George Stevens put his best foot forward for the GWV Rebels this season, winning the club best and fairest and coming runner-up in the Morrish Medal.
(Photo: Coates Talent League Facebook)
South Warrnambool star, George Stevens has continued to make his name known in the AFL world this year with some outstanding performances for the Greater Western Victoria (GWV) Rebels and is flying towards his dream of playing AFL. But about 24 months ago, Stevens sustained an ACL injury in a pre-season match, which put his football future in serious doubt.
Things are looking good for the 18-year-old who is projected to be drafted somewhere between pick 20-30 in the AFL National Draft next month. He is coming off a dominant season in the Coates Talent League with the Rebels, averaging 29 disposals per game, five tackles and five inside 50s. Stevens is described as a contested bull and is a big-bodied midfielder who is ready-made for the big time.
Stevens capped off the year winning the Adam Goodes Trophy (GWV Rebels Best and Fairest) and placing second in the Morrish Medal (Coates Talent League Best and Fairest).
However, it hasn’t always been smooth sailing for Stevens who battled through an ACL injury which saw him miss the entire 2022 season. His one chance to impress recruiters as a bottom-aged talent. Gone.
Stevens said that he was now incredibly “grateful” to be back out on the football field playing with his mates, adding that it was something he definitely wouldn’t take for granted in the future.
The Emmanuel College student was playing in a Hampden Football Netball League (HFNL) Under-23 pre-season match representing his home club, South Warrnambool, when disaster struck.
(Photo: GWV Rebels Facebook)
The 18-year-old first described the elation of kicking a goal, before talking about the “lost feeling” he experienced when his knee gave way in the next passage of play.
“I’d just kicked goal and was feeling on top of the world,” he told the Back Pocket Banter podcast.
“(My knee) basically just hyperextended as I went to turn to gather the ball with my right hand.”
Stevens lay on the ground in pain, holding his knee as other players from his team which included his older brother, Archie ran to his side.
“He (Archie) ran over basically bawling his eyes out. He thought the worst straight away and he’s sort of leaning on my leg thinking he’s obviously done the ACL,” he said.
“The first initial pain of an ACL is excruciating … that pain lasts about 10 seconds and then the pain completely goes away.”
Stevens had never suffered a serious injury prior to this and remembered the feeling of the unknown as he nervously waited for his scan results a few days later. The optimistic person that he is, the teenager stayed positive manifesting a good diagnosis, but unfortunately this wouldn’t be the case.
Anybody that knows George, knows the love he has for his local football club, the South Warrnambool Roosters - the club was and continues to be his second home. Being on crutches with a swollen knee wasn’t going to stop him from getting around his teammates at training.
“Mum called me and said you better come home. The way she sounded on the phone; I had a fair idea that it didn’t sound all that great,” he said.
“As I sort of opened the front door, Dad was in the hallway … he didn’t really have to say officially that I’d done it, I basically knew straight away as soon as I saw his face.
“It certainly wasn’t the news we wanted to hear.”
As the diagnosis began to sink in, Stevens began to realise what it potentially meant for his football future. At just 16-years-old, he would face 12 months on the sidelines and a long rehabilitation journey to re-strengthen his knee.
“(It was) probably some of the toughest two hours that I’ve had to endure. There was family coming over,” he said.
“For those two hours post when I found out that I’d done the ACL and it’s going to be season over for 2022. That was a pretty tough process.”
Stevens was never going to stay away from the football club and found another way to keep his mind active, while gaining some new skills and furthering his football IQ alongside Roosters’ senior coach, Mat Battistello. This was the silver lining that helped the talented teenager stay involved with his club through a tough period of injury rehab.
“From there, he (Battistello) just gave me so many opportunities, particularly at training level first of all, (he) allowed me to take drills and take ownership of some stuff pre-training,” he said.
This eventually turned into Stevens coaching an entire senior game against Terang-Mortlake by himself.
Hearing his name read aloud at next months’ AFL draft is the dream for Stevens. His resilience and impressive work ethic has helped him to a successful comeback to footy.
But you sense his story is only just beginning.
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