True Blue Jason Stevens is not your average prop forward.
When most front rowers retire, they pick up work in the construction, maintenance or fitness industries where they can still put their brawn, as well as their brains, to good use.
But the former Dragons and Sharks front rower is now a filmmaker.
“I actually did a Commerce Degree from the University of NSW when I was playing,” Stevens told nswrl.com.au.
His latest movie ‘Finally Me’, which premiered in Sydney two weeks ago and in Brisbane this week, was written, directed and produced by Stevens.
Asked how someone, who constantly drove the ball upfield for NSW, Australia and more than 230 NRL games for St George Dragons and Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, gets so heavily involved in the arts, Stevens said: “With great grit and determination… similar to football really.”
Stevens retired at the end of the 2005 season and started a screen writers’ course just weeks later.
“I actually wrote the first draft of ‘Finally Me’ in 2009 so you can see how long it takes to get something from an idea into a full production,” he said.
“Getting the finance together was a big part of it.”
It is his second film. His first film ‘Chasing Comets’ is currently available on STAN and released in 2018 about the on-and-off the field journey of lead character Chase who wants to play in the NRL.
But for ‘Finally Me’ he has noticed a lot of his former teammates have been bringing their sons and daughters to the premieres.
“Reactions have been really pleasing,” he said after the Brisbane showing of 'Finally Me' where one of his guests was his former Cronulla and Queensland Origin player Chris McKenna (pictured above).
“Another of my old Sharks teammate Chris Beattie took his daughter and they were talking to me about what a beautiful story it is.
“Parents are moved by it because it’s about a cheerleader who is not your stereotypical body shape but she overcomes the dismissive attitudes towards her.
“They want to see their kids get those kinds of victories in life.”
Stevens regularly meets with players as he formerly had a job in the NRL’s Health and Welfare division.
“It’s always great to be able to invite players to come to my movies – it gives them a chance to see just where you can go with a career after footy, because your playing career goes so quickly.”
To watch the ‘Finally Me’ trailer on YouTube, click here
