Racing
League
Rugby
Cricket
Golf
Motorsport
Combat Sports
Football
Netball
Basketball
Other Sports
Sport Nation
Why Healy would give Stephenson another go in the AFL
Nicholas Quinlan • September 18th, 2025 10:34 pm
Former Magpie and Kangaroo Jaidyn Stephenson has announced his desire to once again play AFL football after retiring at the end of last year.
The 2018 Rising Star cited the main reason for his retirement due to falling out of love with the game at a professional level.
But after being away from it for 12 months, it appears that the 68-game player for Collingwood and North Melbourne is keen on returning.
“It’s a fascinating situation this one,” Gabelich noted on SEN 1116’s Sportsday.
“It’s been bubbling away this week. Marc McGowan reported it first in The Age today that he (Stephenson) was exploring coming out of retirement 12 months after walking away from North Melbourne, after losing passion with the game.”
Gerard Healy then asked whether there were any potential suitors for the 26-year-old, with the AFL.com.au reporter noting that most of the talk had been one-way.
“He’s been approaching them directly, not through his manager,” Gabelich explained.
“I’ve spoken to a handful of clubs today and raised his name.
“They say, the only way that they expect a club to look at him would be during the pre-season.
“The Pre-Season Supplementary Selection Period opens straight after the draft and goes all the way to mid-February.
“That gives them the opportunity to try before they buy, see if he is committed.”
While he only played 12 games in his final season with the Kangaroos, Healy believes he his talented enough for clubs to have a look at him this pre-season.
“There are a lot of guys with less ability than him that have come back (to the AFL),” Healy said.
“At 26 years of age, he’s got 10 years possibly if he can pull out his finger and get his head right.”
While he did retire from the AFL, Stephenson has still kept himself fit, having played for his junior side in the Ferntree Gully Eagles.
This season, he has kicked 38 goals in 18 games for the EFNL Division Three side, which was the seventh highest in the competition.
