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AAP
AAP
Anna Harrington

Cats forwards can deliver without star pair: Stengle

Geelong could be missing both big guns Jeremy Cameron and Tom Hawkins against the Suns. (James Ross/AAP PHOTOS)

Gun small forward Tyson Stengle is confident Geelong can handle potentially being without Jeremy Cameron and Tom Hawkins and still kick a winning score against Gold Coast.

Cameron will miss Saturday's game in Darwin through concussion while veteran Hawkins is scheduled for a rest amid a difficult run of form.

It will likely mean a reshuffle, but Stengle insists the heat isn't on him to kick more goals.

"Nah, we've got a good forward line group, so not much pressure," Stengle said.

"Hopefully we can play our roles and get it done - share it around.

"We've got some young players coming through. So we've got full belief in them and their ability to be competitive, come up and be comeptitive at the level.

"So I don't think there's much stress. I think we'll be fine."

Tyson Stengle.
Stengle, shown in his Indigenous jumper, says Geelong could cope without Cameron and Hawkins. (James Ross/AAP PHOTOS)

Stengle has kicked 18 goals already this season, including four in Friday night's home loss to Port Adelaide.

He was confident he was starting to recover his All-Australian form from 2022 after a difficult campaign last year.

"Good start to the year so far, I just want to continue playing some good footy," he said.

"Obviously 2023, I started off the pre-season a little bit injured, come into the season a little bit underdone, then I broke my arm in round four - so it was a pretty tough year.

"This year I've started off the year well. 

"I don't think much has changed, just I got more training into myself and didn't get injured so far this year - touch wood - so I think that's probably the reason."

Tyson Stengle.
Tyson Stengle is in the process of negotiating a new contract with the Cats. (Morgan Hancock/AAP PHOTOS)

Stengle is out of contract at season's end but wouldn't be drawn on how long a new deal he would like with the Cats.

"My manager's working through that at the moment," he said.

"I just want to focus on what I'm doing on the field."

The Cats head north on Tuesday for an extended lead-in to the game in Darwin.

"it's probably going to be a bit slippery and wet up there but we'll still try and play our game," Stengle said.

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