No. 30 Matthew Scarlett

[CatmanForever]

Matthew Scarlett


Fast Facts

Jumper No: 30
Height: 192 cm
Weight: 95 kg
DOB: 5 June 1979
Recruited From: Geelong U18

[Metallica_Man]

This weeks edition of 'Scarlo Says'

The new "hands in the back" rule has been talked about a lot lately, and while I've only had two or three frees paid against me, I'm really not a big fan.





I just don't think it's in the spirit of the game.




We all saw two weeks ago what happened with "Richo", and I think everyone felt pretty shattered for him because he's played AFL for 14, 15 years and he's always taken a mark like that.




I just don't think the rule has been working this year. I think they should have trialled it first and they didn't, and I think the people who change these rules really need to listen to the players.




I'm pretty sure nearly 100 per cent of players would want it changed back to the old rule. The players should definitely get more of a say in it.




You have to be so careful when the ball is in the air. You can't hold your opponent out, and they reckon it's promoting more contested marking, but I think it's taking it away because you can't really hold the forward out and go for the ball.




You just stand there and wrestle your bloke and the ball hits the ground. The skill to be able to hold the forward out, or for the forward to hold the back out, you just can't do that now. They changed the rule for more marking – and it's not happening.




It's second nature to hold the man out with your hands. It's just a silly rule; even the forwards don't think it's great either. They have to hold the defender out as well, they're getting a few frees but they're giving them away too, so I don't think anyone likes it.




To mix it up this week, we did all our match review stuff down at Jan Juc on Monday morning - the day after it snowed down there.




I read the paper and they got one centimetre of snow on Sunday. I didn't get any at my place, which is only two minutes away, but it was pretty cold. They made us get in the water for about 20 minutes, which wasn't great.




It was freezing. We had to get our whole bodies in there, and none of the boys were too happy about that.




Apparently, the cold water shuts the body down and heals all injuries and stuff. That's what they reckon anyway, and we just do what we're told and jump in. It's not much fun though.




Every now and again, we might go somewhere else for our review. It's refreshing for the mind, just knowing that we don't have to go into the club. It almost felt like a day off. About once a month, they look to change venues, which is good.




We were all down there and in different groups, and we had to jump in the water and then we had a massage.




We also had a barbeque, and then we had about an hour and a half off before we did our review, which was at 3pm, and that went for about an hour. It was a good day, good to change venues, and get away from the club for the day.




A few of the boys were brave enough to go surfing before recovery started. Cameron Ling and Tim Callan were out there for a couple of hours. They're pretty crazy, those guys.




Lingy thinks he's a pretty good surfer, but I'm not sure if he's that good. He really enjoys it and he goes out most days. He reckons he's great but I haven't seen him. He's also trying to look like a surfer, he's grown his hair and tries to tip it blond, which is pretty funny.




I'm not sure about this twilight timeslot. It's a bit weird. We had to drive back to Geelong after the game, so I'd much rather play during the day. Even night games are better, because with twilight, you don't know what to do with yourself during the day.




You don't know what time to get up, or whether to have a little snooze before the game. It's a strange time, but we've been winning them, so I guess we must be doing something right.




This week, we face another massive test. It's maybe not "The Test", but it's another big one – ultimately, just another game for us though.




The Crows are obviously a great side and they're going to look to bounce back after a loss, but we're really looking forward to it. We've been playing some good footy, and now we'll see how we go against a quality side.

[Big Nasty]

My fav player for the cats. In All Australian form and hopefully get his 3rd AA this year. We have such depth we could cover any position this year through injury, however if Scarlett got injured or suspended (god forbid) then we would loose our drive out of defence and look a second rate backline, he is the general after all.

[Metallica_Man]

AFL Round 11 v Adelaide
In All Australian form, kept Welsh goal less and did lots up the ground. Teamed up well with Milburn in defence

[Big Nasty]

Originally Posted by Metallica_Man

AFL Round 11 v Adelaide
In All Australian form, kept Welsh goal less and did lots up the ground. Teamed up well with Milburn in defence

im sick of other teams not aknowledging Scarlett as the as the better Full Back this season. Will be robbed if he keeps up this form and dosen't get AA.

[Metallica_Man]

Originally Posted by Big Nasty

im sick of other teams not aknowledging Scarlett as the as the better Full Back this season. Will be robbed if he keeps up this form and dosen't get AA.

All this shit about Brian Harris, WOW he got 24 uncontested marks and kicks on the half back flank, All Australian full back guaranteed for that!

[Big Nasty]

Originally Posted by Metallica_Man

All this shit about Brian Harris, WOW he got 24 uncontested marks and kicks on the half back flank, All Australian full back guaranteed for that!

I know it's a joke. Rodney Eade should get tool of the week by Saying Harris is the best Full Back in the competition.

[Metallica_Man]

AA Back Pocket
Congrats Scarlo

[Scarlett Letter]

G' Day Scarlett Letter here, looking forward to a big season 2008 for the Geelong Football Club, and the continued dominance of the Australian Football League's number one defender, our own Matthew Scarlett.

I'll be championing this thread, and will hopefully make it without counterpart the most thorough and in depth player thread on the Geelong board.

Included will be some interesting off- field and on- field stats of the great man, weekly match reviews, story updates, some personal blogs of mine, the continuation of 'Scarlo Says' from the GFC website, pictures and much more.

I can't wait to get back into the thick of things and bring to you a more enlightened perspective of the Cat's last line champion.

Updating soon,
Scarlett Letter

[Last Line Hero]

Source-
GEELONG ADVERTISER

Item-
Updated News

Cats Matthew Scarlett ready to return
Bradley Green
29Feb08


Matthew Scarlett is fit and ready.

ALL-AUSTRALIAN defender Matthew Scarlett is almost certain to make his first appearance of the year in Geelong's final practice match next week.

Scarlett has again been rested from tonight's hit-out against the Brisbane Lions, but Cats assistant coach Ken Hinkley said he was virtually a definite starter against Richmond at Skilled Stadium next Friday evening.

Scarlett has not played all pre-season after having minor knee surgery late last month.

It was initially feared that the operation could have forced Scarlett to miss the start of the regular season, but the club yesterday insisted his recovery had gone smoothly.

Scarlett is among a host of Cats' stars missing tonight's game.

Premiership stars Brad Ottens, Cameron Ling, Gary Ablett, Darren Milburn and Cameron Mooney are also being rested.

Captain Tom Harley, Brownlow Medallist Jimmy Bartel, Norm Smith Medallist Steve Johnson and David Wojcinski return while goalkicking midfielder Paul Chapman plays his first pre-season match.

Hinkley said the changes were part of the club's pre-season rotation policy to ensure the majority of their players gain valuable match-time in the lead-up to the season.

``If it was an AFL game on this weekend, we'd be playing most of those blokes but we're just making sure that the ones who are rested are fully ready to go in a couple of weeks,'' Hinkley said.

The Cats squad of 29 had a light training session at Carrara's Gold Coast Stadium last night and Hinkley said the players were expecting a good, solid hit-out from the Lions.

``The last couple of rounds of the NAB Cup, sides try to get somewhere back to near their best side and Brisbane have brought back some quality players like (Simon) Black and (Jonathan) Brown so we expect it to be a very solid game for both sides,'' he said.

``For us, it's all about preparing for round one and getting the conditioning into the team. There are plenty of them who are desperate to get a game come round one and let's hope some can push for that opportunity this week.''

Rookie Brodie Moyles will also make his first senior appearance tonight and Hinkley said the coaching staff were interested to see how the young Tasmanian would handle the step up.

``He's had an interrupted pre-season with some knee problems but the last few weeks he's shown that he can play good VFL football so it will be good to have a look at him at this level,'' Hinkley said.

[Last Line Hero]

Source-
GEELONG ADVERTISER

Item-
Updated News

Cats turn up the heat, with 11 premiership stars in VFL practice match
Michael Auciello
11Mar08


Matthew Scarlett look set to take on Coburg.

GEELONG will play 11 of its AFL-listed players in Thursday's VFL practice match at Skilled Stadium.

The Cats will play four 20-minutes quarters from 3.30pm in what is expected to be 36-degree heat.

They yesterday applied to the AFL for Matthew Scarlett, Gary Ablett and Brad Ottens to play in what is supposed to be a game-free weekend for AFL players before the season opener next week.

VFL coach Leigh Tudor yesterday said he would be guided by the club's fitness staff as to how long he would play the premiership players in the heat against Coburg.

``I haven't talked to the fitness guys yet but we'll see what each individual needs to finish off their pre-season,'' he said.

``We'll have fans and ice vests and all that as well.

``They'll have a (training) session (today) and then be judged by the fitness guys about how much game time they need.

``The AFL guys need one more game before the start of the year, so we'll play them Thursday because we play (Port Adelaide) next Thursday.''

Clubs can apply to the league for players to take part in games this week if they have missed practice matches or training sessions throughout the pre-season.

Scarlett has had an interrupted pre-season after having minor surgery on his knee in January, while Ablett missed two matches after copping a knock during the NAB Cup opener against Melbourne on February 16.

Ottens has not played a game since the first NAB Cup match.

Among other AFL-listed players to play will be Simon Hogan, Dawson Simpson and rookies Brodie Moles, Chris Kangars, Jeremy Laidler and Liam Bedford.

The club will submit its final VFL list and rookie list to the league this week, and Tudor said Thursday would also be a good chance to really get the VFL's 2008 premiership campaign under way.

``It'll be good for the VFL guys, we've nutted out our list so now we can get our structures and game plans into place over the next couple of games,'' Tudor said.

[Last Line Hero]

Source-
HERALD SUN

Item-
Updated News

Cats cruel to be kind
Mike Sheehan
19Mar08


Scarlett's off- field persona has transformed itself.

IN THIS edited book extract, the Cats reveal how being brutally honest with each other helped them win a flag.

"It's pretty hard sitting in front of 40 guys and basically get told what a wanker you are, it is really tough."

Matthew Scarlett's typically honest description of his peer assessment summed it up perfectly. The program introduced by leadership consultant Gerard Murphy was designed to generate a change in the club's culture, in particular the workings of the player group, and the full-back was No. 1 on the hit list.

Scarlett had always struggled with the notion of being a role model. Despite being arguably the club's best player and one of the oldest at 27, he preferred to stay out of the spotlight. He rarely gave interviews and lived by the mantra that actions speak louder than words.

Scarlett only saw black or white, nothing between. This had caused problems within the team, particularly with younger players coming in - they didn't know how to handle Scarlett's gruff and dismissive nature.

While he wasn't anywhere near Steve Johnson in the bad boy ratings, he'd had his share of run-ins with management over his after-hours activities.

Given his influence in the changerooms there was a feeling that if Scarlett embraced the peer assessments it would go a long way in selling it to the group. As part of the procedure, a player has to write down what he thinks his teammates will say of him. Scarlett got almost every point right.

"Mine was a lot of off-field stuff," Scarlett said.

"They wanted me to be more disciplined. When I am at training I am very professional and hard on guys to do the right thing. I am hard on everyone to train the way we play and I guess they just wanted me to be disciplined off the field."

The Mission by Scott Gullan. RRP $34.95. Order at Herald Sun shop and www.gfc.com.au

[Last Line Hero]

Source-
PERSONAL

Item-
Performance Review

Opponent-
Rnd 1 @ AAMI Stadium
v.


Statistics-
K: 11
H/B: 11
D: 22
M: 2
T: 1
CP: 1
DE%: 86.36
r50: 3

cp= contested possessions de%= disposal efficiency

Goals Conceded for the Match= 2
Goals Conceded for 2008= 2

Summary-
IT'S BEEN A TENDENCY of Matthew Scarlett in years past to take a couple of weeks "off", so to speak, upon the arrival of the new AFL season.

Thankfully, for the sake of Geelong fans and the Cats much anticipated premiership defence, Round 1 2008 was (for the most part) a different story.

Scarlett was amongst Geelong's best players in the season opening victory over the Power, as he picked up where he left off following his outstanding Grand Final performance against Port in 2007.

The full- back was a constant thorn in the side of every opposition attacking thrust on Thursday night, spending time on Warren Tredrea, Brett Ebert, Daniel Motlop and Brendan Lade, however it was talented, young full- forward Justin Westhoff who was forced to endure Scarlett's prescence for most of the evening. His only goal coming in the 4th quarter, off a costly lapse in judgement by Scarlett after the defender overran the ball attempting to make contact with an oncoming Motlop, the Hoff leaping on the loose spoils and finishing from short range.

Scarlett's one on one work was flawless yet again, not allowing a single mark to a direct opponent inside the attacking 50 and whilst he wasn't at his highest eb of attacking flamboyance, he was controlled and consumate in his marshalling of the back half, winning plenty of the ball and providing timely relief when Port looked threatening. Only some questionable disposal in the 2nd half marred an otherwise excellent defensive showing.

It was an impressive start by the champ coming off a limited pre- season after an arthroscope on his knee prior to the NAB Cup.

[Big Nasty]

Thanx for the info LLH.
Scarlett is also my favourite player. How do you reckon he will go against Lloyd next week.

[Last Line Hero]

Source-
GFC.com

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Matthew Scarlett's weekly column

Scarlo Says
Matthew Scarlett
26Mar08


Geelong champion Matthew Scarlett: Illustration by Paul Harvey

Matthew Scarlett will write exclusively for geelongfc.com.au regularly throughout the 2008 AFL season. This, his first column, was penned in the aftermath of Geelong's victory in the Grand Final re-match against Port Adelaide in round one.

IT WAS a great start by the boys.

It was always going to be difficult having to head interstate and play our first game against Port Adelaide.

They were always going to be fired up after last year’s Grand Final, so to go over there and beat them again was a very good win in the circumstances.

Bomber and the coaching staff were pretty happy with how we played, despite our second half not being as good as our first.

We got off to a good start to the game but just got a bit tired towards the end there, but still, it was a great way to kick off the year.

I think we probably went in with a few blokes a little bit underdone. I haven’t played a lot of footy, while Gazza’s (Gary Ablett's) preparation wasn’t as solid as it could have been either.

But it definitely wasn’t a fitness issue. We’ve had a really hard summer and we’re well prepared again for another good season.

It was just a matter of having a few guys underdone and we couldn’t really run out the game as well as we would have liked, which is to be expected when a couple of guys have had shorter preparations.

Port is such a skilful side. They’ve got a good forward line and a super-quick midfield, so I think they’ll definitely challenge strongly for the top four again.

It’s hard to know how much you can take out of the first few rounds though. It’ll probably take about a month before things settle down and you get a bit of a gauge on who’s going to be up near the top and who’s going to be lower.

I think Port will definitely finish near the top of the ladder again.

I’m not really expecting there to be any major movers, although St Kilda might be a bit of an improver. I think most of the sides that performed well last year will be around the mark again.

I think Port Adelaide will be strong, Hawthorn will be up there this year and Collingwood are always competitive.

Most people are expecting us to go all the way again, which is certainly a bit different to 12 months ago. And it’s fair to say there is a different feeling around the club than at the same time last year.

The monkey is off the back but, still, our own expectations are just so high. While there’s talk of outside pressures, we don’t worry about that.

We’ve got massive expectations on ourselves for this year.

The confidence in the group is just enormous. There’s just a different mentality at the club now. We just expect to win every week.

But while we now know what it takes to win a flag, that hasn’t changed how we approach any game. This week, we’re only focussed on the first quarter against Essendon.

I watched the Bombers at home on TV and they looked very good, very quick. They’re going to be a handful.

Scotty Lucas not being out there for the Bombers might result in a few less headaches for our backline. Although having said that, Essendon still kicked 19 goals and looked pretty dangerous going forward.

You never like seeing an opposition player injured, and you love to play against the best each and every week. Scotty, a former Geelong Falcon like me, is a great player and his loss is unfortunate for the Bombers as he’s done some damage against us in the past.

Still, they’ve got Matty Lloyd and a fair few others capable of kicking goals.

I’m sure it’s going to be a fantastic game.