GIPPSLAND Power top-ager Jasmine Sowden had a day out to remember at Highgate Recreation Reserve on Saturday, as the midfielder-forward slotted four goals from 31 disposals in the Power’s big win over Murray Bushrangers.

A Vic Country representative, Sowden burst onto the scene last year showing plenty of promise as a bottom-ager and earning a match at Under 18s level for her state. Consolidating that place in 2024 to play all three games at the national carnival, Sowden has now returned to the Power and is making an impact.

In the absence of top Power player Ash Centra, Sowden ran rampant against Murray, starting on-ball then rotating forward to impact the scoreboard and set up her teammates for scoring chances as well.

She was the subject of our Round 16 Coates Talent League Girls Player Focus.

Tasmania DevilsMidfielder

Priya Bowering

Height: 167cm

Weight: -

DOB: 02-01-2007

PLAYER FOCUS

2024 Coates Talent League Girls:
Gippsland Power 9.17 (71) defeated Murray Bushrangers 4.2 (26)

#15 Jasmine Sowden (Gippsland Power)
Stats: 31 disposals (21 kicks, 10 handballs), 7 marks, 3 tackles, 7 inside 50s, 4 goals, 2 behinds

FIRST QUARTER

Sowden started the term in the middle donning the long sleeves in the wet conditions, and had an early kick going inside 50 to Ella Stoddart on the lead. She was able to find a few touches, before moving forward, which enabled the double bottom-age duo of Lily Milner and Grace Dillow to get some on-ball minutes.

At one stage, Sowden pushed up to a wing to win the ball, took it well then sidestepped an opponent to kick it to the forward side of the wing. When deep forward, the top-ager was able to pounce on a loose ball inside 50 and snap truly for her first of the day.

Known for her tackling pressure around the contest, Sowden applied that in the forward half of the ground, and each time she saw her side win the ball she would dart forward to look to outwork any opponent she was on. Her second goal came after her hard running lead to an uncontested mark in the goalsquare.

She would remain forward for the rest of the quarter given she had already kicked two goals, and was hungry for more as late as moments before the quarter time siren sounded.

SECOND QUARTER

Once again Sowden started the second term back in the middle, but soon worked forward with Gippsland well on top in the contest. She presented well on leads, and then when attending stoppages, was able to get either her hands on it, or get into space where she was in a viable position to win it.

The second term was where Sowden really started to tick over the possessions, and though at times a tough fumbly in the wet conditions, always has that extra evasion that can get her out of trouble. She gave Stoddart a perfect handball release for a shot on goal that unfortunately missed, before getting the job done herself.

Once again Sowden found herself playing out of the goalsquare and was able to mark at the top of the goalsquare, turn around a snap truly. She would have three goals to half-time, but also work up to half-forward where one last mark and a short pass inside 50 – albeit a little short for her teammate – would cap off a big opening half.

THIRD QUARTER

Once again Sowden would lineup in the middle and was able to quickly find the ball and work down the ground with a handball under pressure at half-back then ran to the wing for a second touch and deliver to the forward side of the centre square effectively.

When inside 50 – where Sowden was now spending more time than midfield – she was hotly pursued by a Bushrangers opponent in bottom-ager Laura Hovar. She showed all of her experience by winning it at speed then stepping to the inside then outside to wrong foot the defender before taking a few steps forward, composing herself and slotting her fourth goal.

Still just seven minutes into the third term by that stage, Sowden was staring at some video game number stats for a midfielder-forward. Ultimately she would not kick another major, but still looked as dangerous as ever, and there were a few near misses or passes off to teammates.

The second one-on-one in the term against Hovar on the run saw Sowden try and step her opponent again, but on this occasion, the Bushrangers defender was awake to it, dragging her down and winning a holding the ball free kick. It was a rare blemish in an otherwise huge game.

Sowden took another mark at half-forward shortly after and looked inside where she found Stoddart again, but once more the next flying shot missed. The Power top-ager continued to find pockets of space, allowing her opponent to add an extra number to half-forward stoppages while slipping out the back if a quick kick came her way.

She almost took a nice hangar midway through the term, but came off hands. Luckily Sowden was in the best position to recover and took a flying shot from a tight angle that looked to be bending back on its way but ended up a touch too narrow and resulted in a solitary behind.

Sowden looked to set up her sister Taylor when both found themselves playing inside 50, kicking the ball towards her but just past her head and into the space at the back. Though not resulting in a score on that occasion, the younger Sowden was able to feed out a handball to Mia Smith-Clark running into goal from 15m but the double bottom-ager could not connect cleanly and missed from close range.

FOURTH QUARTER

Sowden had a quieter fourth term due to starting on the bench, and also Murray having more ascendancy than the rest of the game, kicking the two last goals of the match – and the only two of the final term – before the siren sounded.

The Power player came on after an extended rest to go forward, and found herself on Ellie Hall who had rotated to half-back from her ball-winning midfield role throughout the day. She laid a great tackle on the Bushranger to force a handball away that resulted in a turnover before darting forward to be an opponent.

Sowden pulled out the ‘don’t argue’ on Hall later on after a nice gather, was able to put it to her left side and kick across her body to apply pressure to the Bushrangers defence with her kick placement. In a later touch nearing the end of the match, Sowden gathered and was able to sidestep Vic Country teammate Holly Egan to get a clean handball away.

CLOSING THOUGHTS…

In Jasmine Sowden’s most complete game to-date, the Gippsland Power player was a clear best on ground performer. She started midfield and rotated forward as is always the case, but her impact inside 50 meant she spent considerable time forward, and even deep forward.

The fact she was still able to accumulate 31 disposals to go with her four goals showed she has the smarts to get into ball-winning positions. Without Centra there, Sowden stepped up to be that key distributor in the forward half, and the midfielder/forward has the ability to use both sides of her body which adds another element to her game.

Having had a quieter patch through the middle of the season, Sowden started building last round against the Rebels where her work rate and disposal was on show, before producing her biggest disposal tally since Round 3 – where Centra also had to come off just after quarter time with illness – and her season-high goal tally.

After the performance, Sowden’s disposal average rose to 21.8, now well eclipsing her 18.2 set last year in her debut bottom-age season. She is averaging an identical 4.0 marks, and has had an extra inside 50 (3.7 to 2.7), marginally more rebound 50s (1.8 to 1.6), and critically kicked eight more goals from the same amount of games to be 11 majors from 13 matches.