Dylan Stephens traded from Sydney Swans to North Melbourne, in Europe with former teammates, Alastair Clarkson, latest news

For the first few hours Dylan Stephens was officially a Kangaroo, he was fast asleep on the other side of the globe.

Stephens moved from Sydney to North Melbourne on a multi-season deal during the trade period. It came four years after he was taken with Pick 5 in the 2019 Draft as he begins a new chapter of his career at Arden Street under Alastair Clarkson.

When the deal officially went through, the 22-year old was overseas in Europe with his former Swans teammates on an end-of-season trip. He woke up to the news with a series of texts and eventually his ex-teammates coming into his room.

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Speaking to foxfooty.com.au last week, the midfielder opened up on the “very weird” but “kind of cool” circumstances that were.

“I was actually away in Europe with all the Swans boys, we were in London at the time. We all knew it was coming at some stage,” Stephens recounted.

“The trade came in the middle of the night for us, so I was asleep. I woke up at about 9.30am to a bunch of texts, then a few of the boys knocked on my door and came in my room. It was pretty funny, for the first few hours I was traded I didn’t even know.

“Once it went through, to be with all of them at the time, it was very weird. But we all kind of embraced it.

“I was kind of cool in a sense to be over there with them, they’re sort of my best mates.”

Stephens only played 13 games for the Swans last season, again struggling for consistent senior opportunities in John Longmire’s side.

After playing every game to close out the home and away season from Rounds 21 to Round 24, he was dropped for Sydney’s Elimination Final clash against Carlton – a game that ultimately ended the Swans’ campaign.

It was during the back-end of the season Stephens admitted he started to consider his future.

“I was a bit out of favour at the Swans and not playing. There was hints from my manager that North Melbourne were interested, but nothing really played out too much until the season was done,” he said.

“That was my mindset, I had to focus on trying to play finals with the Swans and winning finals was at the forefront of my mind.

“Once the season finished, everything kind of unravelled. I spoke to ‘Clarko’ and a few of the coaches, and the rest is history I guess.”

Stephens has played a total of 43 games across his four AFL seasons at Sydney including appearing in a personal best 15 games in the club’s 2022 Grand Final campaign, of which he featured in all three post-season contests.

But the young gun hasn’t quite yet reached the heights expected of him as a highly-rated junior drafted out of Norwood with the fifth overall selection in 2019 – a draft that included the likes of Matt Rowell, Noah Anderson, Luke Jackson, Hayden Young, Caleb Serong, Kysaiah Pickett, Will Day and Cody Weightman.

Stephen said his lack of consistent opportunities at Sydney was “tough”, but that he’s still thankful for the experience he gained and relationships he formed.

“I was surrounded by great people at the Swans, so it wasn’t all negative. When I wasn’t playing AFL, I still got a lot out of playing a lot of VFL footy and it gave me confidence at times when I was out of the senior side that I certainly was capable,” he said.

“In saying that, it was quite frustrating. At times you think you’re good enough to be playing and things don’t go your way.

“I wanted some continuity to play consistent AFL footy instead of being in and out of the team a lot. That was kind of what progressed me to head over to North.”

The youngster is now hoping to fulfil his potential at Arden Street on a budding Roos side with ample young talent that will hope to start climbing the ladder after several gloomy years.

Stephens said the opportunity to play more senior footy and direction of North was what appealed to him in requesting a trade to the club.

“The big one for me was opportunity to try and play consistent AFL footy and where the list is at the moment,” he said.

“Obviously we haven’t ad the success we wanted the last few years. But the boys coming through like Harry Sheezel and George Wardlaw and the draft hand we had this year.

“The excitement of the group is really high and that was enticing to me.

“I obviously spoke to Clarkso too, so all of those things together convinced me that there future is optimistic.”

Stephens said his first few weeks at Arden Street had been “really good” as the club in 2024 looks to bounce back from four-straight bottom two finishes.

It included North receiving a compensation package from the AFL at season’s end, using one of the future first-round picks to land Stephens from Sydney.

With Stephens and fellow trade recruit Zac Fisher on board, an exciting new draft crop including Pick 2 Colby McKercher and more development from the rest of the club’s young talent, there’s genuine optimism about where the club can go in the coming years.

“I’m getting used to Melbourne, it’s very different to Sydney and a different lifestyle and I obviously different people and coaches. But it’s been very refreshing and I’ve really enjoyed it so far,” Stephens added.

“It’s all been very positive, which is most important for the position we’re in. Our plan to fight back and get back to the top is more based

around how we train.

“Train with intensity and to build a good base this time of year, so we’re fit and ready to go Round 1.”