Jevan Phillipou in action for Woodville-West Torrens. Picture: SANFL

JEVAN Phillipou paused for a second. Asked who was the better player at the same age between he and older brother Mattaes, the younger Phillipou took a moment to consider his answer.

“I don’t know if I want to say,” Phillipou told AFL.com.au at the Telstra AFL Draft Combine this month.

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“I’ll say we’re both even … I reckon I’m a bit more explosive off the mark, more powerful. He’s probably a tad better than me at the endurance stuff, but I’m still good. I reckon I’ve got a little bit more skill than he does as well.”

Phillipou, 18, is set to join his brother at the top level at next month’s national draft, with the talented half-forward showing some of his eye-catching traits across a season interrupted by a broken arm.

That saw him miss South Australia’s title-winning Marsh AFL National U18 Boys Championships, before returning later in the year for Woodville-West Torrens. But it didn’t dent his self-belief, with the teenager, who forged a promising decathlete career as a junior, remaining confident about his place in the draft class.

“[Being confident is] everything to be honest. If I’m not confident I’m putting a limitation on myself at the end of the day and that confidence is something I never want to lose and I don’t think I ever will. It drives my game, it drives my training and that comes from the determination and want to be the best I possibly can,” he said.

“Whilst I know I may not have been as consistent as some of the guys that played this year, I know that my attributes at the end of the day, my mix and my skills are better than anyone’s. That’s not arrogance, that’s just confidence in my abilities. 

“I can get in my own head a little bit and overthink at times, I analyse everything. I want to be the best I possibly can be across the board in every aspect of the game and that comes through my performance. Once I put it all together I know I’m a special player at the end of the day.”

Phillipou’s six games at League level with the Eagles after coming back from injury produced some moments as a half-forward, having been dominant at SANFL under-18 level, including three goals and 25 disposals against Central District and two goals and 31 disposals against Norwood. When on, Phillipou is eye-catching with his capacity to impact and hurt the opposition. 

He said the injury setback had provided him other ways to develop as a player.

“I feel like I could have taken my game to another level this year but I think it’s exciting because I know there’s that next level I can take my game to,” he said.

“I learnt so much from the injury I had. If I want to do this as a career I need to deal with serious injuries like that and come out of it a better player so I had so much to learn in that sense.”

Woodville-West Torrens player Jevan Phillipou ahead of the AFL Draft. Central District player Dyson Sharp ahead of the AFL Draft. Picture: Cory Sutton/SANFL

Tracking Mattaes’ trajectory into the AFL ahead of the 2022 draft, and then across his first three years at St Kilda, has given Phillipou an insight into the step up that would come at the top level. He says if drafted to a Melbourne club, he would move in with Mattaes, with Jevan shaping as a potential pick around the top 25. 

“He’s so professional with the way he goes about it, and that’s with his recovery as well and his diet and once he puts it together on the field I’ve learned so much. He was really impactful this year when I broke my arm. He returned from injury when that happened and he had a really good game first game back out at the MCG and I was watching at home still in my cast and it gave me a lot of hope and confidence I could return from a serious injury as well,” he said.

“That was a big confidence boost and just seeing how he goes about it and how much he gets out of himself.”

Mattaes Phillipou celebrates a goal during the match between Greater Western Sydney and St Kilda at Engie Stadium in round 24, 2025. Picture: Getty Images

The 183cm prospect also has his time in athletics that has steeled him for performing when the stakes are high. Phillipou had three main events in his decathlon – the high jump, shot put and 1500 metres – and that the benefit had come in his football. 

“I’ve done basketball, athletics and it’s been so good for my athletic development, my coordination, my vision. Footy’s always been the one, but I’ve always done the others because I’m in love with competing and that’s where it stems from,” he said.Â