{"id":267679,"date":"2025-11-07T00:39:11","date_gmt":"2025-11-07T00:39:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/267679\/"},"modified":"2025-11-07T00:39:11","modified_gmt":"2025-11-07T00:39:11","slug":"new-port-coach-josh-carr-explains-why-power-are-interested-in-retired-afl-star-jaidyn-stephenson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/267679\/","title":{"rendered":"New Port coach Josh Carr explains why Power are interested in retired AFL star Jaidyn Stephenson"},"content":{"rendered":"

Port Adelaide<\/a> coach Josh Carr has explained why the club is interested in throwing Jaidyn Stephenson a potential lifeline on the rookie list.<\/p>\n

Stephenson will train with the Power over the summer, with the club open to recruiting the former North Melbourne and Collingwood forward.<\/p>\n

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: New era begins at Port Adelaide.<\/p>\n

Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today \"Download<\/a><\/p>\n

The 26-year-old walked away from the AFL<\/a> last year despite having another season to run on his contract at Arden Street.<\/p>\n

But after playing with local club Ferntree Gully this year, Stephenson is keen on returning to the AFL.<\/p>\n

In September, 7NEWS revealed that Stephenson himself was initiating contact<\/a> with potential clubs and the Power have shown enough interest to offer him a train-on spot.<\/p>\n

Carr stressed there is no guarantee that he will win a rookie contract, but said the club would be \u201csilly\u201d not to pursue him.<\/p>\n

\"JaidynJaidyn Stephenson will train with Port Adelaide over summer. Credit: AAP<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom my point of view, we haven\u2019t guaranteed Jaidyn any position on our list,\u201d Carr said on SEN.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s obviously got to get through the draft, but post-draft, we have guaranteed that he can come and train with us over the summer.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think we would be silly not to look at it. He\u2019s a talented young player; he kicked something like 40 goals in his first year at Collingwood.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s had his struggles but we\u2019ve got some people at the footy club that know him really well and he\u2019s matured and from my point of view we make a judgement at the end of pre-season just as we will for any other player that trains on in the pre-season and we\u2019ll pick the best player that\u2019s going to help us as a football club.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite Port Adelaide\u2019s optimism about Stephenson\u2019s potential, club great and Channel 7 commentator Kane Cornes slammed the move.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe worst thing I saw was the article of Port Adelaide considering Jaidyn Stephenson on their list,\u201d Cornes recently said<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cHopefully it\u2019s just for a train-on spot and they\u2019re not seriously considering him.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s list-cloggers haven at Port Adelaide at the moment.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s (Corey) Durdin, we\u2019ve got Will Brodie, we\u2019ve got Jacob Wehr, and I\u2019m just not sure what\u2019s happening there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stephenson, who received a payout for a portion of his 2025 wage, kicked 38 goals in the Eastern Football League Division 3 this year.<\/p>\n

Drafted by Collingwood at the end of 2017, Stephenson burst onto the scene in his debut season, kicking 38 goals to win the Rising Star award.<\/p>\n

He departed Collingwood at the end of 2020 and played four seasons at North Melbourne and retired on 122 AFL games.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Port Adelaide ushered in their new era on Thursday with Carr and football boss Ben Rutten unveiled.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Watch: New Bulldog pumped to join a \u2018big club\u2019<\/p>\n

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4 min read<\/p>\n

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