Geelong Cats forward Tyson Stengle quietly ‘cuts off all ties’

Tyson Stengle has reportedly stopped talking to some people at Geelong with the Cats star showing no signs of a possible return to football.

Details of Stengle’s disappearance from public view emerged on Tuesday with revelations he has “cut off ties” with those close to him.

Stengle was permitted to take an extended Christmas break, citing personal reasons, but returned to training soon after.

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It was reported Stengle also started pre-season training later than the rest of his teammates last year.

Another twist to the saga has emerged with veteran football journalist Caroline Wilson reporting there are only a small number of people at the football club Stengle has been talking to.

“Geelong have only had sporadic contact with Tyson in recent weeks since he travelled to Adelaide for Gather Round,” Wilson said on Channel 7’s The Agenda Setters.

“There was an expectation that he might train today. I’m not sure why, because he’s not even in town. There are Geelong leaders who hope to get in touch with Tyson this weekend.

“He’s cut off all ties with his management group, including Eddie Betts’ wife Anna. He’s cut off all ties with Indigenous leaders and very few people at Geelong have any contact with him at all.

“The sad thing is that some weeks ago, Geelong were keen to play Tyson. These troubles emerged last year and summer was a bit of a disaster. But there was hope about four weeks ago that he might come back and play VFL. Which was where Geelong players and footy department bosses felt this might be the start of his rehabilitation and recovery.”

Cats coach Chris Scott said earlier this month Stengle could be back playing at AFL level before the end of the month.

It was a change of tune from Scott, who earlier said Stengle would return after spending time playing at VFL level.

Football journalist Tom Morris told Channel 7 on Tuesday Stengle is not considered eligible to play because the 27-year-old was added to the AFL’s “medical model”.

“The AFL is essentially not allowing Tyson Stengle to play football and that is because of the medical model that they have,” Morris said on The Agenda Setters.

“There are serious implications here for Geelong, for Tyson Stengle. There’s implications for his contract as well. He’s contracted until the end of 2029, on roughly about $750,000 per year. That’s a serious contract to not be playing any football.”

He went on to say: “His career’s at a crossroads and his career is at a cross roads because he’s not playing. There’s still no indication when he is going to play again and he simply isn’t talking to people closest around him and on that sort of money, that’s a big hole for Geelong.”

Stengle signed a life-changing, five-year contract extension with the Cats in 2024. It was reportedly worth up to $3.5 million.

According to reports, Stengle even knocked back a six-year offer from St Kilda worth up to $4.5 million.

Footy pundit Kane Cornes shared his frustrations that players on leave from their clubs still earn full wages.

Cornes has previously been an outspoken critic of the AFL’s “medical model” and the secrecy surrounding its treatment of players. He has again criticised the policy on the back of Stengle’s saga.

“Surely we should be more transparent with this medical model,” Cornes said on The Agenda Setters.

“This is like some sort of secret code that no-one knows about. Even the club doesn’t feel like they have enough information behind this.

“It’s ridiculous that we’re sort of all talking around an issue under the guise of a medical model that nobody can be transparent about and the future of a player who has a contract of $3.5 million dollars until the end of 2029 who can’t play. And the clubs still have to pay him. How farcical is that?”

Stengle has had off-field behavioural issues throughout his career.

His off-field battles were well-documented before he was given a third chance at the Cats where he then produced the fairytale season to play in the 2022 premiership.

He was also selected in the 2022 All-Australian team.

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