If he’d gone down a different path, Jake Stein could be exactly a year away from another Commonwealth Games campaign. Instead, he’s just played his first-ever competitive game of Australian Rules football.

Stein was listed by the GIANTS as a Category B rookie in November, having not been registered in an Australian Football competition in the last three years. 

A World Youth Athletic Championships Gold Medalist in 2011, Stein represented Australia at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and in fact, had never played a game of Australian Rules football before a NEAFL trial match last weekend.

“It was a lot of fun,” Stein said of his NEAFL debut against the Suns Reserves at Spotless Stadium on Saturday. 

“We obviously came out a bit slow and the first quarter was pretty average from all of us. 

“I was pretty nervous, with it being my first real competition game, but we picked up after the second quarter and got going so I thought we played three really good quarters.

“To come away with the win was fantastic and it was good to sing the team song for the first time.”

Hailing from Penrith in Western Sydney, Stein relished the chance to sing the GIANTS song after his maiden win at his home ground.

“Obviously, I’ve grown up here and there’s been no AFL team in Western Sydney up until the last six years so the fact that I can play in a Western Sydney AFL team, or NEAFL team, was pretty exciting.”

Stein debuted as a backman, and at 195cm and 94kg, has the makings of a tall defender. His transition to football hasn’t been all smooth sailing though.

“The toughest thing for me has been the change of direction,” he said.

“I’ve run in straight lines for six years so I struggled a bit in pre-season with some adductor and hip problems but the fitness and conditioning staff here have got me in good nick.

“I managed to get through the pre-season, which was pretty bloody tough, so now we’re into the season and into the fun stuff.”

He doesn’t have far to look for role models within the GIANTS, and has some of the very best in his mentor group.

“In my group I’ve got Phil Davis - so co-captain of the club, a pretty handy bloke to have - and I get along really well with Adam Tomlinson so he’s been a great help,” Stein said. 

“I’ve also got Aidan Corr who is very experienced and I got to play with him on the weekend so that was unreal, having his experience and leadership down back.

“Those guys have helped me quite a bit and just reassured me that what I’m doing down there is right and I’m not doing the wrong things.”

While Stein was playing with an oval ball on Spotless Stadium, just down the road at the Athletics Centre in Sydney Olympic Park, some of his former teammates were competing in the pinnacle of the domestic Australian Athletics season.

Many of the them were in the crowd to support Stein, but it still doesn’t make him miss his previous sport.

“The National Champs were on the weekend and I went and watched,” Stein said. 

“My brother competed and a few other mates and I actually couldn’t even contemplate warming up for the National Champs.

“I think they competed in pouring rain for the two days of the decathlon so I was much happier on Saturday, just playing in the backline and doing my part for the team. I couldn’t think about doing 10 events over two days, it’s another life away now.”