Stengle on his 2025 season

I started off a bit slow at the start of the year, but I built my way up into the game.

It was good to finish off the year strong, I thought I had a good finish at the end of the year.

I guess I haven't kicked as many goals as I usually would, but I am just trying to play my role out there for the team.

That is what I try to concentrate on each game, so it hasn't been too bad this year. 

Stengle on the differences between 2022 and 2025

In 2022 I had only been here for a year, but this time around I have been here for nearly four years now.

I have been around the group for a bit longer, so you can see what the boys have done throughout the last three years to get back into this position.

It has been great, we are looking forward to Saturday. 

Neale on the thrill of Grand Final week

I haven't really thought about the game too much, which is a bit unlike me. I am usually one that is a bit of an over-thinker naturally.

Mum and Dad are down, I have got a few mates on their way. I am looking forward to having them around me, regardless of the big objective ahead.

It is exciting and I can't really wipe the smile off my face which is great. 

Mannagh on relishing the opportunity

I think more so after the weekend it is like hang on, we are actually here now.

Last year, as old and as experienced as I am, I probably took it for granted the run we had and playing in a Prelim.

This year I have appreciated how hard it actually it is, you have to do a full pre-season and not many of us got through the pre-season, so you started the year a bit late. Obviously 23 games is pretty tough, then you have to back it up in Finals and it certainly hasn't got any easier.

I am smiling now because I love the thought of this weekend and what we did on the weekend just gone, it is exciting that is for sure. 

Neale on his battle with Harris Andrews

I certainly think that he is always playing well.

He is a magnificent defender, he reads the ball so well, he is really good at intercepting it, he has got long arms and he is strong.

I think when we played them down here about mid year, he had a really good outing and I sort of walked away and thought yeah, I probably could have done a bit better at times. I do that every game, but that game was one where it was fair to say that I was disappointed with myself and how I performed.

In the Qualifying Final, I tried not to get too anxious about it and not overthink that he has got the better of me, all those thoughts that you can have naturally as a young player.

I think I flipped the script a bit, I am excited to play on those big names.

Mannagh on landing at Geelong

I couldn't imagine myself being on any other team.

It is an amazing club, it has had storied success for such a long time but I think for where my wife and I are in our lives, it has worked out perfectly. There is a few boys in the same situation, we all had kids at the same time and that age demographic that gets spoken about so much, they will fit straight into it.

It has been amazing and as you said, I had to go back last year and earn my spot back in the team.

I wouldn't have that any other way, you don't want to just be getting games for the fun of it. 

Stengle on Geelong's versatility inside 50

Our forward line, we have got the three smalls up the front and the the three bigs.

We know what we are doing out there on the footy field, we know how to get into position and where each of us are out there.

We know that when we get the ball, we know where most of us are going to be. 

Neale on how things have changed since 2022

I would like to think that I have matured since then, I have certainly developed in the things that I have worked hard at.

Regardless of that, I would like to think that I am playing my role for the team, that I can put my best foot forward every week and put us in a great spot to achieve success. If there is one week to do it, it is going to be this week.

Life is pretty similar, Mum and Dad come over as regularly as they can, all that off field stuff is pretty similar. I try to keep my life as consistent as possible, hopefully that translates on field.

It is good to have a different perspective this week than 2022 Grand Final week, I knew I wasn't going to play.

We had those fringe players back then, I sort of knew I wasn't going to play so it was good to enjoy the week as an AFL listed player, but this week it is good to experience with the opportunity to play.