Stephen Powell (born 7 September 1976) is a former Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League (AFL). A journeyperson in the AFL, Powell made his debut with the Western Bulldogs as a 20-year-old in 1997.He quickly became known as a player whose hardness and aggression at the ball was invaluable, continuing this role as the Bulldogs reached preliminary finals in 1997 and 1998. Surprisingly, at the end of 1999 he was traded went to the Melbourne Football Club much to the dismay of Bulldogs fans, where he immediately became a major contributor in helping them reach a Grand Final in 2000. Despite a bad loss, he was a shining light on the day and the Demons.Powell polled strongly in their Best and Fairest at the end of the year. He missed all of 2001 with a nearly career endin