Past #3 Dylan Stephens

[Kennedy Parker]

Dylan Stephens
The Sydney Swans used their first pick five since Jarrad McVeigh

Jarrad Mcveigh

Age

39

Ht

184cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

19.3

5star

K

11.1

4star

HB

8.2

5star

M

4.0

4star

T

3.1

5star

MG

327.8

4star

No current season stats available

D

9.4

3star

K

6.0

3star

HB

3.4

3star

M

1.6

2star

T

1.8

4star

in 2002 to lock in a talented midfielder from South Australian club Norwood at the 2019 AFL Draft. Dylan Stephens

15

Dylan Stephens

Age

23

Ht

184cm

Wt

80kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.3

3star

K

7.0

3star

HB

3.3

3star

M

3.0

3star

T

1.7

4star

CL

0.0

1star

D

10.3

3star

K

7.0

3star

HB

3.3

2star

M

3.0

3star

T

1.7

3star

CL

0.0

1star

D

10.3

3star

K

7.0

3star

HB

3.3

3star

M

3.0

3star

T

1.7

4star

CL

0.0

1star

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

1

Chad Warner

Age

22

Ht

185cm

Wt

82kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

7.0

2star

K

4.5

2star

HB

2.5

2star

M

1.5

2star

T

1.5

3star

CL

0.0

1star

D

7.0

1star

K

4.5

2star

HB

2.5

2star

M

1.5

2star

T

1.5

2star

CL

0.0

1star

D

7.0

2star

K

4.5

2star

HB

2.5

3star

M

1.5

2star

T

1.5

4star

CL

0.0

1star

. Stephens finished the campaign with eight appearances, averaging 12.5 disposals and 3.4 marks per game, while also kicking two goals.

Dylan Stephens

15

Dylan Stephens

Age

23

Ht

184cm

Wt

80kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.3

3star

K

7.0

3star

HB

3.3

3star

M

3.0

3star

T

1.7

4star

CL

0.0

1star

D

10.3

3star

K

7.0

3star

HB

3.3

2star

M

3.0

3star

T

1.7

3star

CL

0.0

1star

D

10.3

3star

K

7.0

3star

HB

3.3

3star

M

3.0

3star

T

1.7

4star

CL

0.0

1star

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)

Dylan Stephens | AFL

Follow Dylan Stephens's progress through AFL

www.sydneyswans.com.au

 

[Kiama Chris]

We have a pick 6 playing reserves...

Not OUR pick 6

 

[zyzzbruh]

Anywhere better than North

I do feel for the guy , he works hard

He works hard for the wrong reasons. He peels off the contest and pushes wide way too much. The amount of times he got caught in no man's land and hard up against the boundary was concerning. There's a point where you just have to go in, he's very passive in that sense. Speed and fitness is useless if you don't know how to read he game.

If north want to get anything out of him they need to develop him in the guts to reel him in a bit. He always played better coming off good form in the mids at vfl.

 

[Donza]

Not OUR pick 6

Does it matter though?
Clubs get it wrong.
Clubs get it right...goodes, Parker, Warner etc etc.

 

[The King!]

He works hard for the wrong reasons. He peels off the contest and pushes wide way too much. The amount of times he got caught in no man's land and hard up against the boundary was concerning. There's a point where you just have to go in, he's very passive in that sense. Speed and fitness is useless if you don't know how to read he game.

If north want to get anything out of him they need to develop him in the guts to reel him in a bit. He always played better coming off good form in the mids at vfl.

Don't get me wrong.
I admit he was a bust, but just acknowledging the effort was at least there

 

[Donza]

He works hard for the wrong reasons. He peels off the contest and pushes wide way too much. The amount of times he got caught in no man's land and hard up against the boundary was concerning. There's a point where you just have to go in, he's very passive in that sense. Speed and fitness is useless if you don't know how to read he game.

If north want to get anything out of him they need to develop him in the guts to reel him in a bit. He always played better coming off good form in the mids at vfl.

He's methodical AF.
But as passive as a broken smoke alarm

 

[zyzzbruh]

He's methodical AF.
But as passive as a broken smoke alarm

And methodically incorrect. Determined hamster wheel to nowhere.

 

[melbournehammer]

He works hard for the wrong reasons. He peels off the contest and pushes wide way too much. The amount of times he got caught in no man's land and hard up against the boundary was concerning. There's a point where you just have to go in, he's very passive in that sense. Speed and fitness is useless if you don't know how to read he game.

If north want to get anything out of him they need to develop him in the guts to reel him in a bit. He always played better coming off good form in the mids at vfl.

He feels like a guy who was criticised for being sucked to the ball when he was learning the role and now obsessively holds width and stays with a man but then just gets caught repeatedly doing neither one thing or the other

I gave up on him after the north game last year - most of us who suggested he’d play did so on the basis that such a large investment in a player pay off.

We correctly cut our losses on him last year. He’s capable of being a very good vfl player but he’s not physically capable of being an inside mid at afl level and isn’t decisive enough to be an afl wing.

 

[SeanM]

He feels like a guy who was criticised for being sucked to the ball when he was learning the role and now obsessively holds width and stays with a man but then just gets caught repeatedly doing neither one thing or the other

In his last season, I thought it was worth trying Stephens as a high half forward. He would be able to do a lot of defensive running and maybe play a bit more instinctively at the contest when he supports the midfield. And then in attack try to get into space. Though I think he played there at times but it did not work out.

I feel we initially drafted him hoping he would develop into a running midfielder who could win the ball like the GWS mids like Kelly, Shiel etc who were able to outrun our midfield when they beat us.

Also don't think it suited him being drafted at pick 5. Even on the forums, I remember people expecting him to be playing regularly in his 1st and 2nd season just because he was a early pick. But if he was picked in the late 30s like Roberts or Corey Warner, people don't really expect much in their first two seasons.

 

[Ballarat Bob]

Shame but we had better players who took charge and owned their spots and Stephens was always floating around doing the odd good thing but then getting lost in games.
He's got four years with North not sure he would have got more than two years with us and would be a big chance of getting delisted.
Done the right thing for himself and hopefully can set himself up.
Would like him to prove that he's best 22 for North maybe switch him inside in the VFL for a few games see how he goes. If he's not getting time to think about his positioning etc and just has to get stuck in it it might be better for him.

 

[BloodySwan]

I feel we initially drafted him hoping he would develop into a running midfielder who could win the ball like the GWS mids like Kelly, Shiel etc who were able to outrun our midfield when they beat us.

I have no idea what we expected of him. All his draft profiles mentioned he was average on the wing until moved inside and that's where he played his best footy. Yet we drafted him, didn't see him as good enough on the inside so played him on the wing???

If he could develop his inside game he would be a real asset but I'm not sure that's a skill you can actually develop in a player

 

[GoTheSwannies]

I have no idea what we expected of him. All his draft profiles mentioned he was average on the wing until moved inside and that's where he played his best footy. Yet we drafted him, didn't see him as good enough on the inside so played him on the wing???

If he could develop his inside game he would be a real asset but I'm not sure that's a skill you can actually develop in a player

We tried him inside and he looked just as poor there, looked like he was chasing shadows. I always thought i saw promising signs in him, but based on current evidence / output, he's looking more like a draft bust. Doesn't have the outside game and hasn't shown much in his limited opportunity inside. Sunken cost fallacy.

 

[BloodySwan]

We tried him inside and he looked just as poor there, looked like he was chasing shadows. I always thought i saw promising signs in him, but based on current evidence / output, he's looking more like a draft bust. Doesn't have the outside game and hasn't shown much in his limited opportunity inside. Sunken cost fallacy.

Yeah that's exactly my thoughts. Good in juniors on the inside, couldn't translate at senior level. Not good enough on the outside at junior or senior level.

Fortunately we didn't tie him for 4 years!

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Pick 19 is looking better and better for him, about time we actually win a trade lol

 

[GoTheSwannies]

Pick 19 is looking better and better for him, about time we actually win a trade lol

Much better value than we got for Judas.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Much better value than we got for Judas.

I'm trying to forget that one thank you. North fans already want to drop the bloke and it's round 4.

 

[ashep]

Unfortunately he's just not up to AFL standard and never really was. Strung together a couple of decent games but that's it.

Think it's pretty natural to look back in hindsight and kick ourselves for not drafting a potential top 5 player instead just like other clubs who passed on Errol would be thinking.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Unfortunately he's just not up to AFL standard and never really was. Strung together a couple of decent games but that's it.

Think it's pretty natural to look back in hindsight and kick ourselves for not drafting a potential top 5 player instead just like other clubs who passed on Errol would be thinking.

Yeah unfortunately clubs get a few wrong at the pointy end of the draft, its not as common now but it happens. I'm not going on who we should or shouldn't have drafted (I had Flanders as the one I was most wanting, many wanted Serong).We have flipped a poor pick 5 for pick 19 this year so we have minimised the loss which would have been a delisting in a year or 2 more with us.

 

[Mister B]

I remember being bewildered when people were calling for Jmac to be dropped for him. That is despite seeing him be an absolute squib on each prior showing whilst Jmac plays with his heart on his sleeve.

Let’s not forget many on here were calling for Gould to get a game despite him barely getting double figures in the reserves side.

 

[Voice of the G]

Not OUR pick 6

Who are we talking about?

 

[Dan87]

Who are we talking about?

Aaron Francis

 

[zyzzbruh]

Let’s not forget many on here were calling for Gould to get a game despite him barely getting double figures in the reserves side.

Yeah but we hadn't seen him yet, it was more so out of curiosity to see if he could hold his own. And we only needed one look. Took a few of looks to get a gauge on Stephens but many were still wanting him to get even more consecutive strings of games whilst completely overinflating the couple of stock standard ok things he'd do each game.

 

[Callipygian]

Pick 19 is looking better and better for him, about time we actually win a trade lol

Much better value than we got for Judas.

Yeah unfortunately clubs get a few wrong at the pointy end of the draft, its not as common now but it happens. I'm not going on who we should or shouldn't have drafted (I had Flanders as the one I was most wanting, many wanted Serong).We have flipped a poor pick 5 for pick 19 this year so we have minimised the loss which would have been a delisting in a year or 2 more with us.

Let's not oversimplify or overstate it. We didn't get a future first for Dyl.

We gave 2023 pick 25 as well as Dyl to move up to 2024 pick 19 (or whatever it becomes) plus 2023 pick 44 (which I think got swallowed in matching the bid for Cleary). Still did the best we could but it was a modest return. It was a lot like the inverse of how we paid for Pete Ladhams by sliding back from pick 12 to 16 (or whatever it was) plus a 3rd rounder.

 

[robbieando]

Let's not oversimplify or overstate it. We didn't get a future first for Dyl.

We gave 2023 pick 25 as well as Dyl to move up to 2024 pick 19 (or whatever it becomes) plus 2023 pick 44 (which I think got swallowed in matching the bid for Cleary). Still did the best we could but it was a modest return. It was a lot like the inverse of how we paid for Pete Ladhams by sliding back from pick 12 to 16 (or whatever it was) plus a 3rd rounder.

That Pick 25 is also part of our return for Dawson, so there is that as well.....

 

[GoTheSwannies]

Trading is so convoluted these days with trading future picks, pick swaps, live swaps on trade day etc.

Can someone please crunch the numbers and convert Stephen's trade value into Birds?

 

[Dubai Quacker]

Trading is so convoluted these days with trading future picks, pick swaps, live swaps on trade day etc.

Can someone please crunch the numbers and convert Stephen's trade value into Birds?

An end of first rounder is effectively 1.5 Craig Birds.

But we gave up pick 25 (1.2 Craig Birds) & received pick 44 (0.6 Craig Birds).

1.5 - 1.2 + 0.6 = 0.9 Craig Birds.

So we valued Dyl slightly less than 1 Craig Bird, which seems about right.