Leadership in the crisis

ON the surface, it is easy to say anybody in Chris Scott’s situation would have done the same thing.

Amid the deep and brutal cuts caused by the coronavirus crisis, Scott told the Geelong Football Club he would forego his entire salary while the AFL was shut down.

It is easy to sit back and say that if no football is being played, he should not expect to be paid.

But if you took 10 people from any walk of life, and put them into the same scenario, it is certain not all would take the actions he did.

Because saying something and following through with it is entirely different.

To be clear, Scott is not taking unpaid leave — he will remain at work.

Who knows just how many people’s jobs his actions will save, but his sacrifice was made in order to ensure others could also continue working at the football club.

It was the ultimate team act. This is a man who has a young family of his own and who has been criticised by many across his journey as senior coach at Geelong.

Sure, there are times he may not have made the move you wanted during a game.

And he might answer a question differently to how you would have liked.

But this act proved there should never, ever, be questions about his commitment to making the Cats the best team in the league and the club the best in the country.

Perhaps Geelong fans have now seen a glimpse of the Scott we keep hearing about from his players.

Players such as former

Western Bulldogs small forward Luke Dahlhaus, who said recently his coach’s main wish was for his charges to be happy.

“I just think he is all about the players and footy club as well,” Dahlhaus said recently.

“He always takes the blame if things go wrong and ever since I have come in, I notice how well he looks after us.

“Things like giving us days off here and there, more than other clubs, he lets us live our life away from the club, be relaxed and full of happiness, so when we come in and play we do it with a clear mind.

“It’s why Geelong has done so well, because Scotty has been like that through his whole coaching career.”

Then there is Tom Hawkins, a player who, despite all of his brilliance and match-winning abilities, has surely tested the patience of his coach with some of actions on the field.

“I watch and read what happens in footy, but I think it is unfair at times,” Hawkins said.

“We put ourselves in these positions as players and coaches, and we want to be the best version of ourselves.

“Chris bears the brunt of being the face of the Geelong Football Club.

“He has to front up and deal with it, so hopefully if and when we win the next premiership that Chris is celebrated as the great coach he is.”

These sentiments provide only a small glimpse into the minds of players at the football club.

But speak to anybody at the Cats and the message is the same: Chris Scott is passionate about the club, is loved by his assistants and works tirelessly for his players.

Now, after an act so selfless it will keep others in a job, he will continue that work — only for the foreseeable future it will earn no other reward than knowing he has helped his friends and colleagues at a time they needed it the most.