Time for a new voice
figure out and come clean with is when they realistically expect to contend for their next premiership.
If they still think they can achieve true success next year after another inglorious finals exit, then say so and make the necessary changes in order to win the flag.
But that would appear fraught with danger and the reality is more likely that it is time to accept that the recruiting spree, while commendable, has not worked and to adopt a fresh approach.
That may mean having to make some tough calls on several players and going to the draft to bring in new talent to complement the likes of Brandan Parfitt, Esava Ratugolea, Quinton Narkle, Jack Henry, Lachie Fogarty and the untried Charlie Constable, who will form the nucleus of the team for the next five to eight years.
But it is a brutal industry and those decisions happen at all clubs.
Off the field, changes should also be looked at in the coach’s box.
Scott is forever bemoaning questions about trends relating to the team’s post-bye record and its poor finals performances because the onfield personnel is always changing but essentially the one constant in that time has been him.
So given Geelong has already extended his tenure at the club until the end of 2022, it is time to bring in an outside voice to shake things up.
Blake Caracella was Scott’s right-hand man and most senior assistant until he left at the end of 2016, and while Matthew Scarlett has gained enormous respect for his work — and his coaching credentials continue to grow — surely a person who has been in the system for 10 or more years and has experienced finals success would be worth bringing in for additional support.
The easy response would be to say that calibre of coach doesn’t grow on trees, but improvement needs to come in all areas and the time has come to inject new ideas into the box.
A thorough review into where this club and its team is at and where it is heading might not be urgent right at the moment, but if the correct decisions are not made between now and the start of next year, it could well be too late in another 12 months.