Anthony Stevens has spoken of his memories of playing just eight days after suffering what was initially diagnosed as a 14-16 week injury.

The champion North onballer fractured his heel against the Brisbane Lions in the 1999 Preliminary Final, but made a miraculous comeback to take his place in the Grand Final side just a week later.

“I had a fracture in the heel in the right foot, plus I’d torn all the ligaments in my ankle,” Stevens said on Fox Footy’s Open Mike.

“I’m pretty sure it was a 14-16 week injury.

“Denis (Pagan) to his credit said ‘son, if you can actually get on the training track for ten minutes on Thursday, I’ll play you’. I was pretty determined to get out there.”

Stevens took his place in the Roos’ team against Carlton, but his remarkable courage was again put to the test.

“I had a reasonable first quarter and then ten minutes into the second quarter I went to tackle Brett Ratten and he dodged at the last minute … I hit him with my right arm and the force of it ripped the pectoral muscle off the bone. I went off the ground not long after that.”

Nevertheless, the number 10 celebrated with his team-mates as the club saluted for its fourth premiership.

But there were more challenges to come. In 2000, Stevens’ almost lost his life in an incident outside a North Melbourne pub.

“I walked out the side door of the hotel … with that I heard a smash of glass and the next minute I felt the force of a plate glass actually hit the side of my neck,” he said.

“With that I’ve gone forward and put my hand up to neck and could feel the whole side of my face just peel away.

“My body went into shock. I was in no pain.”

Shannon Grant’s brother rushed Stevens to nearby Royal Melbourne hospital, ultimately saving his life.

“If I had have been ten minutes away from a hospital, I would have bled to death.

“On the next day the specialist came in and assessed the whole scenario and pretty much said I’d have to get the nerves attached back together.

“He pretty much said he didn’t know how much luck he’d have. He said I’d probably have a dropped shoulder and a dropped lip for the rest of my life and I definitely wouldn’t be playing football.

“I wasn’t too concerned about football at that time, but in the end I had surgery and he was able to attach it all back … I ended up playing 14 weeks later.”

Stevens said he was simply thankful for pulling on a North guernsey, in a career that spanned 16 seasons and 292 games.

“I went and got drafted and never, ever thought I’d ever play AFL. I thought if I did if I could get 10 games or get up to 50 games I’d be rapt.

“To nearly get 16 games and nearly play 300 was a dream come true.”