Young Magpie Stephenson enjoys the Tiger rivalry

“I think we just ran out of legs, to be honest,’’ said Stephenson of that round six encounter, won by Richmond by 43 points, noting that the Pies had played post-Anzac Day on a four-day break . “I don’t think that result was a true representation of how the game was played.’’

Stephenson’s summation of round six was straightforward: “They played four quarter footy, whereas we played only three quarters.’’

This time, the challenge facing Stephenson’s side has been magnified by further injuries – the absence (long-term) of Adam Treloar (who had 42 disposals in round six) and now that of Jordan De Goey. Stephenson acknowledged that losing De Goey this week made the task tougher.

“I think it will make it harder for the team, obviously. I mean, Jordie’s such a great player. But we have blokes in reserve that can come in and fill that spot ... here at Collingwood, we’re about role playing, so someone’s going to have to come in and fill that role and get that done.’’

Stephenson was disappointed with his own output in the last Richmond game, when he was manned by Dylan Grimes, the direct opponent that the Rising Star favourite has found most difficult to date. “He’s a very good player – he’s probably the hardest opponent I’ve played on.

“He’s got speed, he’s strong in the contest. He sort of gives me a bit of space, but then when [the ball’s] there, he’s on me. Very strong. I rate him very highly.

“Hopefully, I can right my wrong from last time and maybe try and get the wood on him.’’

Stephenson, a slender 188cm forward who hopes to morph into a midfielder within three or four years, has the high performer’s tendency to mark himself hard. By his reckoning, he did not perform well either when the Magpies were beaten by an impressive West Coast in round 17.

“I didn’t perform too well and I come down hard on myself in those sort of games. A lot of people can play well when the team’s winning a lot. I like to be the one who stands up when we’re not winning. I judge myself harshly on that and try to perform in the big games.’’

Stephenson has expectations commensurate with the demands he places on himself. Few draftees – whether they’re pick 1 or 101 – think they could play every game at senior level.

Stephenson did.

“Probably myself I did. I obviously wanted to play round 1. I worked hard in the pre-season to get that opportunity. Obviously, I didn’t start the first few matches that well. But I feel like the game in Adelaide gave me a bit of confidence and set me up well for the rest of the year. Now it’s like playing any other footy for the year ahead.’’

He’s an unorthodox talent – tallish, quick and lean as a whippet, with a knack for finding space and a goal. His set shot routine, too, is distinctive: Stephenson shuffles and rotates the ball, end-over-end, as he runs in. The footy is upright only momentarily before he drops it.

“It’s got two reasons for it [his routine]. I like to kick on the skinny end of the ball, so I find which end is the skinny end. And I also like fiddling with it because I feel like it’s a long way walking in holding the ball, and you start thinking about it too much.’’

Stephenson entered this season with more visibility than the typical first year player and not simply because he was picked by Collingwood. He’d been the biggest story from the national draft of 2017.

The heart condition that he inherited – and for which he takes medication – had caused about half the clubs to put a line through him in the first round of the draft. Had the Pies not received the medical all-clear at pick No. 6, St Kilda (picks 7 and 8), the Bulldogs (9), Carlton (10) and the Giants (11) were set to pass. He was most likely bound for West Coast. His manager Robbie D’Arazio had vowed that clubs would regret not drafting Stephenson; at one point, even the Tigers thought it possible he’d fall to pick 17, where they picked another impressive kid who’s playing this weekend, Jack Higgins.

Subsequent to the Stephenson draft drama, St Kilda’s Dylan Robertson collapsed in a round game due to a heart irregularity and has not played since, while Carlton pair Matthew Kreuzer and Caleb Marchbank suffered rapid heartbeats that forced them from the field during games (Kreuzer remains sidelined for the second week). Stephenson, meanwhile, has avoided any cardiac issues.

“There’s been other people in the league that have had problems with their heart but I’ve had no problems at all,’’ he said. The pre-draft discussion of his condition – and possibility of him sliding down the order – had been “hard on mum and dad’’ but he’d remained “really confident’’ he would be picked.

“I doesn’t really matter. I ended up at Collingwood and I don’t think it could have been any better.’’
It’s certainly worked out for the Magpies, their first pick’s output comfortably exceeding budget, with 28 goals from 17 games, including five v the Crows, four on the Queen’s Birthday and telling goals – and defensive efforts – in closer encounters.

Richmond, he said, presented the Magpies with an opportunity “to show we can mix it with the big boys’’ and to bolster their confidence in the run to the finals. He’d found the playing group to be “close knit’’ without factions. “There’s no groups as such.’’

“I think the fact that we’re all getting around each other is attributable to our success this year and hopefully that continues. And if it takes us to grand final day, so be it.’’