Sport
17 April, 2026
Romero finds his spark with the Stawell Warriors
Stawell Warriors recruit Michael Romero has rediscovered his passion for football after stepping away from the game during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The son of former AFL player Jose Romero, who won the Charles Sutton Medal in 1996 (awarded to the Western Bulldogs' best and fairest), Romero is relishing his return to the field with Stawell.
Once on the verge of being selected by the Western Bulldogs under the father-son rule, Romero attended draft camp and trained with the club. However, when the pandemic hit, he made the decision to walk away from football.
In the years that followed, he turned his focus to running.
“I got a bit overweight during COVID, so I decided to take up running,” Romero said.
“I competed in the Stawell Gift a few times and even made the semi-finals one year.”
Romero said time away from the game ultimately helped him rediscover his love for football. After returning to play with Maryborough in 2024 and Strathfieldsaye in 2025, in the Bendigo Football Netball League, his passion was reignited.
“It’s one of those things that when you’ve been around footy for so long, you can lose the joy,” he said.
“But when you step away for a while, you find that love again.
“I filled in for a mate’s team in 2024 and that’s when it really came back.”
Romero also has a strong personal connection to Stawell, making the move an easy decision.
“Stawell has an important place in my heart,” he said.
“I made great friends here through the Gift and got to know a lot of people. I also knew Perry [Meka] from my Northern Bullants days, so the opportunity just felt right.”
Earlier in his career, Romero established himself as a pure midfielder, but at Stawell he is expected to play primarily in the forward line.
“I can use my footy smarts up forward, and if the tank allows, I can push up the ground as well,” he said.
“Stawell is a well-known club. I’m really enjoying my footy again and looking forward to what we can achieve.”
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