Stephen Powell (born 7 September 1976) is a former

Australian rules football Australian football, also called Australian rules football or Aussie rules, or more simply football or footy, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an oval field, often a modified cricket ground. Points are scored by k ...

er in the

Australian Football League The Australian Football League (AFL) is the only fully professional competition of Australian rules football. Through the AFL Commission, the AFL also serves as the sport's governing body and is responsible for controlling the laws of the gam ...

(AFL). A journeyperson in the AFL, Powell made his debut with the Western Bulldogs as a 20-year-old in 1997. He quickly became known as a player whose hardness and aggression at the ball was invaluable, continuing this role as the Bulldogs reached

preliminary final The McIntyre System, or systems as there have been five of them, is a playoff system that gives an advantage to teams or competitors qualifying higher. The systems were developed by Ken McIntyre, an Australian lawyer, historian and English lect ...

s in 1997 and 1998. Surprisingly, at the end of 1999 he was traded went to the

Melbourne Football Club The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed the Demons, is a professional Australian rules football club that competes in the Australian Football League (AFL), the sport's elite competition. It is based in Melbourne, Victoria (Australia), Victoria, ...

much to the dismay of Bulldogs fans, where he immediately became a major contributor in helping them reach a Grand Final in 2000. Despite a bad loss, he was a shining light on the day and the Demons. Powell polled strongly in their Best and Fairest at the end of the year. He missed all of 2001 with a nearly career ending groin injury. 2002 saw him return to play, and he returned to fine form. At the end of the season, protracted contract negotiations saw him nominate to leave the club through the pre-season draft, this time to the

St Kilda Football Club The St Kilda Football Club, nicknamed the Saints, is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, Victoria. The club plays in the Australian Football League (AFL), the sport's premier league. The club ...

. His experience at the Saints was invaluable to their young and developing list, and he was an often underrated player in a midfield that included stars such as Lenny Hayes, Robert Harvey and Nick Dal Santo Such was his contribution that season, he finished third in the Trevor Barker Award . Powell to play in St Kilda's

2004 Wizard Home Loans Cup The 2004 Wizard Home Loans Cup was the Australian Football League competition played in its entirety before the Australian Football League's 2004 Premiership Season began. The AFL National Cup is also sometimes referred to as the pre-season 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 The Australian Football League's 2006 finals series took place between the teams that finished in the top eight in the 2006 AFL season. It began on the weekend of 8 September 2006 and ended with the 110th AFL Grand Final at the Melbourne Cricket ...

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* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Powell, Stephen 1976 births Living people St Kilda Football Club players Western Bulldogs players Melbourne Football Club players People educated at St Kevin's College, Melbourne Australian rules footballers from Victoria (state) Sandringham Dragons players