He had a flawless game and could mark in any situation, pass the ball superbly by his deadly left foot, and had total courage.

Stewart was a centreman whose game had no flaws and he stands high in the pantheon of the game in general. As a shy teenager, he was reluctant to even purchase a training jumper when he first arrived at the club from Tasmania. Ironically, for someone so compact and poised in everything he did on the field, he was an extremely nervous individual who would often vomit on the field early in a game.

He won his first Brownlow Medal in 1965 and took out his second in the 1966 premiership year. His partnership with his idol Darrel Baldock was legendary and represented one of the greatest ever duets between a midfielder and a forward. Stewart's pinpoint delivery and Baldock's anticipation made them virtually unstoppable in full flight.

Stewart transferred to Richmond in a sensational swap with Tiger Billy Barrot after the 1970 season and won a third Brownlow in 1971 with the Tigers. He was a footballer who justifiably earned his status as a legend of the game in the AFL’s Hall of Fame, but remains totally humble about his own achievements.