Cats keep their faith in Scott, but his assistants are told to hit the road
GEELONG is backing in coach Chris Scott with a two-year contract extension, which will see him remain at Kardinia Park until the end of 2024.
Despite another inglorious finals exit and growing speculation about the premiership coach’s future, new CEO Steve Hocking has endorsed Scott to navigate the Cats through what looms as the club’s most challenging period of recent times.
The new deal, which is likely to be signed over the next week, will take Scott, 45, through to a 14th season in charge, which will see him pass Reg Hickey for the most games coached in the club’s history.
There had been rumblings about whether a change in direction would happen at Geelong following its horror preliminary final loss to Melbourne.
With chief executive Brian Cook departing to Carlton, there was speculation the Blues had inquired about Scott’s position, despite having one more year of his contract to run.
But instead of Scott seeking a fresh start, the Cats have gone down the route of putting a whole new coaching panel around him.
This became the position after the recent surprise departure of club legends and assistant coaches Matthew Scarlett, Corey Enright and midfield coach Matthew Knights.
It is understood tensions between Scott and Scarlett, his defensive coach, had got to the point where the legendary full-back decided it was best he stepped away.
There had been continuing friction over selection. One of those clashes is believed to have centred around young defender Zac Guthrie, who came in for the Cats’ semi-final against GWS Giants and retained his spot for the preliminary final.
Scarlett had been a part of the Cats’ coaching panel since 2016 after working part-time at the Western Bulldogs following his retirement in 2012.
Enright, a close friend of Scarlett’s, decided he was better placed by gaining experience elsewhere and will be St Kilda’s defensive coach next year.
Former Essendon coach Knights, who has been at Geelong since 2012 and was Scott’s midfield coach from 2015, will join West Coast. Scott’s new coaching panel is starting to take shape, with premiership hero James Kelly lured back to GMHBA Stadium after he worked as an assistant coach at Essendon
before taking a long break.
Carlton and Adelaide legend Eddie Betts has joined as a development coach, while Richmond premiership player Shaun Grigg, who worked in development this year, is likely to increase his duties.
Scott’s former Brisbane Lions teammate Nigel Lappin was the only remaining assistant coach left after the purge.
Shane O’Bree is the Cats’ VFL coach.
Former Gold Coast assistant Dean Solomon has also been mentioned as a candidate, along with Demons premiership-winning assistant Troy Chaplin.
Scott has carried the brunt of the blame for Geelong’s poor recent finals record.
The preliminary final loss to the Demons was the fifth time the Cats have failed to progress past the last four during his tenure.