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Past #3 Dylan Stephens

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Dylan Stephens
The Sydney Swans used their first pick five since Jarrad McVeigh in 2002 to lock in a talented midfielder from South Australian club Norwood at the 2019 AFL Draft. Dylan Stephens is a prolific ball-winner and creative user of the footy by hand and foot. He played predominantly on a wing in the early matches of the 2019 AFL Under-18 Championships before starring on the inside in the final match, gathering 33 disposals in a best-on-ground performance. A penetrating left-footer, he averaged 23.8 disposals and 4.8 tackles across the 2019 AFL Under-18 Championships and was rewarded with All Australian honours. He also played some excellent football at senior level with Norwood, averaging 18.2 disposals and 4.6 tackles in 12 matches. Stephens enjoyed a breakout season for the Bloods in 2020 with a memorable AFL debut in Round 6 against Richmond alongside fellow debutant, Chad Warner. Stephens finished the campaign with eight appearances, averaging 12.5 disposals and 3.4 marks per game, while also kicking two goals.

Dylan Stephens
DOB: 08 January 2001
DEBUT: 2020
DRAFT: #5, 2019 National Draft
RECRUITED FROM: Red Cliffs (Vic)/Walkerville (SA)/St Peter's College (SA)/Norwood (SANFL)

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Imo, this guy is an inside outside mid, and the last thing I would knock is his accumulation ability. He has no issue racking up touches in the reserves, and honestly, he's being played in a different position for he's normal game.

I would personally hold judgement until I see him get a few inside minutes in seniors. I think he could be a very good inside - > outside player, but as purely outside I do think he's average.
 

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Punts said:
Raw but people were saying he has played seniors already , dominated etc and ready to go for a top 5 pick
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The idea that playing SANFL/WAFL prepares you more for senior footy at the highest level is probably the biggest myth going around IMO
 
caesar88 said:
The idea that playing SANFL/WAFL prepares you more for senior footy at the highest level is probably the biggest myth going around IMO
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James Aish, Jimmy Toumpas, Sam Mayes, Petrevski-Seton...the list goes on and on. Playing games as a 16-17 year old in the WAFL, SANFL, VFL, etc, doesn't guarantee a good career at AFL level.
 
caesar88 said:
Well then what people were you referring to when you posted the below?
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No one I know said that it garantee you an afl career but I heard he is ready to play senior footy

He looks that far of it isn’t funny

Soft squid atm and them efforts on the weekend were embarrassing to have the jumper on imo
 

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strauchanie59 said:
Prestia came into the AFL system already physically more developed than most other Gold Coast draftees. By his third season in 2013, Gold Coast had got rid of most the mature midfielders they had drafted and he was in most centre bounces with Ablett and Swallow.

Parish was helped by the fact in 2016, Essendon had all those suspensions. He was getting midfield minutes/games that he wouldn't have got had their full list been available and his development was accelerated. But his averages stayed within that 19-21 disposal mark for the first five seasons. With the likes of Devon Smith, Shiel and McGrath coming on, alongside Merrett, pure inside midfield minutes were hard to come by. It's no surprise that with Shiel injured and Smith playing more forward, that he's thriving with more and more inside mid minutes.

I'm not trying to say that Stephens would be averaging 20+ touches a game if he was put in the guts each game, but having to play a half-forward/wing role with limited time on ground + being on the brink of the team even when he does play well, doesn't do an awful lot for his development. But it's a tough midfield to crack into, especially with Mills coming into his own this season and Warner, Rowbottom and Florent clearly ahead of him.

With a full pre-season under his belt, I'm excited to see what he can do.
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I’m confused. You brought these guys up as comparisons and Stephens is well behind their output at the same age.

For me it would be different if he was showing flashes, but I really haven’t seen anything exciting to this point. At the moment the thing most say he has going for him is his age.
 
Blacky said:
For those who are staunchly defending him, at what point do you start to worry?

Later this season, next season, or the following?
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There's a post of yours earlier in this thread that said he would need 5 years in the gym... so how about then?

Otherwise, I'll worry when John stops playing him and trades him to another team or delists him...

Or at least until he's turns 23, if he's not being picked to play most games by then, I'll start worrying... probably... maybe
 

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I think the debate here is probably wether being a high pick (top 10 ) means you should be marked harder versus say some speculative chance at pick 65

Given you watch your side presumably dish up rubbish for a season to get the top picks
 
The King! said:
I think the debate here is probably wether being a high pick (top 10 ) means you should be marked harder versus say some speculative chance at pick 65

Given you watch your side presumably dish up rubbish for a season to get the top picks
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I think you're probably right... and now I'm off to have a good lie down and get over the shock!!!

:eek::p;)
 
Kirkswan said:
I think you're probably right... and now I'm off to have a good lie down and get over the shock!!!

:eek::p;)
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I’ve been right before

Got my one.tel shares to prove it
 

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Past #3 Dylan Stephens

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