Scott Stevens (born 15 January 1982 in

Perth, Western Australia Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth is ...

) is an

Australian rules football Australian football, also called Australian rules football or Aussie rules, or more simply football or footy, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an oval field, often a modified cricket ground. Points are scored by k ...

er in the

Australian Football League The Australian Football League (AFL) is the only fully professional competition of Australian rules football. Through the AFL Commission, the AFL also serves as the sport's governing body and is responsible for controlling the laws of the gam ...

(AFL). Stevens attended

Wesley College, Perth Wesley College, informally known as Wesley, is an independent, day and boarding school for boys and girls (co-ed to Year 6 and boys only Years 7–12), situated in South Perth, a suburb of Perth, Western Australia. The college is a Uniting ...

and played in the

West Australian Football League The West Australian Football League (WAFL) is an Australian rules football league based in Perth, Western Australia. The league currently consists of ten teams, which play each other in a 20-round season usually lasting from March to September, ...

(WAFL) with

Perth Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth is ...

before being recruited to the

Sydney Swans The Sydney Swans are a professional Australian rules football club based in Sydney, New South Wales. The men's team competes in the Australian Football League (AFL), and the women's team in the AFL Women's (AFLW). The Swans also field a reser ...

. He failed to play a match in his first two seasons with Sydney and finally made his AFL debut in 2002. After four years on Sydney's list, Stevens was traded to the

Adelaide Crows The Adelaide Crows (officially the Adelaide Football Club) are a professional Australian rules football team based in Adelaide, South Australia. Founded in 1990. The Crows has fielded a men's team in the Australian Football League (AFL) sinc ...

for the 2004 season. After a solid first year at his new club, foot and shoulder

injuries An injury is any physiological damage to living tissue caused by immediate physical stress. An injury can occur intentionally or unintentionally and may be caused by blunt trauma, penetrating trauma, burning, toxic exposure, asphyxiation, or ...

kept him sidelined for the entire 2005 season and 2006 pre-season. He returned to the side in Round 2 but did not perform and was dropped again. In round 7, however, he was given another chance and this time succeeded in becoming a regular player, playing all bar one of the remaining games and averaging over 18 disposals at

centre half-back In the sport of Australian rules football, the half-back line refers to the positions of the 3 players on the field that occupy the centre half-back and left and right half-back flank positions. Centre half-back The role of the centre half-back ...

. Stevens played every game in 2007, stationed in a variety of positions. However, former Adelaide coach

Malcolm Blight Malcolm Jack Blight AM (born 16 February 1950) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for and coached the North Melbourne Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL) and Woodville Football Club in the South Australian Nati ...

criticised Stevens' skills when under pressure. In 2008, Stevens capped off another consistent season by coming eighth in the AFC Club Champion award, and kicking six goals in the elimination final loss to Collingwood. In 2009, Stevens continued to be a reliable member of the Adelaide side. The absence of regular centre half-back

Nathan Bock Nathan Bock (born 20 March 1983) is a former Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League (AFL). He played for the Adelaide Football Club between 2002 and 2010, and joined the new Gold Coast Football Club in 2011. Adelaide ca ...

through suspension and injury led to Stevens being played more in defence, a role that Stevens performed admirably, and he was able to kick goals when required in the forward line. In round 3 of the 2011 season Stevens suffered a concussion injury. Stevens retired on 21 June 2011 due to the cumulative effects of numerous concussions. Due to his unpredictable and unconventional playing style, Stevens was immensely popular among most AFC fans. Many considered him to be a cult hero at the time of his retirement in 2011.

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* 1982 births Sydney Swans players Adelaide Football Club players Perth Football Club players Living people People educated at Wesley College, Perth Australian rules footballers from Western Australia People from Kellerberrin, Western Australia {{AFL-bio-1980s-stub