Collingwood’s Rising Star Jaidyn Stephenson has been honoured to wear Simon Prestigiacomo’s no.35

SOME Collingwood fans might have started a campaign to see him retain the No.35 but Jaidyn Stephenson is ready to hand it over — despite the jumper bearing special significance this week.

Collingwood players swamp Jaidyn Stephenson after he booted a preliminary final goal. Pic: Michael Klein

COLLINGWOOD young gun Jaidyn Stephenson is happy to hand over his No.35 jumper after Saturday’s AFL Grand Final, saying the sacrifice Simon Prestigiacomo made for his teammates in 2010 resonated with him this week.

The Magpies started a tradition of handing its first selected draftee each year the No.35 jumper for his maiden year at the club, honouring Prestigiacomo after he retired following the 2010 season.

Prestigiacomo famously made the sacrifice of withdrawing from the Grand Final team that year due to injury on the day before the game.

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Stephenson has been among a host of Grand Final Magpies to have worn the number, including Brodie Grundy and Jordan De Goey.

“It’s dawned on me even more this week what Presti did in 2010,” Stephenson told the Herald Sun. “It was a big thing for him to do, such a team-orientated one.

“I think I could have a broken arm and still want to play.

Jaidyn Stephenson shows Nathan Buckley how he does it. Pic: Michael Klein

“But he did the right thing by his teammates. It’s been a great honour for me to wear it this year, and I look forward to hopefully passing it onto (Collingwood’s) pick 18 (in this year’s draft) next season.”

A number of Collingwood supporters had started a campaign to see Stephenson retain the No.35, but he wants to keep the tradition alive.

“I’m really happy to hand it over next year, because of what Presti did,” he said. “I don’t care what number I wear next year.”

The 19-year-old hasn’t missed a game in his debut season, winning the AFL’s Rising Star award. He is close mates with teammate Josh Daicos, whose father, Peter, made the No.35 jumper famous during his brilliant career at Collingwood.

“(Peter Daicos) knows his footy well, he is so invested in watching Josh and his younger brother Nick,” Stephenson said. “I’ve been around to his house for dinner a few times with Peter and Colleen.”

Peter Daicos is the Pies’ most famous no.35.

Simon Prestigiacomo is a revered figure at the Pies.

On Saturday he will become the second player to play 26 games in a season in his debut year. The other was Collingwood’s Scott Russell in 1990, the year the Magpies broke a 32-year premiership drought.

That’s not bad for a player who thought he should have been dropped leading into Round 4, where he kicked a season-defining five goals against Adelaide.

“My first two (games) were average and my third one was poor,” Stephenson said. “I thought I would get dropped after Round 3.”

“I would never have dreamt that I would play every game this year.”

He said his body has stood up well to the rigours of AFL football, saying: “I am an outside player, I don’t get too many hard balls so the body has held up all right.”

Collingwood players swamp Jaidyn Stephenson after he booted a preliminary final goal. Pic: Michael Klein

“The (fitness staff) have managed me really well during the year. I’ve had a few trainings off which helped me get my body right, enabling me to play every game.”

His parents, Darren and Raquel, have attended every game he has played this year, including the interstate trips.

Stephenson slipped to No.6 in the draft pecking order last November, due to an unusual heart condition, allowing the Magpies to swoop on him.

“I always said I wanted to go to Collingwood ... to play in front of the big crowds,” he said. “Maybe I wasn’t good enough to be in the first five.”

Now, he’s into a Grand Final, in his 26th game, he says: “It’s unreal, I didn’t think I would be sitting here getting ready to play in a Grand Final in my first year.”