North Melbourne father-son River Stevens and Anthony on new Roos draftee’s journey

Father-son Roo River Stevens had a graduation entrance to remember, but the security guard had no sense of occasion. He and his champion father reflect on his journey and why Anthony stepped down from the board.

New Roo River Stevens is king of his school in more ways than one.

Earlier this year in the Geelong school derby, the son of North Melbourne champion Anthony, led his side to victory with a best on ground display for Geelong College against Geelong Grammar – the highlight of his draft year.

It just so happened that the second night of the draft, where the Geelong Falcons small forward was due to be picked as a father-son by North Melbourne, fell on the very same night as his Year 12 graduation.

Stevens knew a month out from the draft that he would be become a Kangaroo, but he had to wait until nearly 10 o’clock to have his name called, with Fox Footy capturing the moment and interviewing him afterwards.

After experiencing that alongside his family and friends – including triple premiership Cat David Wojcinski and Port Adelaide small forward Tom Anastasopoulos, who was drafted last year – Stevens headed over to his school graduation.

River Stevens was BOG on derby day.

Before he could so much as say hello, his mates had him on their shoulders – much to the security guard’s chagrin.

As he was chaired into his mate’s graduation, the security guard, with no sense of occasion, was imploring them to put him down saying: “Oi, down!”

“He wasn’t happy, trying to grab me and take me down, was screaming,” Stevens said.

“It was exciting, everyone was very excited.”

A chant of ‘River’ rang out among his peers, thrilled that he had achieved his AFL dream.

Those thinking it was a formality, it certainly wasn’t.

Stevens was no certainty to become the fifth Roos father-son on their list throughout the year – so much so that his father Anthony stepped down from his post on the North Melbourne board in March.

“It was River’s draft year, he was never guaranteed to be a first rounder or whatever, so politically I didn’t want to be on the board, (for it) to look like he’s getting drafted because his dad is on the board, which is not the case,” Anthony said.

“He’s been drafted on his own ability and performance.”

River Stevens after he was drafted with his dad, North Melbourne champion Anthony. Picture: Supplied

Stevens made a big move away from his friends down to Geelong when he was in year nine to attend Geelong College.

“To see all the hard yards that he’s done is pretty exciting for the young fella, because he has moved down with his dad into a completely different environment going in Year 9 as a young boy, going to a private school to meet new friends and everything and away from where he grew up,” Anthony said.

“I’m very proud of him and very satisfied. He’s achieved his goal at this point, the hardest thing to do is get drafted and he’s done the hard yards do that, now that’s the easy part.

“He’s got a two-year contract and he’ll work his butt off to essentially try and get an AFL game and show his talent to get a contract further on from that.”

NORTH CONNECTION

Stevens’ first memories at Arden St involve another North Melbourne father-son in Cooper Harvey, son of AFL game’s record holder Brent, and Byron Pickett junior.

“I remember me and Cooper and Byron Pickett, we used to run around just jumping around in all the hot and cold pools all the time. I remember doing that a lot,” Stevens said.

Now, Stevens will be jumping in and out of them with Cooper Harvey and Jackson Archer, son of Glenn, at North Melbourne recovery.

“We have been through all the father-son academies together and know them pretty well, so I’m excited to start training and play with them,” Stevens said.

Harvey and Archer were among the first to text Stevens after he was drafted along with new recruit Jack Darling, who joined the club during the trade period.

Anthony recalls his son, Harvey and Archer running amok at the club.

River Stevens will join Bailey Scott, Jackson Archer, Luke McDonald and Cooper Harvey as father-sons. Picture: Michael Klein

“River was down in Melbourne at the time and young Cooper and Jacko would be around and they’d be running around like they owned the place pretty much,” Anthony said with a chuckle.

More recently, Stevens has spent time at the club through Geelong College work experience in the recruiting team, and even the Roos shop.

His work with North Melbourne’s recruiters helped him improve his own game to impress scouts — he describes himself as a small forwad who applies pressure and can kick a “sneaky goal”.

“(The recruiting team) told me what they looked for and what they don’t like and certain players and what I need to do better,” Steven said.

“That was pretty helpful.”

Wojcinski, who coached his son Alfie and Stevens to two under-18 premierships with Newtown & Chillwell, was another valuable resource for the new Roo since his move down to Geelong.

And of course, it is pretty handy to have a dad who is a member of the Australian football Hall of Fame.

River Stevens in action during Newtown & Chillwell’s 2023 grand final. Picture: Mark Wilson

“He didn’t miss a beat in regards to putting the effort in to practice, so I always taught him, have a footy in your hand the whole time and just keep handballing and kicking to yourself and walk around bouncing it,” Anthony said.

“And just get that touch and that feel of a football and he’d done that from a young age.

“We’d often watch a Friday night game or a Saturday night game, watching the sides play and watch a certain player, how they move, their running patterns if they are forward or a midfielder or backline.

“He was very inquisitive about information and would ask me and I’d volunteer that information.

“Probably as most kids that have had a father that has been to the top and lucky enough to play in success, like Wojcinski, just having his mentoring and guidance has been tenfold.”

Does Anthony sometimes get his own footage out to teach his son?

“We go on YouTube and watch some highlights sometimes,” River said.

Anthony butted in: “Nah, never…”

River is inspired by what his father has done before him and is eager to follow in his footsteps.

“It was a pretty good effort to play 294 games,” River said.

“292, River,” Stevens said with a laugh.

Originally published as North Melbourne father-son River Stevens and Anthony on new Roos draftee’s journey