Australian Football

Stephen Wright stayed loyal to South Melbourne amidst and after the trauma of the club’s relocation to Sydney in 1982. Tough, resolute and purposeful, he used the ball, which he typically saw a lot of, exquisitely, and even late in his career after he had slowed down he was still racking up the possessions.

Between 1979 and 1992 Wright played 246 V/AFL games and kicked 247 goals for the Swans and won club best and fairests in 1985 and 1990. He also played state of origin football for both Victoria and New South Wales. In 2003 he was named on the interchange bench in the official South Melbourne/Sydney’Team of the Century’.

After leaving the Swans Stevie Wright spent the 1993 and 1994 seasons as playing coach of Clarence in the TFL, steering the side to back to back premierships. He was then appointed non-playing coach of Central District in the SANFL where he spent the 1996 and 1997 seasons. More recently he has coached Southern Football (Netball) League clubs Highett and Murrumbeena.

Author - John Devaney