Geelong coach Chris Scott has failed to provide clarity on the situation surrounding gun forward Tyson Stengle, saying he is “not across those things”.
The Agenda Setters journalists Caroline Wilson and Tom Morris revealed that Stengle’s career is in crisis despite the fact he’s contracted to the end of 2029 on roughly about $750,000 a year.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Tyson Stengle’s career in crisis at Geelong
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They reported he has “cut off all ties” with his management and has only shown up at training sporadically.
Stengle took leave from the club over the off-season to deal with a personal situation.
The 27-year-old had returned to training once the season started and Scott had previously flagged the potential for Stengle to play VFL in the coming weeks.
But that now appears a long way off.
Asked on Wednesday to clarify Stengle’s current situation, Scott said he’s in the dark over it.
“No I can’t. And again, it’s not my role to be across those things,” he said.
“I’d hate to sound defensive of it. What I’ve learnt over the years is to acknowledge the different roles that people have in these sort of situations.
“So I don’t have a problem with the media speculating, but they are speculating with less information that I have, and I have less information than other people at the club have, who probably have less information than the AFL have.
“So it’s reasonable to say that in this situation, more so than say Gryan (Miers’ injury) situation, you’re just asking the wrong person.
“If I had good information, I probably wouldn’t tell you anyway, because I consider it to be private, but this is one where I genuinely don’t know.”
Scott then indicated a potential return to the field was in the AFL’s hands, but didn’t want to provide any more details on the matter.
He even bristled at suggestions he should be the one to ease the fears of Geelong fans.
“That’s the way the AFL want it to be, so we have to submit to their processes,” he said.
“I’m not even sure that I’m empowered to speak about that. That’s how grey these areas are, so it’s best that when I’m unsure, I say less.
“But to answer your specific question, which I think is a fraction unfair, like it’s not my position to settle the nerves of Geelong fans.
“The situation at the moment … if people want more information, they probably should direct their questions to the AFL.”
When pressed further on the AFL’s involvement in Stengle’s situation, Scott said his thoughts are “irrelevant”, but added that he has been impressed by his performances on the training track.
“It’s a separate conversation that could be had. I’m going to sort of withhold my personal view on that. I’m just dealing with the facts as they stand,” he said.
“I’m just not across it, and whether that’s right or wrong is a separate conversation, but I’m not across it so I won’t speculate.
“But I’ll probably some repeat some of the comments I’ve made over the past six weeks. I’ve loved what I’ve seen from him at training, and 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 it’s practical’.
“So I don’t reside from those comments.”
Scott was then asked specifically about Stengle’s past few weeks at training, but he quickly shut up shop.
“I’m tempted to say it’s not your business, and speaking on his behalf, that’s probably the position I take,” Scott said.
“We don’t walk you through the training programs of our players. Everyone’s on an individual program, and he’s no different.”
Stengle has kicked 175 goals from 109 career games, the bulk of which have come at the Cats.
