The leadership qualities of the Deakin Reserve mainstay have proven a key component in the maroon and gold’s all-conquering form in 2026, with the Bears currently leading the league standings after 14 rounds played.
Their most recent outing on July 18 saw them defeat neighbours Mooroopna in one of the games of the season so far, as a classic encounter played out before Shepparton claimed the spoils in a 10.10 (70) to 10.8 (68) triumph.
The Bears emerged victorious despite being reduced to 17 men during the battle, while also falling six points behind in the fourth quarter - before a timely turnaround from the hosts during the closing stages.
While Zac Metcalf and Ashley Holland may grab the plaudits with six goals between them on the day, the unsung hero en route to maximum points was surely Stephenson, who demonstrated his defensive prowess in abundance in the clash.
It was a performance befitting of a century of appearances in Shepparton colours, as the colossus proved to be the heartbeat of his side’s defensive structures, guiding his teammates as a natural leader on the field.
Now, Bears co-coach has praised the 24-year-old for his uncompromising efforts after putting in a typically steely performance on his landmark day.
“It’s a massive achievement, he came to us five or six years ago, and he’s only missed two games since then,” he said.
“One was for a broken leg in the final and another when he and his partner had a baby - which was fantastic for them.
“He’s fantastic for our group and is a genuine leader for us at 24.
“The way he can intercept mark, as you saw out there (against Mooroopna) is super important for our team.
“So we’re so excited that he’s here for the long term, which is great for us.”
As for the run-in to finals, Wells was keen to insist that the focus within the Bears’ camp will be firmly on taking each game as it comes, as opposed to having one eye on the finals.
“It’s a hard one, we mentioned that before the (Mooroopna) game, we shoudn’t look too far ahead,” he said.
“We’ve got a young side with an average age of 21 - and average games of 42 - so there’s going to be moments when we’re not going to win games.
“We’ve got to understand we’ve got four games before finals - and they’re all against teams that could well play finals.”
If his first 100 appearances are anything to go by, Stephenson will prove central to Shepparton’s fortunes during what remains of the campaign.
