How Jaidyn Stephenson dobbed himself in over betting scandal
Jaidyn Stephenson tipped a bucket on his 2019 season with a sly comment to a teammate about losing a multi-bet after a Collingwood victory.
The extraordinary revelation emerged on Wednesday night in a report from The Age, just hours after the 20-year-old was suspended for 10 matches.
Stephenson choked back tears on Wednesday while attempting to explain the circumstances behind his "incredibly stupid" decisions to flout the AFL's strict wagering rules.
Debate raged about the severity of the penalty after he was given a 22-game ban and a $20,000 fine for placing three bets on games he was playing in.
He was given the chance to play again this year if the Pies make the finals after the league suspended 12 matches of the sentence, which will apply for the remainder of his career.
Stephenson placed three unsuccessful multi-bets on three separate games involving his team, with the wager totalling $36.
The Age report claims Stephenson inadvertently dobbed himself in after Collingwood’s win over St Kilda in round nine.
He reportedly joked to teammate Jeremy Howe that a different teammate failed to record a particular number of disposals, ending the youngster’s hopes of winning the multi.
Howe later spoke to Stephenson and told him to take it up with the club bosses, which he did the following day.
The revelation that a joke sparked the chain of events that led to his ban is at odds with his explanations earlier on Wednesday.
Stephenson had struggled to explain why it took three bets for him to realise his error and speak to Pies football boss Geoff Walsh.
"I think the first two times I was just a bit oblivious to it," he said.
"In the moment I was a little bit ignorant and I thought it might just be harmless, but after the third time it was just weighing on me. It was starting to build up.
"I was just feeling way too guilty."
He had given cash to a friend on two occasions for him to place the bet using a betting app and on the other he used his friend's online betting account himself.
"I'm fully aware that as an AFL footballer I'm not allowed to bet on AFL matches but I justified my behaviour ..." Stephenson said, stopping to compose himself.
"It was an incredibly stupid thing to do and I now realise the seriousness of what I've done.
"I'm very embarrassed that I've let myself, my family, my teammates and our loyal fans down.
"I'm devastated that I won't be able to pull on a Collingwood jumper for the next 10 weeks.
"I'm committed to spending my time on the sidelines reflecting on how I can make better decisions in the future.
"I want to issue an unreserved apology to those who I have let down and hope that, in time, I can earn back any trust that I have lost."
While still allowed to train with the club, Stephenson will miss the rest of the home and away season but will be able to return in the first week of the finals should Collingwood advance.
He will still receive his base wage but will forego lucrative match payments.
"This is the toughest penalty imposed under our wagering rules," said AFL general counsel Andrew Dillon.
"There is no clearer instruction - AFL players, club and league officials are banned from betting on Australian Rules Football in any form.
"The rules are very clear and if you breach them you will be penalised.
"Jaidyn's actions have compromised the integrity of the game."
The last bet was on the Magpies' round nine match against St Kilda on May 18, with Stephenson self-reporting a day later.
Walsh advised the AFL's integrity unit the same day, which opened an investigation.
Stephenson said that he didn't think about the bets during the games in question or modify his behaviour on the field in any way, a conclusion which Dillon said the AFL had come to after reviewing those matches.
He added Stephenson's self-reporting, remorse and co-operation with the investigation had contributed to the suspended portion of the match ban.
What did he bet on?
Stephenson bet on three Magpies games:
Round 4 - Collingwood v Western Bulldogs
Round 6 - Collingwood v Essendon
Round 9 - Collingwood v St Kilda
Bets included legs on:
Collingwood to win
Collingwood winning margin
Stephenson to kick a goal
Stephenson to kick multiple goals
Collingwood teammates to kick a goal
Collingwood teammates to kick multiple goals
Collingwood teammates to have in excess of a number of disposals
The bet stakes totalled $36 and all bets were unsuccessful.
with AAP
