Dylan Stone, a two-time premiership player for the Wangaratta Rovers, has announced his retirement from the Ovens and Murray Football Netball League at the age of 30. Debuting in 2014, Stone is moving to Diggers Rest in the Riddell District Football Netball League due to ongoing knee issues and the toll of travel from Melbourne. After multiple knee surgeries, including a femoral osteotomy, doctors advised him to retire, particularly following a challenging 2023 season, where he struggled with osteoarthritis and played limited games. Despite having a successful career — accumulating 156 games and 102 goals for the Rovers and earning a best and fairest award — Stone noted that the enjoyment of the game diminished as he battled constant pain. He expressed gratitude for his coach, Sam Murray, for adjusting training loads to help manage his condition. Stone has been with the Rovers for 20 years and is leaving as the second player from the 2025 premiership team to move on.
Two-time Wangaratta Rovers' premiership player Dylan Stone has called time on his Ovens and Murray Football Netball League career. The 30-year-old, who debuted in 2014, has joined Diggers Rest in the Riddell District Football Netball League. "Mostly hands-down it's to do with the knee itself and I guess the travel (eight years from Melbourne) was adding up and with a sore body the extra travel doesn't help as well," he said. "My body's not allowing me to do what I once could or would like to do, so it was time for me to take a step back." Stone has had a number of operations on his left knee, including a femoral osteotomy. In 2023, he was told by a doctor to retire and even had injections similar to lip filler in his battle with osteoarthritis. The pacy midfielder played only 11 and 12 games in 2023 and 2024 respectively, but posted the maximum (20) last season, where the Hawks defeated their fiercest rivals Wangaratta to claim a second successive flag. "Even though we were winning the enjoyment wasn't there because I was putting my body through hell just to get up on a Saturday," he said. "It's not as much fun as it was at 18 or 20, when you never get injured. Monday through Wednesday I could hardly move as my body was so sore and then you're struggling at work (as a carpenter)." Stone had enormous praise for dual premiership coach Sam Murray, who lightened his training loads. He finishes with 156 senior games at Rovers, kicking 102 goals. He won a best and fairest and also represented the O and M, kicking the final goal with 20 seconds left in a thrilling seven-point win over Goulburn Valley at Albury Sportsground in 2023. He started his career on a wing, but played the majority in the midfield, where he bamboozled opponents with his pace and agility. "It's one of the hardest decisions I've had to make, which sounds a bit corny and boring," Stone said when quizzed on leaving Rovers. "I grew up around the club with Alex Marklew. From 10 years old, we would go to the footy together, my brother and dad played there, I've been around the club for 20 years." Apart from a handful of VFL games during stints at North Melbourne, Box Hill and the Northern Bullants, Stone has never played for any other senior club. He is the second player to leave from the 2025 premiership after Jez Rigoni joined WAFL outfit Swan Districts.
Wangaratta Rovers lose a second player from 2025 flag.
The Border Mail
