Let's take a look at Jake Bowey's 2021...
No. VFL games: 8
Statistics:
Disposals - 21.8 avg.
Kicks - 13.8 avg.
Tackles - 2.5 avg.
No. AFL games: 7
Statistics:
Disposals - 17 avg. (119)
Disposal efficiency – 82.4 avg.
Intercept possessions – 5.4 avg. (38 total)
Ground ball gets – 5.3 avg. (37 total)
Season Overview:
Bowey joined the Demons at the end of last year when he was drafted with pick No.21 at the 2020 National Draft. The 19-year-old came to the club with a number of notable strengths including his precise kicking skills, football knowledge and on-field composure.
After consecutive consistent performances in the VFL, averaging 21.8 disposals, Bowey’s opportunity came in Round 20 when he made his AFL debut. The medium defender slotted into the side across half-back and settled there for the remainder of the season. In just his third game for Melbourne, Bowey received a NAB AFL Rising Star nomination for his performance against Adelaide, where he collected 18 disposals, nine handballs, seven contested possessions and five intercept possessions.
Bowey continued his work in the backline throughout Melbourne’s finals campaign, with his seventh game being the biggest of them all – the AFL Grand Final. The 19-year-old kept to his strengths on the day, with his composure coming into play and after just 12 months in the league, Bowey finished the 2021 season off as a premiership player.