Adelaide set to deliberate on Tyson Stengle’s future at the club
Tyson Stengle’s situation isn’t clear cut and his management is confident it has mounted a strong argument why he needs another chance.
AFL
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Tyson Stengle’s camp expects he will return to the Crows and is hopeful his future is resolved in coming weeks.
Adelaide has been discussing Stengle’s situation with the AFL, league players’ association and his management since standing him down in mid-December for being pictured next to what appeared to be an illegal substance.
Talks have dragged on for several reasons, including the Christmas break, the fact it is the small forward’s third indiscretion in a year, his cultural considerations, what AFL policy his latest incident falls under, potential sanctions and working out what he needs.
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All parties’ cards are believed to be on the table, they are now seeking a resolution they are all comfortable with.
And it is a much broader conversation than simply punishing him.
It is expected the Crows will likely have to pay out Stengle – who they re-signed in August until the end of 2022 – if they part ways but his camp does not believe it will come to that.
A sticking point in the discussions is understood to be around Adelaide’s level of support for him.
Stengle’s management and the AFLPA are pushing for the Crows to provide more individualised welfare for the 22-year-old, whose circumstances are distinct from most players.
He was just four when he was removed from the care of his young parents by the state and taken in by his grandmother, Debra.
When Debra died, he moved in with his Nan and Pop, Emily and Cecil Betts, and they helped him fulfil his AFL dream in being drafted – to Richmond in 2016.
After Stengle returned to Adelaide from two seasons at the Tigers, his cousin and new Crows teammate Eddie Betts took him in.
Betts mentored Stengle as he settled into the club and offered life perspective in a family environment while being a role model.
Early last month Stengle visited Betts, whom he remains very close with, in Melbourne.
Stengle’s off-field incidents – drink-driving in April, getting caught with drugs in the CBD in October and the last one – have happened during breaks in the season and since Betts returned to Carlton in late 2019.
Stengle’s camp believes the 16-gamer can flourish at the Crows with the right support around him, including an Indigenous mentor.
Adelaide, which tailors mentoring for all its players, had welfare networks already in place for Stengle before the December incident.
The club acknowledged he needed additional support than most, given some of his challenges away from football, and sought more, including having Stengle move in with former captain Taylor Walker last year.
Stengle has been training this week with his junior club Woodville-West Torrens.
His management sought to get him back in a team environment after more than a month of solo sessions.
He is already set to miss the first four rounds of the coming season after copping an AFL ban for the October incident.
Exiled Stengle still has plenty of spark
Tyson Stengle roves a ruck tap at pace in the forward line, takes several steps to steady himself then slots a goal from 35m as players come to high-five him.
Twelve months ago, this would have been a scene from Adelaide’s pre-season training at Football Park.
On Wednesday night, it occurred at Seaton Ramblers, a division two amateur club, located 1km up West Lakes Boulevard from the Crows’ base.
Stengle was taking part in his second session there this week with Woodville-West Torrens, his junior club.
He had been training solo since Adelaide stood him down in mid-December for a third off-field indiscretion in eight months – being photographed next to what appeared to be an illicit substance.
Stengle’s management wanted to get him back in a team environment so he returned to the fold from Monday at the club he played juniors and reserves before being drafted in 2016.
Wearing a blue cap backwards on Wednesday night, Stengle fit in like any other player.
He also looked in good shape.
Adelaide gave him a tailored fitness and nutrition program to follow after standing him down, and it would appear he stuck to it.
The touch he has shown in 14 games for the Crows over the past two seasons also has not deserted him despite training by himself.
During a drill inside attacking 50, he swooped on balls and slotted goals with ease on both sides of his body.
Later, Stengle was about three from the front of a group of about 15 players running two laps of the oval.
He typically stood at the back of huddles with hands on hips when training paused, but was always engaged and shared banter with other players during the night.
The Eagles are an environment he is familiar with and he is there with former junior teammates.
Also on the field with him on Wednesday night was ex-Crow, Riley Knight, who rejoined his former SANFL club after being delisted at the end of last season.
On Friday, Stengle and Knight are set to return to Football Park.
Not with the Crows but the Eagles, who have the odd pre-season session there this summer.
You must wonder what Stengle will be thinking as he arrives at West Lakes then runs around at the club that still employs him though is unable to train with while he is stood down.
As the wait to learn his fate drags on, who knows if or when he will be back there on the track with his Adelaide teammates.
Woodville-West Torrens coach Jade Sheedy wrapped up Wednesday’s session about 7.25pm.
The last kick of the session came from Stengle’s boot.
After finding space he gathered the ball on the run, balanced himself and kicked towards goal, only to hit the post.
It seemed apt for a player stuck in limbo.
HOW BANNED STENGLE BECAME AN EAGLE AGAIN
Tyson Stengle’s junior club is happy to help the stood-down Crow by allowing him to train with it for as long as he needs.
But SANFL side Woodville-West Torrens has been given no indication when that will be, as the small forward’s wait to learn his fate drags on.
Stengle’s manager asked the Eagles late last week if he could join pre-season at the club he played juniors and reserves so he could return to a team setting.
His first session with his former team was on Monday after the AFL and Crows’ approval.
Stengle had been training solo since Adelaide stood him down on December 14 for a third indiscretion in eight months – being photographed next to what appeared to be an illicit substance.
Woodville-West Torrens chief executive Luke Powell told The Advertiser the club’s officials, coaches and players thought training there would be good for Stengle’s wellbeing.
“Very late last week we just got approached by Tyson’s manager about the possibility of him being able to train with our footy club, if everything was given the all-clear from the AFL and Adelaide Crows,” Powell said.
“We were more than happy to help him out until they figure out what cause of action they’re taking next.
“If it’s going to help his wellbeing – that’s the main concern from us – to get him in an environment that he felt safe and comfortable in, and is obviously familiar with from his junior days.”
Stengle will train with the Eagles, the SANFL’s reigning premier, four times a week.
He came through the club’s juniors with players including Jake Comitogianni, Jackson Lee, Mitch Mead, Cooper Gaffney and Nick Moore before Richmond rookie-listed him in 2016.
Eagles coach Jade Sheedy said Stengle “looked fine and was just one of 54 guys we had out there”.
“He’s a junior of our club so it was good to have him back at the club,” Sheedy said.
Adelaide is continuing to work closely with the AFL, the league’s players association and Stengle’s management regarding a possible punishment.
The 16-gamer told The Advertiser on Monday it was great being back in a team environment.
“I’m happy to be out here and thankful for the opportunity,” Stengle said.
“I have been doing a bit of running and training on my own for the past few months.”
The small forward has been stood down from all Crows-related duties since mid-December, when a photo emerged of him next to what appeared to be an illicit substance.
It was his third off-field incident of 2020 following being caught for drink-driving and then being busted by police alongside then teammate Brad Crouch after they were caught with cocaine in the Adelaide CBD.
Asked whether there’s likely to be a resolution to his stand down from the club, Stengle said “I can’t comment on that right now”.
In announcing Stengle’s approval to train with the Eagles, Adelaide said it was continuing to work closely with the AFL, the AFL Players’ Association and Stengle’s management regarding any action for the third off-field incident.
Last month Adelaide players spoke of their desire to support Stengle during his time away from the club.
Taylor Walker said he and a number of teammates were continuing to check in on the young small forward.
“I have a great relationship with Tyson. Obviously it (his future) will play out itself in the near future,” he said.
“But we are just here to support Tyson as best we can, more about the person than his career at the moment and we just want to support him as much as we can.”
It came as senior coach Matthew Nicks said Stengle needed to show that he can live up to the Crows’ standards, and he hasn’t given up hope that the stood-down forward can continue his AFL career.
But Nicks warned him “it comes to a point” where the Crows will “make decisions around who will be inside the (club’s) four walls”.
Originally published as Adelaide set to deliberate on Tyson Stengle’s future at the club
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