Geelong Coach Confident Tyson Stengle's Return Is Not Far Off
Geelong Cats coach Chris Scott has expressed strong optimism that star forward Tyson Stengle's return to football is approaching, firmly stating that the 27-year-old's absence will not become a long-term situation. Stengle took an extended Christmas break citing personal reasons but has been back in training since late January and is currently building his fitness back to peak levels.
Stengle's Path Back to Competitive Football
The 2022 All Australian selection will make his competitive return through the VFL ranks once he reaches full fitness. While Scott is not setting specific timelines, he remains positive about Stengle's progress. "The feel I get is that it's sooner rather than later," Scott declared on Friday. "All we could say with certainty is it's not going to be a long-term thing. To me he's in pretty good shape. He always looks sharp when the footy is near him and he looks that way to me, so that's a good sign."
Stengle's absence creates a significant void in Geelong's attacking structure, given his impressive track record of averaging 40 goals per season since joining the club four years ago. His scoring prowess and forward pressure have been crucial components of Geelong's offensive strategy.
Addressing the Gold Coast Setback
Scott's immediate focus extends beyond Stengle's return to addressing Geelong's disappointing performance against Gold Coast last week. The Cats suffered a 56-point defeat after trailing by 79 points at three-quarter time, creating pressure to rebound in Saturday's crucial clash with Fremantle at GMHBA Stadium.
"Often when you get beaten badly, it looks like the opposition run better than you do and it looks like they're stronger," Scott observed. "My experience sort of tells me that it can often be a temporary thing. We've had patches in seasons where we've been going really well and then had a bad day, and all of a sudden you look slow and aren't covering the ground and look a bit poor in the contest. And it turns out to be a temporary thing. I'm optimistic that's the case here too."
Key Returns and Debuts for Geelong
Geelong receives a timely boost with the return of captain Patrick Dangerfield and star forward Jeremy Cameron, both of whom bring significant experience and skill to the lineup. Additionally, Scott has handed a debut to 206cm ruckman Mitch Edwards, a 20-year-old prospect who will combine with Mark Blicavs to counter Fremantle's formidable ruck pairing of Sean Darcy and Luke Jackson.
Fremantle's Formidable Challenge
Scott has labeled Fremantle as a formidable opponent, with the Dockers' star-studded squad being widely tipped to secure a top-four position this season. Fremantle will be implementing a faster style of play this year, though they face some selection challenges:
- Michael Frederick will miss at least a month with an ankle injury
- Brennan Cox remains absent with a calf issue
- All Australian defender Luke Ryan was surprisingly overlooked despite recovering from off-season shoulder surgery
Former Melbourne defender Judd McVee will make his debut for Fremantle as the Dockers seek to establish their new, faster playing style against a Geelong team determined to bounce back from last week's disappointing performance.
