Born in Geraldton, Sewell commenced his senior football career with West Australian Football League (WAFL) club East Fremantle and was centre half forward in their 1979 premiership team[3] with a reputation for high flying marks. When he crossed to Footscray in 1983 he was used initially as a full-back but the following season Sewell played up forward, kicking 28 goals. He was a losing Preliminary Finalist in 1985, kicking two goals in the loss to Hawthorn.
^Note: Many sources list a 1956 birth date as Sewell understated his age when registering to play for Footscray
^ abHolmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2014). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers: every AFL/VFL player since 1897 (10th ed.). Melbourne, Victoria: Bas Publishing. p. 802. ISBN978-1-921496-32-5.
South Australia 30.18 (198) defeated Western Australia 16.15 (111), at Subiaco Oval, 15 June 1985
Victoria 19.16 (130) defeated Western Australia 9.11 (65), at Subiaco Oval, 16 July 1985