DOB: 19 August 1969
Debut: Round 7, 1988 against Hawthorn at MCG
Last Game: Round 22, 2001 against Footscray at Docklands
From: Devonport, Selection #3, 1986 National Draft
Number: 21 (1988-2001)
Honours:
Night premiership player - 1989
Grand Final team - 1988, 2000
Life Member - 1997
150 Heroes selection
Victorian state representative - 1990
Tasmanian state representative - 1989, 1993
Allies state representative - 1995
Life Member - 1997
Games: 258
Goals: 40
Career Statistics
Wins | Draws | Losses | Winning % |
130 | 0 | 128 | 50.38 |
Statistical categories led
Most games in jumper 21
Along with his twin brother Matthew, Steven crossed to Melbourne under the proviso that they were either drafted together or would not play at all. Four VFL clubs had shown interest before Melbourne selected them. While Matthew was re-drafted twice before he played a senior match it took far less for Steven to step up to the big time.
Having only played one senior game before being drafted it was no surprise that he spent his first season in the reserves, wearing number 52, but got his chance early in the 1988 season. By no means a regular he replaced Todd Viney for the Preliminary Final 1988 and kept his spot for the Grand Final. It was a day to forget for the Demons, but Febey had well and truly established himself as a senior player.
He played 20 games in 1989 and picked up his first three Brownlow Medal votes in the round 10 victory over North Melbourne. Febey represented Victora in their shock loss to New South Wales in 1990, and later played for both Tasmania and the Allies.
Struggling throughout 1991, a season that he ended in contract dispute with the club, and 1992, Febey was a regular but was playing nowhere near his best football. Both Febeys were linked with a move to Sydney before the 1996 season when Sydney were allowed to sign two uncontracted players as part of recruiting concessions, but signed a three year contract extension with Melbourne. Steven had also been pursued by Fremantle, who said they had no room to sign Matthew as well. Shortly before re-signing it was said that all but one club in the league had enquired about him. The twins turned back a last minute bid from Essendon to stay at Melbourne.
Febey played just five games in the 1996 season after suffering a knee injury. He returned for 20 games in the 1997 season, Febey bounced back to be a near permanent fixture in the much improved 1998 squad. Febey finished third in the Best and Fairest that year and was made Deputy Vice Captain for 1999. Early that year he signed a three year contract extension, turning back interest from Sydney, but the year was destroyed by injuries, with a shattered eye socket in a pre-season cup game, and finger and hamstring troubles throughout the year.
Despite being put on the Veteran's List alongside brother Matthew, Febey bounced back in 2000 and became the only player to feature in both the 1988 and 2000 Grand Final defeats. The most experienced player in the side, he had a disappointing day that he said "haunted" him.
Dropped at one point during 2001 he bounced back to finish fourth in the Best and Fairest. Despite signing a new one year contract with the club at the end of that year, injury finally ruined Febey's career in 2002, and he played just a handful of games for Sandringham before retiring and taking up a coaching position with the club.
Caught up in the 2002 Bali Bombing, Febey was thrown across the road by the force of the blast. He later admitted to suffering post-traumatic stress from the horrific scenes he witnessed outside the Sari Club. Despite his battle with the memories of that night he continued to work as a bench coach, and as host of the DeeTV television program throughout 2003.
The Febeys were a sporting family, with father Neil playing 18 years at Devonport, mother Pat representing Tasmania at softball and sister Tracy playing in the WNBL.
Year | Games | Goals | Brownlow |
1988 | 12 | 1 | 2 |
1989 | 20 | 3 | 4 |
1990 | 23 | 6 | 2 |
1991 | 19 | 3 | 0 |
1992 | 14 | 2 | 0 |
1993 | 20 | 2 | 0 |
1994 | 25 | 3 | 0 |
1995 | 22 | 2 | 0 |
1996 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
1997 | 20 | 2 | 0 |
1998 | 25 | 7 | 12 |
1999 | 12 | 0 | 1 |
2000 | 21 | 2 | 0 |
2001 | 20 | 7 | 0 |
Lists
First draft picks
Family
Interstate representatives
Interstate recruits
Life Members
Media
Age - 14/12/1991, 22/04/1994,14/11/1995, 19/11/1995, 21/11/1995, 22/11/1995, 24/01/1999, 21/12/1999, 14/10/2002, 22/06/2003
Canberra Times - 13/10/1995
Herald Sun - 25/02/2001
Links
Australian Football Wiki profile
Demonwiki image gallery
Draftguru profile
melbfc.com.au profile - 2001
Wikipedia profile