TWO OF the most promising midfield prospects crossed paths on the weekend, with Swans Academy’s Evie Bowie and Geelong Falcons’ Ava Bilyk producing contrasting but compelling individual performances in the Swans Academy’s dominant 17.6 (108) to 6.3 (39) victory.

We take a look at both players, their backgrounds and how they shaped up against each other on the day, with Bowie showcasing her relentless work rate and clearance ability, while Bilyk was a shining light for the Falcons with her clean hands and defensive pressure.

STATISTICS

STRENGTHS

Evie Bowie

+ Work rate
+ Clearance work
+ Defensive pressure
+ Clean hands
+ Offensive impact
+ Skills

Bowie’s work rate and ability to extract the ball from stoppages were on full display. She consistently found herself at the bottom of packs, winning the hard ball and dishing it out to her outside runners. Her defensive pressure was equally impressive, highlighted by a brilliant run-down tackle in the third quarter that stopped a dangerous Falcons transition. With ball in hand she uses it well and her offensive impact matched that of her defensive prowess.

Ava Bilyk

+ Clean hands
+ Footy IQ
+ Defensive pressure
+ Decision making
+ Skills
+ Versatility

Bilyk was a standout for the Falcons, demonstrating exceptional clean hands and composure under pressure. Her ability to read the play was evident early on when she brilliantly anticipated a tap to snap the opening goal of the game. She was a constant presence around the stoppages, applying immense defensive pressure and consistently finding ways to release the ball cleanly, even when tackled. Given any time and space, Bilyk will just find those targets few can with a great variety of disposal options.

IMPROVEMENTS

Evie Bowie

– Strength
– Aerial consistency

While Bowie’s ground-level game is exceptional, there is room for improvement in her strength and overhead marking. She was occasionally shrugged off in tackles, notably against Payne in the first quarter, and had a few moments where marks slipped through her hands. Building her core strength will help her stick those tackles and hold her ground more effectively in one-on-one contests. She ticks so many boxes, and a lot of her improvements are easy fixes

Ava Bilyk

– Explosiveness
– Strength

Bilyk is one of those players who just has a brilliant all-round game, and while her own cited improvement of explosiveness might be true, she has a nice burst which can get her out of trouble. The pursuit of excellence is undoubtedly there for the Falcons young gun, and while she is good one-on-one at ground level – largely due to her smarts to know when to push her opponent into the contest and when to dart around her – coming up against bigger opponents means further strength will be required.

STYLES OF PLAY

Evie Bowie

Bowie was a relentless force in the midfield from the opening bounce. She started on-ball against Jemma Andrews and immediately made her presence felt with her pressure and ability to win the ball in tight spaces. Her first quarter yielded 10 disposals, showcasing her work rate as she consistently followed up her initial efforts to apply pressure or win the ball back.

While her middle two quarters left a few ‘what ifs?’ where she got into good positions but the ball either slipped through her hands or she was bumped off it, Bowie finished strongly with another 10 touches in the last term. Her centre clearance work was elite, and she mostly held a firm line between the arcs in the corridor in order to be the receiver with the give-and-go or to hit those angled kicks to open up play.

Ava Bilyk

Bilyk was a shining light for the Falcons, starting on-ball against Aurelia Russell and immediately making an impact. She read the tap perfectly in the forward pocket to snap the opening goal of the game in the second minute, showcasing her brilliant anticipation and clean hands. She gathered 12 disposals in the first quarter alone, consistently winning the ball at ground level and releasing it cleanly despite often being amongst heavy traffic.

She spent time as a defensive sweeper in the second quarter, demonstrating her versatility and defensive mindset with multiple pressure acts and a great spoil on the wing. Her third quarter featured a great gather and weave through traffic to set up a goal, highlighting her composure and vision. She continued to fight hard in the final term, working tirelessly defensively and consistently hitting targets with her precise kicking.

SUMMARY

Bowie’s 31 disposals and a goal in a dominant team performance highlighted her relentless work rate and clearance ability. She is a player who thrives in the contest and consistently drives her team forward with her effort and positioning.

Bilyk’s 34 disposals and a goal in a losing side underlined her class and resilience. She was a constant presence around the ball, demonstrating exceptional clean hands, composure, and defensive pressure.

While the pair rarely crossed paths directly – often on other opponents – both went about their business in a high-impact way. They had support around them, and while Bilyk might have won the battle in terms of production, Bowie won the war as her side ticked over another win.