Fixture loophole opens door for banned Collingwood star Jaidyn Stephenson to return in VFL this weekend
Suspended Collingwood star Jaidyn Stephenson will return in the VFL on Saturday hours after his 10-game suspension ends on Friday night.
The Magpies have confirmed a loophole in the fixture will allow last year’s Rising Star winner to play his first game since Round 12 due to Collingwood finishing its home and away season against Essendon at the MCG the night before.
Stephenson will face the Box Hill Hawks at Box Hill City Oval in the final round of the VFL season.
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The 20-year-old was hit with a 22-game suspension, with 12 games suspended, and a $20,000 fine for betting on AFL matches earlier this season.
Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley said the club was thrilled the fixture has allowed Stephenson to get a game under his belt ahead of the first final, which could be either a qualifying or elimination final.
“We had a small win this week — and fortuitous that we had a Friday night game this weekend — so Jaidyn plays in the VFL on Saturday, which gives him a run around,” Buckley told reporters at a press conference on Wednesday.
“If we were scheduled to play on a Saturday night it wouldn’t have happened.
“If you’ve missed as much footy as he has, he’s looking forward to getting involved in the cut and thrust as soon as possible. He’s rapt the all-clear came through.”
Buckley praised Stephenson’s application during his time on the sidelines and said the game-breaking forward is well placed to make an impact when he returns to the big stage in September.
“His attitude and his workrate has been amazing,” he said.
“We couldn’t have asked anymore form him, the way he’s applied himself into his training block.”
Stephenson played all 26 games — including all four finals — in a sparkling debut season, finishing with 38 goals on the way to becoming Collingwood’s first Rising Star winner.
The 2017 No. 6 pick played the first 12 games of 2019 before he was suspended.
Injury-plagued veteran Daniel Wells is also set to play in the VFL on the weekend.