When Collingwood Media caught up with Eastern Ranges coach Darren Bewick on the eve of last year’s NAB AFL Draft, the former Essendon star was effusive in his praise for Jaidyn Stephenson.

“He’s born to play AFL footy,” Bewick said. “He’s ready to go.”

Four months on, Bewick’s prediction looks spot on.

Stephenson has made such a big impression since arriving at the Holden Centre that he will make his AFL debut at the first opportunity.

And Bewick has no doubt that the 18-year-old midfielder/forward will turn a few heads in his first game against Hawthorn at the MCG on Saturday night.

“He’s got x-factor; he’s a match-winner. He can do the miraculous things that have people going, ‘Oh gee, that was pretty good.’

“I think in time he’ll be a player that people go and watch because of what he can do.”

Stephenson first attracted serious attention from AFL clubs when, as a 16-year-old, he was among the best players in Eastern Ranges’ narrow TAC Cup Grand Final loss to the Oakleigh Chargers in 2015.

He enjoyed another eye-catching season in 2016, before winning the hearts of many recruiters by racking up 28 disposals and kicking five goals for Vic Metro against South Australia in last year’s national Under-18 Championships.

A couple of months later, Stephenson capped off a brilliant junior career by winning the Ranges’ best and fairest.



Stephenson celebrates a goal while playing for Vic Metro in the 2017 National Championships.

When the National Draft rolled around last November, there was talk that he might slip down the order due to a genetic heart condition, which led Bewick to comment that any club ignoring him for that reason would “regret it”.

“Jaidyn’s a very good player,” Bewick added. “He started as a hit-up forward, then we put him through the midfield, as a wingman.

“He has explosive pace, a great ability to evade opponents, can take a mark, get a ground ball and he’s explosive in his first five or six steps.

“He also loves the tactics and the little nuances of the game. He thinks deeply about the game. He’s very coachable in that sense.

“He has a lot of self-confidence in himself without being over the top.”



Jaidyn Stephenson talks with President Eddie McGuire during his first day of training last November.

Collingwood subsequently snared Stephenson with its first selection (pick six), and the youngster from Ferntree Gully quickly settled into life as an AFL player.

“He’s a hard worker and he’s got enormous raw talent, but he’s a competitor too,” Pies assistant coach Brenton Sanderson said.

“He took on a lot of our experienced players over summer in one-on-one drills and we saw him improve each week with the match simulation stuff we do.”

On Saturday night, Stephenson will be cheered on by numerous family members and a number of friends.

His mates are going to help hold up the banner and then spend the game sitting with the cheer squad.

And what can they and the thousands of Pies fans at the game expect from Stephenson once the ball is bounced?

“As you see with a lot of early-round draft picks, there’s just so much talent there, and he’s ready to go,” Sanderson said.

“He’s got that x-factor. He can mark it, he’s a beautiful kick, a good decision-maker, and he’ll take on the opposition with his speed, so it’s going to be exciting.

“I think his best is clearly still well ahead of him. But he’s in our best 22 this week, so that shows you how excited we are about his future for Collingwood.”



Stephenson will become the 1146th player to represent Collingwood in the VFL / AFL since 1897 when he runs out in the No. 35 on Saturday night.