STRENGTHS:

+ Production
+ Dual-sidedness
+ Contested work
+ Reading the play
+ Penetrating kick
+ Decision making
+ Aerial ability
+ Consistency

IMPROVEMENTS:

- Kicking precision
- Composure

You could talk about Bown's strengths and weapons all day long, so we'll start with a couple of areas which can be both a strength and an improvement for the Chargers talent. Her kicking is penetrative and impressively dual-sided to the point where we actually had to confirm with her she was a right-footer given her ability to fluently use her left. She can exit either side of a stoppage and be comfortable getting boot to ball, which is vital for when she is under pressure at the top level.

That element of her kicking is fantastic and for most, clearing 40-plus metres by foot is by definition, effective. However when it comes to a player of Bown's quality, to find areas to improve, you need to nit-pick. For Bown, that would be her kicking precision. It's certainly not the worst, but being able to refine her kicking particularly under pressure would take her game to a whole new level.

With time and space she can place her kicks well, it is more a case of when either exiting a stoppage while under pressure or with no ability to clear the congestion, she tends to dump it on the boot or go for distance. Her best work when under pressure is conducted by hand, with her cleanliness at ground level and ability to pick out targets superb.

Now moving onto the wide array of strengths that Bown possesses, you can start with her aerial ability and impact. She flies for marks, clunks grabs and has a pair of velcro-like hands which aid in her gaining plenty of shots on goal, or being able to slow the tempo down and pickout a target forward of centre. Her penetrative kick means she is within goal range anywhere inside 50, and her finishing as a rule of thumb is usually very good.

Without the ball, Bown is just as fierce defensively, and has no issues laying tackles and forcing turnovers. She is very much more of an offensive runner, but that is also largely due to the fact she has played in successful teams, so the ball is usually on the offensive transition. Given her safe hands, she often camps out at the top of either 50 to relieve the pressure with a good mark, or intercept and thump the ball back inside deep to put pressure on the defence.

Her reading of the play around the ground or when forward is also terrific, and she brings her own ball to the game most weeks. Production wise, few can hold a candle to her, and there are minimal games where the opposition has been able to shut her down. Usually it is a case of just limiting her influence as she finds the ball with ease and in all manner of ways. But keeping her to just winning it under pressure is critical to the opposition, or she will punish any sides giving her space.

The other element of her game that we haven't touched on is her athletic profile. That's because while it's still very good, it is lower down on her list of strengths. For most players some of her abilities in that way would be strengths, but there needs to be a cut off at some point. She has above average speed and agility, and her endurance is between that and elite, able to run out games easily. In terms of her vertical leap, she competes in the air strongly, but uses her frame more so than the actual jump itself to take the mark. She is still really solid in that area however.

As a whole her consistency is unrivalled and even just based on her accolades alone, it is clear she has had some sort of year. It was not a surprise as such, because she was touted in the top five throughout last season, but Bown has done well to maintain that level and even go up a notch with that additional season. Heading into the AFLW Draft, she looms as the likely first Victorian selection, and potentially first overall depending on where the first pick lands after trade week.