South Fremantle great Stephen Michael reflects on his WAFL career as he prepares to be 2025 Sir Doug Nicholls Round honouree
Widely regarded as one of the best footballers to never play in the VFL, dual Sandover Medallist and 2025 Sir Doug Nicholls round honoree Stephen Michael knows he would’ve held his own.
Widely regarded as one of the best footballers to never play in the VFL, Stephen Michael knows he would’ve held his own.
The dual Sandover Medallist, five-time South Fremantle best and fairest, and 1980 premiership player forged a legacy that few can match. But one of the great ‘what ifs’ is how Michael would’ve fared in the VFL after turning down overtures to head east.
There were several offers made for the ruckman’s services, but none as tempting as Geelong’s. Michael trained with the Cats in the early 1980s before ultimately remaining with South Fremantle.
Family was one factor, but after winning the Tassie Medal and being named captain of the All-Australian side in 1983, the first time that an Indigenous player had been honoured as skipper, Michael was satisfied he could compete with the best of the best.
“You can’t compare what could’ve been,” the 17-time WA State of Origin representative said. “Playing against them in state games, we had the best players in Australia playing for WA, and we proved that on the footy field.
“I’m very humbled that I played against the Victorian and South Australian teams. A lot of WA players did very well over there, but I just wanted to be myself.”
Michael was unveiled as the 2025 Sir Doug Nicholls Round honouree back in February when the AFL was in Perth for the Indigenous All-Stars game against Fremantle. It’s a fitting reward for a life lived in football.
Tough, athletic, fast and fierce, Michael played 243 games and kicked 231 goals for South Fremantle. In 2005, he was named at centre half-forward in the Indigenous team of the century, and he’s also reached Legend status in the WA Football Hall of Fame and was one of the early inductees into the Australian Football Hall of Fame.
“You start and you don’t stop,” Michael said of his football career. “It’s been part of me my whole life.
“I just wanted to play sports every day from Monday to Friday. I didn’t go into it thinking right, I need to be a superstar. I found that you always come up against someone better than you.
“I believe whatever is on my resume is a bonus. I got to win a grand final. I got to play with some champions like Maurice Rioli, Basil Campbell and Benny Vigona, and I also got to play against champions like Graham Moss, Brian Peake, Ross Glendinning, all of these guys.
“You don’t plan it. It’s just something that happened.”
As honouree, Michael will follow in the footsteps of greats such as Polly Farmer, Bill Dempsey and Syd Jackson as the AFL celebrates his career across the next fortnight.
“It’s an accolade that you don’t set yourself or want to achieve,” he said. “I’m grateful for the people who have recommended me.
“I’m very humbled to be among a great group of men.
“Polly Farmer changed the game, and so did Sir Doug. I don’t say I changed the game. I was just part of the game.”
Michael went on to establish the Stephen Michael Foundation, where he remains a patron. The Foundation works with at-risk and disadvantaged young people in Western Australian and encourages them to invest in their future regardless of their cultural background.
As the AFL faces a decline in Indigenous players, the 69-year-old said he industry needed to recognise what drives players to play football.
“Maybe it’s a business now when it once used to be for the love of the game,” he said. “We as Indigenous players or as any players want to play for the enjoyment of it, not signing seven or eight-year contracts.
“I’d like to see the AFL take the game to the people, go back to grassroots and say, ‘How can we improve the competition for our boys?’”
Originally published as South Fremantle great Stephen Michael reflects on his WAFL career as he prepares to be 2025 Sir Doug Nicholls Round honouree
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