Dylan Stephens

Dylan Stephens
Personal information
Date of birth	(2001-01-08) 8 January 2001 (age 24)
Place of birth	Mildura, Victoria
Original team(s)	Norwood (SANFL)
Draft	No. 5, 2019 AFL draft, Sydney
Debut	12 July 2020, Sydney vs. Richmond, at The Gabba
Height	184 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Weight	79 kg (174 lb)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Club information
Current club	North Melbourne
Number	15
Playing career^1
Years	Club	Games (Goals)
2020–2023	Sydney	43 (11)
2024–	North Melbourne	16 (0)
Total		59 (11)
^1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2024.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Dylan Stephens (born 8 January 2001) is an Australian rules footballer who plays for the North Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He was initially recruited by the Sydney Swans with the fifth pick in the 2019 AFL draft.[1][2]

Early football

Stephens played junior football for his local club, Red Cliffs Football Club.[3][4] He attended Red Cliffs Primary School and then Red Cliffs Secondary College.[5] He later attended and played football for St Peter's College in Adelaide, while on a football scholarship.[3] Stephens played for Norwood in the SANFL for the 2019 season, where he played 13 games and kicked six goals.[6][7][8] Stephens also represented South Australia in the AFL Under 18 Championships, where he ended up winning the award for Most Valuable Player in the South Australian Side, as well as selection in the All-Australian Under 18 side.[9][10]

AFL career

Stephens debuted in the Swans' eight point loss to the Richmond Tigers in the 6th round of the 2020 AFL season, alongside teammate Chad Warner.[11][12][13] On debut, Stephens collected 11 disposals, 5 marks and 4 tackles, and kicked a behind.[14]

Stephens was in and out of the Swans through 2021 and the first half of 2022, before a consistent run of games through 2022 including being included in the team for the 2022 AFL Grand Final.[15][16]

A contract extension signed in 2021 committed Stephens to the Swans until the end of 2023.[17] Stephens played in the opening game of the 2023 season against the Gold Coast Suns, amassing 27 disposals.[18] On 11 October 2023, Stephens was traded to North Melbourne.[19]

Statistics

Updated to the end of 2024.[20]

Legend

G	Goals	K	Kicks	D	Disposals	T	Tackles
B	Behinds	H	Handballs	M	Marks

Season	Team	No.	Games	Totals							Averages (per game)
				G	B	K	H	D	M	T	G	B	K	H	D	M	T
2020[a]	Sydney	3	8	2	3	68	32	100	27	27	0.2	0.3	8.5	4.0	12.5	3.3	3.3
2021	Sydney	3	7	1	1	30	29	59	20	8	0.1	0.1	4.2	4.1	8.4	2.8	1.1
2022	Sydney	3	15	5	2	171	67	238	63	38	0.3	0.1	11.4	4.5	15.9	4.2	2.5
2023	Sydney	3	13	3	3	113	63	176	37	32	0.2	0.2	8.7	4.8	13.5	2.8	2.5
2024	North Melbourne	15	16	0	1	134	70	204	43	23	0.0	0.1	8.4	4.4	12.8	2.7	1.4
Career			59	11	10	516	261	777	190	128	0.2	0.2	8.7	4.4	13.2	3.2	2.2

Notes

1. The 2020 season was played with 17 home-and-away matches per team (down from 22) and 16-minute quarters with time on (down from 20-minute quarters with time on) due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

References

1. "Dylan Stephens". Footywire. Archived from the original on 6 October 2020. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
2. Milbank, Zac (November 2019). "Three Croweaters taken in First Round". SANFL Media. Archived from the original on 8 August 2020. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
3. "The school behind Stephens". Sydney Swans FC Media. 25 August 2020. Archived from the original on 31 March 2021. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
4. Dearlove, Angus (21 August 2020). "Dylan Stephens steadily rising at Swans". Sunraysia Daily. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
5. "The school behind Stephens". sydneyswans.com.au. 24 August 2020. Archived from the original on 31 March 2021. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
6. "Dylan Stephens". Aussie Rules Draft Central. Archived from the original on 28 June 2020. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
7. "Stephens to the Swans". NorwoodFC Media. November 2019. Archived from the original on 22 September 2020. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
8. "The first five croweaters picked". AdelaideNow. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
9. Balmer, Matt (19 November 2019). "Dylan Stephens starred for South Australia. It's why his national carnival self-assessment seems so harsh". Fox Sports. Archived from the original on 14 September 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
10. "Pick five: Dylan Stephens". Sydney Swans FC Media. 27 November 2019. Archived from the original on 14 September 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
11. Wu, Andrew (11 July 2020). "From Super Mario Kart to the big stage for two young Swans". The Age. Archived from the original on 11 July 2020. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
12. Di Fabrizio, Michael (13 July 2020). "Positive signs for Dylan Stephens in AFL debut". Sunraysia Daily. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
13. Beveridge, Riley (8 July 2020). "Two to debut: Swans to unveil No.5 pick, bull-at-a-gate mid". AFL Media. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
14. "Round 6 • Richmond v Sydney Swans - Player Stats". Archived from the original on 10 August 2020. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
15. Garb, Daniel (7 August 2022). "Late-blooming Swan 'still far from satisfied'". Archived from the original on 16 April 2023. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
16. "Team line-ups". Archived from the original on 16 April 2023. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
17. Whiting, Michael (19 February 2022). "The last thing you want to do is...': Why young Swan stayed". Archived from the original on 16 April 2023. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
18. Whiting, Michael (18 March 2023). "Swans dominant in season opener". Archived from the original on 16 April 2023. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
19. @AFLHouse (11 October 2023). "Trade paperwork approved" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
20. "Dylan Stephens". AFL Tables. Archived from the original on 12 August 2020. Retrieved 2 September 2020.

External links

• Dylan Stephens's profile on the official website of the Sydney Swans
• Dylan Stephens's playing statistics from AFL Tables
• Dylan Stephens at AustralianFootball.com