Scott lauds support team for stability

“I still feel like I am improving all the time and I think our group is in good shape. As it always should be when the team is going well, we should focus on the players and give them some credit.”

Clubs across the AFL have started finalising their coaching structures for next season, with high-profile Gold Coast assistant Dean Soloman among those to be axed.

Geelong is yet to announce any changes and Scott hinted that all of his lieutenants would be back on deck.

Scott is supported by Nigel

Lappin, Matthew Scarlett, Corey Enright, Shaun Grigg, Shane O’Bree, James Rahilly and Matthew Knights in the box. All coaches are working on reduced salaries.

“We worked really hard through the lockdown period to retain as many people as we possibly could and there have been some great sacrifices across the board from our people,” Scott said.

“I don’t think we are in a position to announce it just yet but I think it’s a fair pointer to the future for us that when we were able to get our coaches back, they all came back.

“We were all stood down for a period of time (earlier in the year) but at the first opportunity we got all our guys back and that took some sacrifices across the board from them.

“We’re really happy with the stability we’ve been able to create with our coaching group and the support I get not just from our coaches but from our administration.”

Having managed the playing group through a condensed fixture, the Cats are set to begin locking down a best 22 with just three matches to come before finals begin.

The fixture for Round 18 is yet to be confirmed but at this stage Geelong has just one short break to come, with a five-day turnaround after its Round 16 clash with the Bombers on Sunday, before facing Richmond in Round 17 the following Friday.

Scott said now was the time to start working on chemistry within the team.

“Now we are getting to the stage of the season where continuity is arguably more important than freshness,” he said.