that of the individual author.
#18 Mikayla Bowen (Geelong)
DOB: 17/04/2001
Height: 164cm
Position: Wing
Games: 36
Mikayla Bowen was a highly touted youngster out of Western Australia who was picked up as part of an expansion signing for West Coast when the Eagles entered the AFL Women;’s. As a member of the West Coast Women’s Academy, Bowen was signed preseason and still represented her state at the AFLW Under 18 Championships where she was named in the All-Australian side and won Western Australia’s MVP.
She went on to play 25 games and kick eight goals across West Coast’s first three seasons, becoming a crucial player in the midfield. After playing largely inside midfield in her debut season, Bowen moved more outside and has found a home on a wing. That is the role she played for Geelong last season, after requesting a move to the Cats at the end of Season 6, and being traded for Pick 24.
SEASON 7 KEY STATS:
Games: 11
Disposals: 14.4
Disposal Efficiency: 67.1
Marks: 2.7
Tackles: 2.4
Metres Gained: 213.3
Uncontested Possessions: 10.7
Inside 50s: 2.0
Rebound 50s: 1.2
Intercepts: 3.9
Score involvements: 1.9
Time of Ground %: 83.8
Bowen played all 11 games for Geelong in Season 7 as a permanent winger. She averaged more than 14 disposals and 10 uncontested possessions, while impressively totalling up an average of 213.3 metres per game. Using her skills to full advantage, Bowen had some ups and downs during the season, but largely slotted in well with the Cats, averaging 67.1 per cent disposal efficiency across the course of the season.
Her Round 4 match against North Melbourne was a highlight, as Bowen racked up 17 disposals, four marks, seven intercepts, three inside 50s na a massive 406 metres gained. She would record more than 200 metres gained in six of her 11 games, and only fell short of triple digits on three occasions. Bowen enjoyed a promising finish to the season, collecting 20 disposals for the second time in Season 7 against the Swans, before a hard-working 19-disposal, five-tackle and 243 metres gained performance.
LOOKING AHEAD
Mikayla Bowen is an exciting talent who turned 22 back in April. Though others in the Geelong lineup receive plenty of praise, Bowen provides a key role on the wing and has plenty of promise for the future. She is one who will be crucial for the Cats in Season 8 as they look to go deeper in the finals series off the back of a core of young guns.
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