Shayne has an extensive senior management experience within high profile businesses, including successful stints with North Melbourne Football Club, Tasmanian Racing Club, Hawthorn Football Club, AFL Tasmania and the Glenorchy Football Club.
Shayne also played football with Fitzroy and Hawthorn in the AFL during the 1990s.
A long kicking left footer, Shayne joined the AFL from Tasmanian club Sandy Bay. He was recruited with the 37th pick in the draft and made his debut in the 1991 season. His first season with Hawthorn, who picked him up in the 1994 Pre-Season Draft, was a contrast. He made his way into the team late in the year and participated in the Qualifying Final loss to North Melbourne, contributing 23 disposals and two goals. Returning to Tasmania after his AFL career ended, Shayne captained Southern Cats in their brief, 27-game stint in the TFL football before they folded in May 1999. Stevenson then crossed to Glenorchy and was a member of their 1999 premiership team. He replaced Paul Hamilton as Glenorchy coach in 2000.
Shayne has had a close connection to rural life through his Grandfather who ran his own farm at Orielton for over 50 years. Shayne spent weekends and school holidays helping out with various jobs that needed to be done around the farm. The council even named the road that leads to the farm house after the family’s surname – Greens Road. He was also exposed to the challenges rural life can bring and the resilience required to overcome adversity when things get tough.
Shayne’s Grandfather on his dad’s side was one of the tough ‘Piners’ on the West Coast, early timber getters, who searched the in hospitable wilderness of Tasmania’s West Coast to cut and haul out Huon Pine logs. Shayne’s dad tells him the stories of how tough these men were – they left for months-on-end to bring back Huon pine logs to the Strahan harbour. Shayne is also proud of the Huon pine dining table that he made many years ago and it still sits pride of place in his dining room today.
Shayne has also been on his fair share of fishing trips with family members and his mates over the years. His most memorable story was when he caught a “truckload” of albacore at Eagle Hawk Neck in very rough conditions. He can’t help but admire the people who work within the seafood industry and the hard work that is required to make a living from the sea.
Shayne is interested in working in the mental health space because of his previous experience delivering community programs in the sporting industry. He also understands the challenges young athletes encounter and the pressure to perform at a young age. He enjoys working with people to achieve positive outcomes and giving back to the community.
