Geelong Cuts Ties With Stengle as $2.1M Contract Unravels, July 22

Geelong is negotiating an exit with Tyson Stengle, the 2022 premiership forward, after a year of personal struggles left him sidelined from AFL football. Stengle has not played at the top level in 2026 and is back in South Australia on personal leave. The club and his management are in talks to end his contract early, despite three years and approximately $2.1 million remaining on his deal. An agreement could be reached by the end of July.

Why Stengle’s career at Geelong is ending

Stengle, who kicked 160 goals in 93 games for the Cats including four in their 2022 Grand Final win, has been absent from the club for much of this season. He returned in June to play VFL but missed a flight before a reserves game the following week. Coach Chris Scott said the club has limits to its support. “We’re not a charity,” Scott told media. “We have high expectations of our players and our people so that we can perform as well as possible.”

What the contract numbers show

Stengle earns approximately $700,000 to $750,000 per season under his current deal, which runs through 2029. That leaves roughly $2.1 million in remaining payments. Conversations between the Cats and Stengle’s management are progressing toward a resolution, with multiple reports suggesting a settlement could be reached by the end of July.

Stengle’s path to this moment

The 175-centimetre forward played for Richmond and Adelaide before joining Geelong in 2022. He has played 109 games across three clubs. After time away from Geelong during the pre-season, he returned and trained before playing VFL in June with 15 disposals and four goals. Veteran journalist Caroline Wilson reported that Stengle gradually distanced himself from everybody, and club officials even offered to have him move in with them in a final attempt to save his career.

A broader AFL trend

Stengle is not alone. Collingwood is simultaneously negotiating an exit with premiership forward Bobby Hill, who has $3 million left on his contract through 2030. Hill has also not played at AFL level this year due to personal issues and is managing only three VFL games. The combined value of both players’ remaining contracts is approximately $5 million.

Final Thoughts

Stengle’s exit marks the end of a promising Geelong career that peaked with a premiership flag. With negotiations expected to conclude this month, the club is moving to cut its losses and allow the troubled star to move on.

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