Geelong will re-sign Chris Scott for another two seasons, meaning he will become the AFL club’s longest-serving coach.
The new deal will secure Scott through to the end of the 2024 season. While there was no comment from the club, the deal is expected to be announced next week.
There had been speculation about his tenure at the Cats following last month’s preliminary final thrashing from premiers Melbourne.
After Scott started his AFL senior coaching career by leading the Cats to the 2011 premiership, they have played in another nine finals series for only one grand final appearance.
While Scott is staying, he will oversee a new-look Geelong coaching panel.
(Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
Assistants Matthew Knights, Matthew Scarlett and Corey Enright have all left since the end of the season.
Three-time Geelong premiership player James Kelly is returning to the club as an assistant, while newly retired Indigenous great Eddie Betts will move to the Cats in a development coaching role.
Steve Hocking has started as Geelong’s new chief executive, while Craig Drummond also took over as president earlier this year.
Reg Hickey, who coached Geelong to three premierships, holds the club record of 304 games and Scott is on 261, one more than his predecessor Mark Thompson.
Speaking after the season-ending loss to Melbourne, Scott said concerns about the age of their playing list were “superficial”.
“I think that’s always going to be an observation … that when you get beaten, you look old and when you win, it’s because of your experience,” he said.
“I don’t think either are necessarily true.”
A few days after the Demons loss, Geelong veteran Isaac Smith was bullish about their prospects.
“Our best footy was as good as anyone’s in the comp, which is really disappointing and hard to come to terms with,” the 32-year-old told RSN.
“Whether we just didn’t time our run right or we had other things go against us we need to look at it and figure out what happened, because we still have the list that certainly can have a crack at it.
“We can’t be up there for the whole year and then just fall off the edge of a cliff, I wouldn’t have thought.”
Bangkokpussey
Roar Rookie
"Our best is good enough".It is not the players that are the problem. The game plan gets exploited by fast teams. I was surprised we snuck home against the doggies but were then exposed by Brisbane. The alarm bells should've been ringing well and truly by then.
Alchemist
Roar Rookie
That was more a statement of how average ceglar and Stanley are.
pablocruz
Roar Rookie
Won 3 flags recently, Chucky.
Mr Right
Roar Rookie
No going to happen. Hawks are looking for draft picks.
Mr Right
Roar Rookie
A bit of extra height with Ceglar than Stanley. No ruckman? That is very progressive. A strong marking ruckman can always be handy in general play even if he is not dominating the ruck contest.
Yattuzzi
Roar Rookie
So Guthrie not quit enough.
Alchemist
Roar Rookie
We'll accept a packet of kettle chips
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
Yeah I know he wasn’t bad. He became captain the year after they won their last flag. I think he just wants that little bit extra on what is already an exceptional career
Yattuzzi
Roar Rookie
No, but that doesn’t mean he was no good. Who was the Dons last captain who won a premiership? Who was the last Saints one?
Yattuzzi
Roar Rookie
Not good enough ruckman. So I would give the bad Guthrie.
Yattuzzi
Roar Rookie
You did tell me once. And in defiance of some people’s beliefs, I don’t have full blown deemeentia yet.
Yattuzzi
Roar Rookie
Is your sole reason for existence to give chuck stick? And then he changes his name.
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
Yep was he ever a captain for one of Geelong's premierships?
Yattuzzi
Roar Rookie
Should tell him it is his last season and leave nothing. He has been playing outside mid for the last season.
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
The picture was always me though I have it on good authority that there are some who thought my hair was a wig. It was not a wig it was dyed.
Yattuzzi
Roar Rookie
No way you can trade a ten year captain. Hawks didn’t do that for Hodge. They retired him. The only player you could trade would be Stewart. And I wouldn’t.
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
Haha changed it back cos whatever trevor. Im actually pretty proud I was cognizant enough to take a selfie while bleeding profusely from the head.
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
I dont rate Sellwood, he can only play inside midfield, and at the moment Geelong need to start getting games into their youthful midfield.
Chanon
Roar Rookie
Pablo it will take till 2026 before Cats have one of the youngest lists that is if they go down the kids route by selecting 3 youngsters every year from hereon, remains to be seen!
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
I recently changed my display picture on this site to one of me covered in blood but I thought better of it because there was ALOT of blood