AFL 2021: Tyson Stengle yet to learn penalty for apparent indiscretion

As his teammates returned to pre-season training, Tyson Stengle was nowhere to be seen. Where is his future at with the Crows?

Nearly a month after being stood down by the Crows for an off-field incident, Tyson Stengle is yet to learn what penalty he will pay.

Neither the Adelaide Football Club nor the AFL has a timeline for when – or if – a sanction will be handed down to the small forward.

As his teammates returned to pre-season training on Thursday after their Christmas break, Stengle was still absent from West Lakes.

The Crows announced on December 14 that they had stood Stengle down from all duties while they investigated a photograph that had been sent to the club’s hierarchy allegedly showing Stengle next to what appeared to be an illicit substance.

Tyson Stengle is yet to learn his fate. Picture: Sarah Reed

Crows captain Rory Sloane said while both Stengle and the club waited for an outcome to the investigation, Adelaide players continued to reach out to their teammate.

“We’re doing an enormous amount of work with Tyson, like we have all year, just to keep supporting him and helping him out,” Sloane said.

“We’ll continue to look after him, make sure he’s right on track and will support him in every way we can.”

December’s incident was Stengle’s third off-field issue in eight months.

He was charged and fined $1671 for drink-driving while unlicensed and unregistered in April, and in September was caught with drugs in the city.

Stengle is already set to miss the first four matches of the 2021 season for the September incident.

Sloane said people could learn from their mistakes.

“A lot of guys have spoken to (Tyson), caught up with him, touched base with him … everyone is different in the conversations they have, but it’s got to be about what you’ve learnt and where to from here,” Sloane said.

“Everyone can make mistakes in life, as long as you learn from them.”

As for Stengle’s future at the club, Sloane said Adelaide would work with both the AFL and the AFLPA, but there was no date as to when a decision would be made.

Stengle has played 16 AFL games including 14 at Adelaide after being traded from Richmond at the end of the 2018 season.

The Crows, who finished bottom for the first time in club history in 2020, are in the middle of a rebuild, of which Stengle was seen as a future small forward of the ilk of former star Eddie Betts.

In 2020, Stengle played a career-high 12 games in which he kicked eight goals and averaged 9.75 disposals.

Originally published as AFL 2021: Tyson Stengle yet to learn penalty for apparent indiscretion