Stephen Powell

Stephen Powell
Personal information
Date of birth	(1976-09-07) 7 September 1976
Original team(s)	St Kevins / Central U18
Debut	Round 6, 2 May 1997, Western Bulldogs v. West Coast Eagles, at WACA
Playing career1
Years	Club	Games (Goals)
1997–1999 2000–2002 2003–2006 Total	Western Bulldogs Melbourne St Kilda	030 (21) 044 (43) 068 (30) 142 (94)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2006 season.
Career highlights
St Kilda Wizard Cup winning side 2004

Stephen Powell (born 7 September 1976) is a former Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League (AFL).

A journeyman in the AFL, Powell made his debut with the Western Bulldogs as a 20-year-old in 1997. He became known as a solid player whose hardness at the ball was very valuable, continuing this role as the Bulldogs reached preliminary finals in 1997 and 1998. Lack of pace, however, seemed to be his problem and at the end of 1999 he went to the Melbourne Football Club. He was again traded at the end of 2002, this time to the St Kilda Football Club.

His experience at the Saints was important, and he was an often underrated player whose contributions were an important part of a midfield that included stars such as Lenny Hayes, Robert Harvey and Nick Dal Santo. In 2003 he finished third in the Trevor Barker Award and continued this form into 2004.

Powell played in St Kilda's 2004 Wizard Home Loans Cup winning side.

In 2005, however, Powell's career hit a hurdle. Returning from injury in Round 9 he never quite reached the level of consistency of 2003, and lack of pace then became an issue, although he was a regular first team member. At the end of the year there were doubts about the future of the just-turned-29 Powell, but he later signed a one-year contract, meaning a sharp downward turn in speed and form limited Powell's chances.

2006 was Powell's last season of football, playing only 10 matches and announcing his retirement, in September, a week after St Kilda's exit from the 2006 AFL Finals Series.

External links

• Stephen Powell's profile on the official website of the St Kilda Football Club
• Stephen Powell's statistics from AFL Tables