Adelaide should be selling hope over pre-season but instead there’s another off-field drama

With a third possible indiscretion in 12 months the writing may be on the wall for young Adelaide Crows forward Tyson Stengle, writes Liz Walsh.

In 1992, the Adelaide Football Club played out its second season in the AFL: they were new boys of the competition with so much to show, “bringing greetings from ever-loving Adelaide”.

That same year, Queen Elizabeth acknowledged with what is now a famous speech: “1992 is not a year on which I shall look back with undiluted pleasure … it has turned out to be an ‘Annus Horribilis’.”

For the Crows, 2020 will be remembered as their “Annus Horribilis” – a horrible year.

From drug scandals involving a former club champion, to drink driving charges for an up-and-coming youngster, to a breach of COVID training restrictions that saw a coach suspended for six weeks, to the club winning its first wooden spoon.

While three late wins offered fans an exciting glimpse into the future with its emerging talent, it was a tough and inglorious year in so many ways that the Crows had hoped was now finally behind them.

For a while it looked like it was, with social media vision going viral of players training together in groups when they were on leave and weren’t obligated to do it.

Management then invested in the football program by hiring experienced assistants, medical staff and development coaches, and the Crows went to the national draft with the strongest hand it’s had and secured the best talent the state has got.

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Tyson Stengle has been stood down by Adelaide. Picture: Sarah Reed

Then came Sunday morning when 19-year-old Josh Worrell was pulled over by police for allegedly using a mobile phone while driving. He was breath-tested and allegedly returned a blood alcohol reading of 0.056 after he’d spent the night at a teammates’ house. No charges have been laid.

It begs the question: the players had had all off-season to drink, so why do it once they’ve returned to training and trying desperately to climb off the bottom of the ladder?

And now this: a photo sent to the club’s hierarchy, showing promising small forward Tyson Stengle alongside a plate full of what appears to be an illicit substance.

Stengle has not yet commented publicly on the photograph and his manager has not responded to The Advertiser’s request for comment.

At a crucial time when Adelaide should be selling hope, instead they are dealing with yet another crisis.

At a time when the club should be projecting positive stories about their new draftees and their first-to-fourth-year players being back on track, they are having to deflect questions about their culture.

On Monday, the Crows rightly acted swiftly, standing Stengle down from all club duties while it investigates the circumstances around the image.

Josh Worrell was caught allegedly using his mobile phone while driving and allegedly returned a blood alcohol reading of 0.056. Picture: Sarah Reed

For Stengle, it’s the 22-year-old’s third off-field incident in only eight months, having been caught drink driving in April, and then stopped by police and found in the possession of drugs (alongside former teammate and 2019 club champion Brad Crouch) in September. The pair were cautioned by police but no charges were laid.

Back in October, Crows’ new chairman John Olsen, addressed the Stengle/Crouch drug bust by saying: “(It was) unacceptable, disappointing and not the culture that I see the Adelaide Football Club wants to instil in its young people … it’s not reflective of what the standards that this club are, what they have been in the past and what they will be in the future.”

These were strong words and should Adelaide’s investigation find that Stengle’s drug-taking has continued beyond his September drug bust, he may have played his final game in the Crows colours.

It will be a sad end for a young player – so full of talent, so able to kick that magic goal – whom Adelaide had entrusted the No.18 jumper, last worn by club great Eddie Betts, but may not be able to carry it on.

For the Crows, it has thrust the club back into the spotlight with unwanted headlines, while also raising further questions over player behaviour and perhaps worse of all, over their commitment.

With Crouch gone via free agency, Stengle is holding on by a thread and Worrell likely to be censured but given a second chance, the Crows governance now heads into Christmas with questions over how it can right the ship.

It will also be over to the players now to turn around this Annus Horribilis – this year of questioned culture and record-breaking losing streaks and unnecessary off-field incidents – and prove that when you’re handed all the privileges of playing AFL, that community standards and work ethic are lived up to.

Originally published as Adelaide should be selling hope over pre-season but instead there’s another off-field drama