Geelong captain Patrick Dangerfield believes Tyson Stengle made "an error in judgement" that led him to collapse in a local nightclub at the weekend.
The premiership forward was celebrating at a Geelong nightspot with friends in the early hours of Sunday morning, not long after arriving back from Hobart where he starred in the Cats' win against North Melbourne.
Geelong on Monday stressed Stengle is OK after the "health incident" that led to him spending several hours in hospital before being discharged.
Dangerfield addressed the situation outside of the club's headquarters on Tuesday morning.
"We treat our players like adults," he told reporters.
"They have every right to go out and enjoy themselves.
"Clearly with that, you've got to do it responsibly and there has been a bit of an error in judgement with that.
"But we love Tys and we will always support him."
Stengle kicked three goals in Geelong's 40-point win over North, taking his tally to 37 majors for the season.
The small forward last month signed a five-year deal to remain at Geelong long-term.
He played a crucial role in the Cats' 2022 premiership, turning his career around after he was cut by Adelaide in 2021 following multiple off-field incidents.
The 25-year-old pleaded guilty to drink driving and other offences after being stopped by police in April 2020.
Later that year, Stengle and former Crows teammate Brad Crouch were found guilty of conduct unbecoming by the AFL after the pair were found to be in possession of an illicit substance.
It remains unclear if Geelong will make Stengle available for selection for their clash with Adelaide this Saturday.
