AFL legend Matthew Lloyd believes fans may have seen the last of Tyson Stengle as his career “hangs by a thread”.
The Geelong small forward hasn’t played since last year’s grand final, and coach Chris Scott on Wednesday was unable to give an update on a potential return.
Stengle took a break for personal reasons in the off-season, and reports emerged this week he has had only sporadic contact with the club since Gather Round amid a falling out with key personnel.
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Seven reported Stengle was subject to the AFL’s medical model, which includes guidelines on a return to play. Medical wellbeing records are kept private by the AFL.
Speaking to media, Scott suggested he was hamstrung by league bosses in what he could say about the 27-year-old, and that some questions should be directed to the AFL.
Tyson Stengle of the Cats celebrates kicking a goal in 2025. Getty
When asked if he could clarify further, Scott said: “No, I can’t. And, again, it’s not my role to be across those things.
“I don’t have a problem with the media speculating, but they’re speculating with less information than I have, and I have less information than other people at the club, who probably have less information than the AFL.
“It’s reasonable to say in this situation … you’re just asking the wrong person.
“If I had good information, I probably wouldn’t tell you because I’d consider it to be private, but this is one I genuinely don’t know.”
The 27-year-old has played 93 games for Geelong after starting his career at Richmond and then Adelaide.
Stengle has not trained regularly this season. Getty
He was a key part of the club’s 2022 premiership success, made the All-Australian team, and was rewarded with a contract through to the end of 2029 reportedly on $750,000 per season.
It was a remarkable career turnaround having been delisted by Adelaide mid-contract in 2021. He was stood down after he was pictured with an alleged illicit substance in the previous off-season.
Stengle had since turned himself into one of the game’s top small forwards, booting 160 goals in four seasons at the Cats.
But Lloyd believes it might not be enough to save his career.
“He’s probably losing a bit of trust from teammates and staff because he hasn’t been training consistently,” he said on Nine’s Today on Thursday morning.
Matthew Lloyd believes Stengle’s career could be over. Getty
“Some are saying his career may be hanging by a thread and he may not play at all this year, which is very disappointing for someone with that much talent.
“It’s hard enough to go well when you’re doing everything right, and if he’s not turning up or he’s not training consistently and he’s disconnecting himself from people within the club and outside the club, it does make things pretty tough.
“And we may not see him again.”
When Stengle has attended training, Scott said he has been impressed with what he’d seen, and would want him back in the team “as soon as is practical”.
“I’ve loved what I’ve seen from him at training. When we see him out on the training track, we feel like ‘OK, we’d like to get this guy into our team as soon as is practical’, so I don’t resile from those comments,” he said.
Stengle was rushed to hospital in July 2024 after being carried out of a Victorian night club at 2.30am in what club captain Patrick Dangerfield later described as an “error in judgement”.
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