WEST Australian defender Maya Louvel-Finn was deservedly named All-Australian at the conclusion of last month’s AFL Women’s Under 18 Championships, and is the subject of our analysis today. The East Fremantle talent earned a State Draft Combine invite, but when crunching the numbers for the national championships, she was part of a rare group, the 60 per cent club.

Of players to average more than 10 disposals across the carnival – ie. 10 touches per game – Louvel-Finn recorded above 60 per cent for all five of kicking, handball and disposal efficiency, contested possession rate and groundball gets. While we’ll discuss what this means in a moment, essentially, she was the only player to achieve the feat – with 40-plus disposals – and only one of two players with Allies’ tall defender Danika McDonald (30 disposals) to do it at all.

DISPOSAL

Louvel-Finn’s disposal is a strength of hers, and while her ability to execute on the run was an area she wanted to improve, it is not a hindrance like many others. Sure, she can still make errors, but as a whole, the East Fremantle top-ager is a player you want the ball in the hands of more often than not. She is right-foot dominant but it’s a penetrating kick that can be low bullets or opening up the angles on that 45 into the corridor.

Across the course of the national championships, Louvel-Finn recorded 49 disposals – at 12.3 per game – and finished with a disposal efficiency of 63.3 per cent, while her kicking (62.9) and handballing (64.3) both hit the mark where often one is more dominant than the others for players.

METHOD

Strong one-on-one, Louvel-Finn is known for her intercepting ability and marking potential. Though she only averaged the two marks per game at the national championships – eight for the carnival – she clunked three contested, which put her equal sixth across the competition.

However this analysis isn’t about her aerial work, but instead her clean hands at ground level. Louvel-Finn won a whopping 72.7 per cent of her possessions at ground level, one of only six players to achieve the feat in the entire tournament. Of those six, she recorded the most disposals (49) with Alex Neyland (44) and Jovie Skewes-Clinton (40) the other two to achieve the feat with a 10-plus disposal average.

UNDER PRESSURE

In addition to winning the ball cleanly at ground level and being Louvel-Finn’s main method of production during the national championships, the numbers show she was composed with ball in hand. Her understanding of the game and ability not to panic is another strength of hers, and she had to win almost 70 per cent of her possessions in a contest (68.9).

With almost four rebound 50s per game, Louvel-Finn naturally gathered most of her touches in the defensive half, often in the back 50 or thereabouts, bravely defending. Her job on Allies’ Majella Day was the highlight, as her ability to keep Day to her quietest game while providing offensive rebound was the catalyst for the Sandgropers’ victory.

KEY NUMBERS SUMMARY

Disposal Efficiency: 63.3% (25th)
Groundball Gets: 72.7% (2nd)
Contested Poss: 68.9% (4th)

Note: Rankings are for all players with 40-plus disposals in the tournament

DRAFT POTENTIAL

Louvel-Finn is one of the stronger State Draft Combine invitees in the AFLW Draft crop and as it stands is between that 30-50 range. While not always the most flashiest role to play, Louvel-Finn has the ability to both shutdown her opponent and provide rebound on the transition too.

Given her athletic ability – which is underrated considering so much focuses on her ability to beat her opponent – she ticks most boxes clubs are after. A touch unlucky not to get a National Draft Combine invitation on form and upside, it could be largely put down to the bulk of talent in the state given the AFLW clubs’ heavy focus on local talent outside the first round.

SUMMARY

While these are just numbers on a page, it is not a surprise whatsoever to see Louvel-Finn fare so well. Sometimes intercepting defenders can get pidgeonholed into being a player who can read it well, mark and clear the ball, but Louvel-Finn has multiple layers to her game, and she showed at the national championships that she is just as good at ground level as in the air.