GEELONG Falcons captain and highly-touted 2026 AFLW Draft prospect Ava Bilyk continues to prove why she is considered one of the premier talents in her class. Despite the Falcons suffering a heavy 12.9 (81) to 3.5 (23) defeat at the hands of the Dandenong Stingrays at Shepley Oval in Round 12 of the Talent League Girls, Bilyk was a shining light in a tough day for the visitors.

The versatile midfielder/forward, who turns 18 next month, amassed a game-high 33 disposals while working tirelessly at the coalface and on the outside. Her performance underscored the elite football IQ, clean hands, and composure under pressure that have defined her draft year.

BACKGROUND

Name: Ava Bilyk
Height: 169cm
DOB: 07/07/2008
Position: Midfielder/Forward
Clubs: Geelong Falcons/St Mary’s

A top-ager in the 2026 Talent League Girls competition, Ava Bilyk is one of the most naturally gifted footballers in this year’s AFLW Draft pool. The Geelong Falcons captain grew up watching her father play country football and credits him – alongside ex-AFL players Troy Selwood and Nigel Lappin — as key mentors in her development. She models her game on Melbourne Demons and AFLW star Tyla Hanks, and the comparison is apt: clean hands, composure under pressure, and the ability to use the ball with precision no matter the situation.

Bilyk’s trademark helmet has become as recognisable as her football, a habit formed from her days playing with the boys. She earned Vic Country Under 16s MVP honours in 2024 and was named in the AFLW Under 16s All-Australian side before an injury-interrupted bottom-age season in 2025 briefly disrupted her trajectory.

She has responded emphatically in 2026, captaining the Falcons, earning a place in the All-Stars squad for game two against the National AFLW Academy, and being named co-captain of Vic Country for the AFLW Under 18 Championships – where she was named in the Round 1 Team of the Week after booting two goals and racking up seven clearances against the Allies.

Known for her football IQ, decision making, and versatility across all lines, Bilyk is the definition of a do-it-all midfielder. Her Round 12 performance against the Stingrays was another reminder of why clubs are paying close attention.

PLAYER FOCUS

Stats vs. Dandenong Stingrays, Round 12: 33 disposals (24 kicks, 9 handballs), 66.7% disposal efficiency, 5 marks, 8 tackles, 9 clearances, 10 inside 50s, 4 rebound 50s, 0.1.

QUARTER ONE

Starting on-ball, Bilyk set the tone immediately. She won the very first clearance of the match and drove a lovely kick inside 50 to signal her intentions. Her value as an extractor was evident early – sent into a defensive stoppage, she held her line on the outside before clearing the danger and getting the Falcons moving.

Her ability to cover the ground was on show throughout the term. A handball receive at half-back was met with a thumping kick all the way forward for another inside 50 entry, while a handball receive at the top of the 50 saw her attempt a checkside kick deeper into attack that fell just short. Eight disposals from five kicks and three handballs in the opening term – a solid foundation for what was to come.

QUARTER TWO

The second quarter was where Bilyk’s football intelligence shone brightest. Returning to the centre bounce, she continued to read the play at an elite level. At a forward stoppage, she anticipated the ruck tap perfectly and snapped at goal from an almost impossible angle, only to be denied by the post in a desperately unlucky moment. Her anticipation at stoppages is as good as anyone in the draft pool.

She remained active in all phases. A mark at half-forward was converted into a deep kick to the pocket contest, while a fantastic tackle on the wing led directly to her winning the ball off the ensuing tap and kicking to a one-on-one. She was also penalised for a push in the back when contesting close to goal against the taller Gabrielle Mehrmann – a sign she was getting to the right spots.

Her composure with ball in hand was a constant feature, waiting for the right option before releasing, though one long kick down the wing drifted too wide. Eight disposals from seven kicks and a handball, plus a mark – another productive term.

QUARTER THREE

The third quarter was a tougher watch for Bilyk as the Stingrays began to assert themselves with five goals to nil, but her individual contributions remained sharp. Starting on-ball, she took a mark at half-back and drove the ball long down the wing. She was then stiff to be caught holding the ball and penalised for a high contact in back-to-back plays – a frustrating sequence – but responded immediately with a great tackle in the middle to lock the ball up.

Her offensive positioning was a highlight. Pushing hard forward from a centre stoppage, she took a mark and kicked with the outside of her boot, the shot going wide and being rushed through for a behind. Deep in the defensive 50, she marked in the back pocket, attempted to step around an opponent, and despite slipping, still managed to get an effective handball away. Three disposals and three marks in the term – a quieter statistical output, but the quality of her contest work and positioning never wavered.

QUARTER FOUR

If the first three quarters showed Bilyk’s class, the final term showed her character. With the game long gone, she racked up 14 disposals – 10 kicks and four handballs – in a dominant personal quarter that underlined why she is considered a premium draft prospect.

Starting on-ball, she was clean with her hands from the first contest. She kicked well deep inside 50 early, though her entries were sometimes intercepted off hands by a stout Stingrays defence. Her standout sequence came midway through the term when she gathered at half-back, kicked to the wing, and then engaged in two consecutive one-two handball chains along the boundary line – collecting three touches in a single play – before hitting a target inside 50. It was a passage of play that captured everything Bilyk does well: vision, movement, and execution under pressure.

She received a handball from the ruck in the middle and pinpointed a target at half-forward with smart, composed ball use. A lovely flick handball at half-forward while using her body effectively to protect the ball was another highlight, as was mopping up in the back pocket with quick hands before winning a free kick at a centre stoppage for being illegally tackled and driving the ball long. She closed out the match with a clean gather at half-forward and a nice kick to Greea McKeegan inside 50 – a fitting final act in a tireless performance.

CONCLUSION

Bilyk’s 33-disposal, nine-clearance, 10-inside-50 performance against the Dandenong Stingrays was not just the best individual display in a losing side – it was a genuine statement of intent from a player who refuses to let the scoreboard dictate her output.

What makes Bilyk so compelling is the full package on display: the football IQ to read the play before it happens, the clean hands to execute under pressure, the versatility to impact the game across all four lines, and the leadership to keep driving when the contest is lost.

The near-goal from an impossible angle in the second quarter, the one-two-three handball chain on the wing in the final term, the eight tackles laid across the game – those moments tell the complete story of a player who is building a very strong case for a high draft selection in 2026.