And a prime objective.
Heralding from Perth, where he played for WAFL club Claremont before being drafted to the Eagles, he was one of those many footballers in top four teams that sat on the outer of a highly attuned and experienced group of players.
That is not to understate his talent and potential, for it was at Claremont where he played most of 2011 and 2012 that he demonstrated his rated kicking ability and hard running – traits Port Adelaide hopes he will exhibit this year and beyond.
Indeed, he joins Port at a time of quiet confidence amongst the playing group and the wider supporter base and the pre-season has offered much in terms of a new-look side under the tutelage of Ken Hinkley.
But that is borne not only from Hinkley’s vision for the club, but also the players in the team, specifically the dynamic that an influx of some 11 new faces has brought into the club has contributed to changing the way this team plays.
Two Sundays ago the Power resisted a challenge from premiers Sydney, the week before it did the same against top-four rated West Coast.
Although pre-season form counts for little when teams use the NAB Cup to test, trial and experiment, there was no denying the new feel about the way Port Adelaide plays its football.
And it is players like Stevenson who will help deliver it.
With an impressive long kick and a physical presence apt for a hard-running rebound defender, Stevenson along with fellow recruits Jack Hombsch and Campbell Heath should feature in a number of games this year.
His application and hard work on the track this pre-season is forged from a desire to play AFL football.
That is a privilege he was tantalisingly close to achieving at West Coast. Now he wants to be in Port’s best 22 having learned what it takes to play at the highest level.
“It was a pretty frustrating year, being on the verge, but they (West Coast) had such good depth especially down back,” Stevenson told portadelaidefc.com.au.
“Looking back it was a good experience even though things weren’t going my way and I think I played my best footy last year.”
Although he couldn’t crack West Coast’s side on a regular basis, often listed as an emergency on the Eagles’ team lists, Stevenson has not gone without success in football – playing in Claremont’s premiership sides in 2011 and 2012.
“I played probably 90 games with Claremont and it made it very easy when not playing with West Coast to go back and play with guys I grew up with there,” he explains.
“We lost (the Grand Final) in 2010 to Swan Districts by a point so to win the flag in 2011 and then last year was very sweet.”
He would like to taste success again.
Port Adelaide is an unknown quantity this year and with hope building after its solid NAB Cup performance, who knows what the Power will be capable of in 2013?
Certainly, Stevenson was involved in a side that clawed its way back to the top of the competition after a disastrous season in 2010.
Port Adelaide, 14th last year, has similar ambitions to be resurgent in 2013 – and Stevenson sees the similarities.
“Where we’re at now reminds me of what West Coast used to be like a few years back,” he says.
“They came from the bottom few spots on the ladder to growing with a young group and getting experience and training hard, learning and developing to the place they are now.”
Settling into Alberton has been a relatively simple for Stevenson, who knew vice captain Brad Ebert from their time together at the Eagles, and newly elevated rookie Kane Mitchell from Claremont.
“Being good mates with Brad Ebert for the last four years has really helped me settle (in),” he says.
“He always used to talk about how much he loved it over here, so coming over I knew I shouldn’t have any worries.
“Being able to live with him for a couple of months has helped a lot, as has having Kane over here – we grew up together, won flags together – it’s been good.”
Now Stevenson’s focus is on playing round one, and stringing together as many games as he can in 2013.
He’s making up for lost time.
“I don’t want to be playing at lower levels of footy, in the SANFL, I want to be playing footy at AFL level and performing consistently,” he says.
“That’s the thing I learned at West Coast – to play consistent and keep developing as a footballer.
“And it’s been a smooth transition for me, the professionalism (at Port Adelaide) has really impressed me.
“In pre-season you only know that you’re going to get out what you put in and I know if we can keep heading in the right direction we’ll be pretty successful as a team.”
“I want to be part of it.”
