AFLW defender Nicola Stevens and partner Elise Rose welcome son Otis Benjamin
St Kilda player Nicola Stevens announced the birth of her first child with fiancé Elise Rose, revealing the newborn's name and birth details on social media.
AFLW defender Nicola Stevens and her fiancé, Elise Rose, have welcomed their first child, the couple announced on social media.
Stevens, 32, revealed on Instagram that the couple’s son is named Otis Benjamin and was born on Sept. 10. A wooden tag included in the post listed the baby’s birth weight as 9 pounds, 2 ounces (4.1 kilograms) and his length as 51 centimetres. The pair posted a portrait of the sleeping newborn and wrote, "Welcome to the world, Otis Benjamin. Your Mummies love you so much little darling."
Followers and teammates quickly offered congratulations. Fellow AFLW player Steph Chiocci wrote, "Otis ya big cutie," while St Kilda teammate Paige Trudgeon messaged, "He is perfect, congrats, you two beautiful Mummas. Otis has an army of aunties behind him." Friends also praised Rose for the birth, with one noting the baby’s size and adding, "9 pounds Elise Rose you are incredible," a message to which Stevens replied, "She is INCREDIBLE."
Stevens, who made her first-class debut in 2017 with Collingwood, played for Carlton from 2018 before signing with St Kilda in 2022. The defender was among the players selected in the inaugural AFLW draft and has been a prominent figure in the league. Stevens and Rose announced their engagement in January.
In recent interviews Stevens has spoken about personal challenges off the field, including the death of her mother, Ann, in 2023 from early-onset dementia. Stevens told Code Sports last month that she had long played "for her mum" while her mother battled the disease over 13 years and that she struggled to find a new purpose in the 18 months after her mother’s death.
The announcement adds to a series of recent AFL-related family arrivals; other players and public figures in the sport have shared news of births in recent months. Stevens’ social post drew widespread support from the AFLW community and fans.
Stevens will remain on St Kilda’s playing list; the club and the player have not released further details about parental leave or her playing status beyond the social announcement. The couple’s post continues a trend of AFLW players sharing personal milestones with followers on social platforms.