Tyson Stengle has the world at his feet and the MCG crowd in the palm of his hand.
He flings his arms out wide, soaking in the moment before embracing his Geelong teammates.
It’s the third quarter of an AFL preliminary final, he’s kicked perhaps the most important goal of his life, and he’s more aware than anyone what it’s taken for him to get here.
In the space of 18 months, the crafty small forward has gone from career limbo to an All-Australian preparing for his first AFL grand final.
“I can’t believe it at the moment but it’ll probably sink in soon,” Stengle told AAP.
“I’ve just got to stay level-headed and look towards the next week and just embrace every moment and it should be alright.”
Adelaide cut ties with Stengle last March, in the wake of multiple off-field indiscretions.
A top-flight return always loomed, given Stengle’s talent.
But before he could step back into the AFL world, he went home.
Woodville-West Torrens, the SANFL club that nurtured him as a teenager, welcomed him back with open arms – and Stengle sank into their embrace.
“In my mind, I was always pretty confident with my ability of playing footy,” he said.
“It was just whether I could sort the off-field stuff out and whether I could get fit enough to come back and play at the level.
“Playing at the Eagles, they really helped me as a footy club, working there and obviously going out and playing on the weekend.
“My main thing on the weekend was just play well and then hopefully a club notices and I can hopefully get picked up.
“After I missed the mid-season draft my focus was to hopefully go far in the SANFL finals and then get picked up. It all worked out well in the end.”
Stengle booted 44 goals in 19 games and had the perfect SANFL send-off, with three majors in a grand final victory.
Geelong firmed as the place to kickstart Stengle’s career when Eddie Betts, long an older brother figure to the 23-year-old, joined as development coach in October last year.
Stengle lived with Betts and his family in Adelaide before his mentor departed for Carlton ahead of 2020 – and his time at the Crows started to sour.
Less than a month after Betts arrived at Kardinia Park, Stengle joined the Cats as a delisted free agent.
“When Eddie went there, it was a no-brainer,” he said.
“Because I need family around me and for him to be around as a role model’s been really good this year and helped me so much.”
