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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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wills2g said:
we saw glimpses of what he could become - most telling was our finals run last year

all the best to dylan and hope he can capture that form at north
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Gotta say I never saw the glimpses that you and others on here have spoken about, always looked vanilla to me.
 

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Stephens as a player is no loss. I don't think he was ever going to work out with us because he seems to be a confidence player and there's just too much talent around him here that was always going to be threatening or ahead of him.

Stephens as a pick 5 is a loss. Pretty disappointing to have that pick amount to only about 40 mostly-average games and then a trade after four years. Especially when Hayden Young was taken two picks later.

Is what it is though, and I still don't necessarily blame our recruiters. I think I mentioned earlier in this thread that Beatson stated clearly the kind of player they hoped and thought Stephens to be, and that was a player who would've been good for us if he came good.
 
Well, best of luck.

Thought he was finally starting to show some potential last year, but he went backwards quite a bit this season. Probably for the best he has a crack at a different club.

Alas, another wasted 1st round pick from us; especially when you see some of the names taken in the picks after Stephens.
 
Never showed much more than being a fringe 22 player at the Swans but there is probably an AFL player in there . North is a good fit for him and he should get more chances to establish himself.
Not a bad trade for us and hopefully it unlocks Adams and Grundy.
 
Callipygian said:
I'm sorry he's leaving and that his career didn't work out with us. Wish him well.

Intrigued by the trade. I guess it values him as a decent 2nd rounder but I like how we have succeeded in getting an extra early pick next year.
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Quite clever all round.
44 useful for Academy picks.
19 next year could be good.
25 this year not wonderful.
Net 948 + 362 - 756 = 554 around pick 33/34
Just about right.
 
Imo didn't think he was that great a user. Most of his kicks seemed to be bombs up the line.

Did have some decent games and could definitely become a mainstay in another side like your Membrey, Newman and Hewett types.

Just tough that we have a lot of similar, but superior players on the inside, outside and wings.


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I remember one day last year when Gulden got the ball at half back, took off up the far wing looking for a target. Stephens was loping out to the far wing in a 1v1, maybe a few steps ahead of his opponent. Stephens was having a shocker, beaten at almost every opportunity.

Gulden had so little confidence in Stephens winning that contest that he turned around, ran back and kicked a high ball 50m across the face of goal for a turnover.

Congrats on the 4 year contract at North and i hope he goes alright, but when the best ball user actively avoids kicking it to him, that's pretty damning.
 
Maddo11 said:
I remember one day last year when Gulden got the ball at half back, took off up the far wing looking for a target. Stephens was loping out to the far wing in a 1v1, maybe a few steps ahead of his opponent. Stephens was having a shocker, beaten at almost every opportunity.

Gulden had so little confidence in Stephens winning that contest that he turned around, ran back and kicked a high ball 50m across the face of goal for a turnover.

Congrats on the 4 year contract at North and i hope he goes alright, but when the best ball user actively avoids kicking it to him, that's pretty damning.
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To be fair though, Gulden does this a lot. He just doesn't really get called out on it because as you say he's our best ball user so you take the good with the bad as in Gulden's case, the good significantly outweighs the bad.
 

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caesar88 said:
To be fair though, Gulden does this a lot. He just doesn't really get called out on it because as you say he's our best ball user so you take the good with the bad as in Gulden's case, the good significantly outweighs the bad.
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Gulden routinely turns it over once a game costing a goal. But he sets up 3-4. Stephens didnt do either. He would hit it up the line and the ball would be a turnover anyway because our forwards just dont deal with that slow ball well.

I'm sorry about Stephens because I do like guys that try hard but hes just been lost a lot of the time with us. Just following men and trying all the time to maintain width and getting lost in doing so. And I do feel he was repeatedly dropped when the team had just awful performances - I reckon that is just the way longmire coaches unfortunately - its not always the worst player on the day that pays the price but the least valuable.

In the end when he has a moment (I think I remember him missing a pretty strightforward spoil in our goal square at home this season) this became destructive of his confidence. Sometimes you could live with that error and say - "you did everything right you got back as the fat side winger to help your full back and you just missed the ball. We can fix that." But this is where his just indifferent kicking was a problem. You could live with it if his kicking created opportunities forward of the ball. But it just didnt.

I wish him well and I hope he plays more inside at north, not because he will be a star but he will get his hands on the ball a little more often which might just assist his confidence. Maybe just having a four year contract will be enough and ihope he makes a go of his football career.
 
melbournehammer said:
Gulden routinely turns it over once a game costing a goal. But he sets up 3-4. Stephens didnt do either. He would hit it up the line and the ball would be a turnover anyway because our forwards just dont deal with that slow ball well.

I'm sorry about Stephens because I do like guys that try hard but hes just been lost a lot of the time with us. Just following men and trying all the time to maintain width and getting lost in doing so. And I do feel he was repeatedly dropped when the team had just awful performances - I reckon that is just the way longmire coaches unfortunately - its not always the worst player on the day that pays the price but the least valuable.

In the end when he has a moment (I think I remember him missing a pretty strightforward spoil in our goal square at home this season) this became destructive of his confidence. Sometimes you could live with that error and say - "you did everything right you got back as the fat side winger to help your full back and you just missed the ball. We can fix that." But this is where his just indifferent kicking was a problem. You could live with it if his kicking created opportunities forward of the ball. But it just didnt.

I wish him well and I hope he plays more inside at north, not because he will be a star but he will get his hands on the ball a little more often which might just assist his confidence. Maybe just having a four year contract will be enough and ihope he makes a go of his football career.
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I also remember him camped under the ball in the opposition goal square and taking it as a solid chest mark knowing he would have more chance of holding the mark as desperate players slammed into him.

The kid ran a bit hot and cold. His best was easily good enough but he let himself down sometimes.

A change of club/coach/scene may be the making of Stephens. He seemed to be hard working and kept chipping away despite some inevitable disappointments. Norf could do worse than inject a bit of that Bloods spirit into a club that lacks any spine.

Best of luck to you Dylan. I hope you find your role and hang onto it with both hands. Carve out a solid career in AFL, but just don't play your best against us.
 
Vale Dylan Stephens and thanks for your efforts in your time at the Club.

Ignore the mean spirited folk that have kicked you on departing.

Be assured those same people will decry any footy success you earn in the future.
 

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Grand Uncle Horace said:
Vale Dylan Stephens and thanks for your efforts in your time at the Club.

Ignore the mean spirited folk that have kicked you on departing.

Be assured those same people will decry any footy success you earn in the future.
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He seems like a good fella. It didn't work for us, but I wish him all the best for his career.
 
The King! said:
It's nice to no longer have to try and talk yourself into Dylan being any good
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I tried that after the Melbourne final in 2022.

Never again.
 

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Past #3 Dylan Stephens

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