ELEVEN witnesses will be called to give evidence at a committal hearing for former AFL player Nick Stevens, who is facing dishonesty charges.

Stevens' case was listed for committal mention before Mildura Magistrates' Court on Tuesday when, through his solicitor, he said he would contest the charges.

However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and no hearing dates currently being set, the matter could not be booked for a committal hearing, at which a magistrate would determine whether there was enough evidence for the case to go to trial.

The court was told the committal was expected to take two and a half to three days, with 11 witnesses to be cross-examined.

The ex-Port Adelaide and Carlton player is facing five charges related to dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception from June 2017 to November 2017, while he was operating a swimming pool business in Mildura.

It is alleged Stevens, now 40, obtained sums of $3300 from people in Mildura before collecting one-off amounts ranging from $23,300 to $30,480 from each, under the pretence of...