Stephen Silvagni

Stephen Silvagni (born 31 May 1967) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Carlton Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).

Stephen Silvagni
Silvagni in September 2009
Personal information
Nickname(s) Sos
Date of birth (1967-05-31) 31 May 1967
Place of birth Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Original team(s) Marcellin College/Bulleen-Templestowe
Height 191 cm (6 ft 3 in)
Weight 95 kg (209 lb)
Position(s) Full Back/Centre Half Back/Centre Half Forward
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1985–2001 Carlton 312 (202)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2001.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

As the second member of three generations of Silvagnis to represent the Blues, he is regarded as one of the greatest ever full-backs to play the game and was named as full-back in the AFL Team of the Century and is an inductee in the Australian Football Hall of Fame.[1] Prior to 1985 he captained the undefeated Marcellin College 1st XVIII that won both the 1984 Associated Grammar Schools premiership,[2] and the coveted Herald Shield Cup then[3] played under lights at Waverley Park.

He is widely known by his nickname, "SOS" (pronounced "Soss"), standing for "Son of Serge", referring to his father, Sergio Silvagni, another great Carlton player.[4]

After retiring from playing, Silvagni has worked as an assistant coach and list manager at several AFL clubs.[5][6] He is the former list manager of Carlton Football Club. On January 27, 2023, St Kilda Football Club confirmed the appointment of Stephen Silvagni as their new list manager.[7]

Playing career

Carlton

Silvangi was drafted to Carlton under the father–son rule, being the son of former Carlton Blues champion Sergio Silvagni and it was scarcely a surprise when he followed in his father's footsteps and made his Carlton debut, aged 17, in 1985. He is widely known by his nickname, "SOS" (pronounced "Soss"), standing for "Son of Serge", Silvagni was a highly energetic, resourceful footballer who was regarded as one of the finest full backs. He could also do a job in the forward lines, however, and some of his most memorable displays came after he was thrown into attack in an effort to bolster the team's performance.[8]

Silvagni's defensive skills were renowned and earned him the status as a true clubman at Carlton. In 1996's AFL Team of the Century, Silvagni had the honour of being named at full-back. He retained the title as the best full-back for four years in succession, although he was also known for his marking and goalkicking ability when playing at the opposite end of the ground in the full-forward position at times, even kicking a bag of 10 goals in Round 16, 1993 against the Fitzroy Lions.[9][8]

Possibly his finest game was in the 1995 AFL Grand Final where he kept Geelong legend Gary Ablett goalless for the entire game.[10]

In addition to Silvagni's blanketing tactics, he was also a renowned high-flyer, taking out the Mark of the Year in 1988. However, when one such mark led to an ankle injury, the high-flying aspect of his game largely disappeared.

Silvangi retired from his playing career at the end of the 2001 season, after he announced that he was taking specialist advice to call it a day after 16 seasons.[9]

A year after his retirement at the end of the 2001 season he announced that he would make a comeback to assist Carlton, following their penalties for salary cap infringements. He however changed his mind soon after and was not a listed player for the 2003 season.[11]

Silvagni also played as goalkeeper for the Australian International Rules team on several occasions, and won the inaugural Jim Stynes Medal in 1998.

Silvagni was a five time All-Australian, being selected in 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997 and 1999.

Silvagni played for Carlton Football Club from 1985 until 2001 for a total of 312 games and kicked a total of 202 goals. Silvangi was also a member of Carlton's 1987 and 1995 premiership sides[9][8]

Coaching career
Silvagni as St Kilda assistant coach watches over Sam Fisher at training prior to the 2009 AFL Grand Final

After retiring from playing, Silvagni worked as an assistant coach at four AFL clubs between 2002 and 2010: Collingwood, Sydney, Western Bulldogs and St Kilda.[5]

Sports Administration career

Greater Western Sydney

In 2011, Silvagni took on the role of list manager with the fledgling Greater Western Sydney Giants.[6]

Carlton

He returned to Carlton as list manager in 2014.[12] He was notably active in recruiting former GWS players to Carlton, with nine former GWS players shifting to Carlton in Silvagni's first three recruiting years.[13] Stephen departed the Carlton Football Club, when he left his role as list manager on 4 December 2019, following the 2019 AFL season.[14][15]

On 21 October 2020, nearly a year after Silvagni's departure from the Carlton Football Club in his role as list manager, Silvagni gave an interview on SEN radio station and he was critical of the club's administrators of Carlton Football Club President Mark LoGiudice and Carlton Football Club CEO Cain Liddle during his time at the club in his tenure as the list manager. Silvagni then described his tenure at the club as a "messy" situation because of the falling out with the club's management.[16][17]

St Kilda

On 27 January 2023, Silvagni was appointed to the role of list manager at St Kilda Football Club.[18][19][20][21][22]

Statistics
[23]
Legend
  G  
 Goals
  K  
 Kicks
  D  
 Disposals 
  T  
 Tackles
  B  
 Behinds 
  H  
 Handballs 
  M  
 Marks
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game) Votes
G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
1985 Carlton 117101336119461—0.10.07.83.611.43.6—4
1986 Carlton 11398874212945—0.70.66.73.29.93.5—0
1987† Carlton 115249995415350211.60.66.63.610.23.31.40
1988 Carlton 12412121879928674310.50.57.84.111.93.11.39
1989 Carlton 168850186824101.31.38.33.011.34.01.70
1990 Carlton 12257206142348109510.20.39.46.515.85.02.316
1991 Carlton 1934926816048180.30.410.27.617.85.32.06
1992 Carlton 1122812703410443112.31.05.82.88.73.60.95
1993 Carlton 122201418511830391320.90.68.45.413.84.11.56
1994 Carlton 1244317013330376400.20.17.15.512.63.21.76
1995† Carlton 124782139130482290.30.38.93.812.73.41.21
1996 Carlton 124641739226575440.30.27.23.811.03.11.85
1997 Carlton 11825131566622276201.40.78.73.712.34.21.15
1998 Carlton 11815141665922561340.80.89.23.312.53.41.92
1999 Carlton 1241520216117333108250.60.89.04.913.94.51.02
2000 Carlton 1205117710528289330.30.18.95.314.14.51.70
2001 Carlton 1201513172107279111260.80.78.65.414.05.61.32
Career 312 202 150 2552 1406 3958 1223 425 0.6 0.5 8.2 4.5 12.7 3.9 1.5 69

Personal life

Stephen Silvagni married television celebrity Jo Bailey in 1996, and they have three sons.[24] Their eldest son Jack was drafted by the Carlton Football Club in 2015. He played his first match in round 15, 2016 against Collingwood.[25] Their second son, Ben, was also drafted by the Carlton Football Club in the 2018 AFL draft but was subsequently delisted after the 2020 season without having played a game.[26]

Since retiring from playing football he has worked in the media as a guest football commentator.[5]

Former Carlton Football Club key defender Alex Silvagni is Stephen's second cousin. (Alex's father Eric and Stephen's father Sergio are first cousins.)[27]

See also

References
  1. Hall of Fame listing
  2. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 24 March 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. "Herald Sun Shield - AFL Victoria". Archived from the original on 28 March 2015. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
  4. "Full points footy biography". Archived from the original on 4 February 2012. Retrieved 29 July 2010.
  5. "Silvagni pulls plug on Saints". Archived from the original on 13 March 2011. Retrieved 29 July 2010.
  6. Greater Western Sydney's list manager Stephen Silvagni ready for national draft
  7. "SOS answers the call: Silvagni returns to the Saints". Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  8. "STEPHEN SILVAGNI". Retrieved 8 December 2022.
  9. "Stephen Silvagni". Retrieved 8 December 2022.
  10. "Saints defenders as thick as thieves". Archived from the original on 5 November 2012. Retrieved 29 July 2010.
  11. "Silvagni decides not to play". Archived from the original on 5 November 2012. Retrieved 29 July 2010.
  12. "Stephen Silvagni returns to Carlton as list manager". 11 December 2014. Archived from the original on 21 November 2021. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  13. "There are 27 former GWS Giants players on other club lists for 2017". Herald Sun. Melbourne, VIC.
  14. "Silvagni departs Carlton's administration after five years". Carlton Football Club. Archived from the original on 11 January 2020. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  15. "Silvagni's parting swipe at Blues leadership". 2 December 2019. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  16. "Silvagni blasts Carlton for 'amateur' mistake in explosive interview". 21 October 2020. Archived from the original on 18 November 2021. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  17. "Silvagni's explosive claim about 'sabotage' and Blues sacking". 21 October 2020. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  18. "SOS answers the call at St Kilda; AFL reveals three crucial rule changes for 2023". 27 January 2023. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  19. "Blues great returns to Saints as list management team appointed". 27 January 2023. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  20. "Saints appoint list management team". 27 January 2023. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  21. "Stephen Silvagni joins St Kilda as new list manager". 27 January 2023. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  22. "Stephen Silvagni returns to St Kilda as list manager in reunion with coach Ross Lyon". 27 January 2023. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  23. "Stephen Silvagni's player profile at AFL Tables". Archived from the original on 15 January 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
  24. "Jo's on Tri run". Archived from the original on 12 August 2010. Retrieved 29 July 2010.
  25. Gleeson, Michael (25 November 2015). "AFL draft 2015: Blues would have matched bid in the 20s for Jack Silvagni". The Age. Archived from the original on 15 March 2016. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  26. "Blues confirm four list changes". www.carltonfc.com.au. Archived from the original on 22 October 2020. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  27. "Carlton news". Archived from the original on 29 March 2010. Retrieved 31 July 2010.
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