Former Pies star's ridiculous rookie season Uber Eats bill

Perth Now

01-05-2025

Collingwood grand finalist Jaidyn Stephenson has revealed he spent $28,000 on Uber Eats during his first season in the AFL.
Stephenson, who retired at age 25 at the end of last season with one year to go on his contract at North Melbourne, also said he ate 95 Weet-Bix a week during his rookie season in 2018.
'It's challenging I suppose. In my first year in the AFL system, I spent $28,000 on Uber Eats,' Stephenson told SEN.
'I lived with Jack Madgen and his girlfriend, who is his wife now, and they'd have their chicken and veggies every night. They were six years older than me, and they understood how life worked.
'I think I cooked twice the whole year. I would order Uber Eats for lunch or dinner, whenever I needed to.
'Luckily the club cooked us food for breakfast and lunch, but everything else was Uber Eats or going out for dinners.
'It's hard, it's challenging and it's something there probably isn't enough education on.'
The 2018 Rising Star winner who kicked 38 goals in the season where the Pies eventually lost to West Coast in the grand final, did not regret spending more than $76 a day on takeaway food.
'Jeez, I had a good time. I could probably have a bit more money than I do, but I wouldn't have the same experiences,' he said.
'You can always make more money.'
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Stephenson now plays for Ferntree Gully in Melbourne's Eastern Football League and racked up an incredible 54 disposals in a recent game.
He said he is at peace with his decision to cut his AFL career short.
'I would have done it a lot sooner, but I obviously had my family, my friends and my partner and they all enjoyed watching me play. It was a cool outing for them to watch their son play at the MCG or Marvel Stadium,' he said.
'I sort of stuck it out for them, I just couldn't do it anymore last year. I had fallen out of love with the game, but I really enjoyed playing in the twos in the VFL when the scrutiny was off a bit.
'I thought if this is what VFL is like, imagine what playing at Ferntree Gully is going to be like, it's just going to be very relaxed, and I'll feel a lot better about myself.
'Probably before the season's end, I knew that was going to be it.'