Certified Legendary Thread 2 x Premiership Coach Chris Scott contracted to 2026 (aka the Chris Scott volumes

[standupand]

Style of play, Style of Geelong players, approach to building a team.


these things are important for many Geelong supporters. It’s what made many of them adopt Geelong as a team or follow them more passionately then they otherwise would.

It may also be the reason the coaching job at Geelong has often been a difficult one. Us supporters have high expectations both in terms of results as well as the more traditional aspects of the kind of players and style of play we have. I remember even Blight once getting booed by home fans when his record overall was pretty good. It's also the only club in the comp where a coach (and players) feel the extra scrutiny of an entire town. Geelong people daily discuss the fortunes of their team.

 

[Seeds]

It may also be the reason the coaching job at Geelong has often been a difficult one. Us supporters have high expectations both in terms of results as well as the more traditional aspects of the kind of players and style of play we have. I remember even Blight once getting booed by home fans when his record overall was pretty good. It's also the only club in the comp where a coach (and players) feel the extra scrutiny of an entire town. Geelong people daily discuss the fortunes of their team.

I care far more about style then results.

without the right style we cease to exist. Geelong cats in name only.

if we play the right way and still lose then atleast the Geelong that I love is out there.

 

[Vdubs]

Style of play, Style of Geelong players, approach to building a team.


these things are important for many Geelong supporters. It’s what made many of them adopt Geelong as a team or follow them more passionately then they otherwise would.

These things are important. CS has done all in HIS power to attract Geelong type players to Geelong, notwithstanding our potential annual lower draft options for always "failing" because we finish so high on the ladder every year.

Patrick Dangerfield- a classic , exciting Geelong type player.
Rhys Stanley- also a classic Cat . Fast , skilled exciting, but iffy.
Jeremy Cameron- fits our formula exactly
GAJ- say no more. But too little, too late perhaps. Would other coaches have bothered entertaining that near impossible dream?
Isaac Tuohy- not everybody's cup of Guinness, but a classic Cat once again
Isaac Smith- was there ever a more Cat-like Cat?
You can only comment on our approach to "building a team" on our recent success, leading to 07-11.
Before then, all our teams had holes.
Early 80's when we finished top- no KF's.
Late 80's ->90's-no defence, and we lost 4 GF's.
Having won 3 flags in 5 years, it is understandable we still crave that type of success, and it is agonising watching Hawks, then Tigers achieving similar eras.
But, rightfully, there are teams like Melbourne, Saints, Freo, Carlton that are all starved of success.
Yet we are still a team with a big chance.
I honestly believe any criticism of CS is unfounded in this particular regard.

Our form leading to the GF was exhilarating last year. Our best was widely regarded as the best to watch.
Our list largely determines how we play, and when we have nearly all players available, eg v WCE, Tigers 2021, we are nearly the best team to watch.

We have recruited and built teams trying to respect an excellent but dwindling core of players. Selwood, Duncan, Hawkins, Taylor, and we have added Danger, Stanley, Blic, Guthrie, and developed Stewart, Parfitt, Henry, MOC....

We are still envied and feared by many oppositions, and if anyone dislikes CS due to his antics in the coaches' box, that is pretty superficial. He does a mighty job, has taken pay cuts, is an awesome spokesman for GFC, and always the voice of reason. He always makes sense, is measured and respectful. Not ALL players are going to love him, but respect- yes. And opposing coaches often rate him the most difficult to coach against.
In short, we have a beauty, and still in 2021, the players seem to play for him.

 

[geelong_crazy26]

These things are important. CS has done all in HIS power to attract Geelong type players to Geelong, notwithstanding our potential annual lower draft options for always "failing" because we finish so high on the ladder every year.

Dangerfield- a classic , exciting Geelong type player.
Rhys Stanley- also a classic Cat . Fast , skilled exciting, but iffy.
Jeremy Cameron- fits our formula exactly
GAJ- say no more. But too little, too late perhaps. Would other coaches have bothered entertaining that near impossible dream?
Tuohy- not everybody's cup of Guinness, but a classic Cat once again
You can only comment on our approach to "building a team" on our recent success, leading to 07-11.
Before then, all our teams had holes.
Early 80's when we finished top- no KF's.
Late 80's ->90's-no defence, and we lost 4 GF's.
Having won 3 flags in 5 years, it is understandable we still crave that type of success, and it is agonising watching Hawks, then Tigers achieving similar eras.
But, rightfully, there are teams like Melbourne, Saints, Freo, Carlton that are all starved of success.
Yet we are still a team with a big chance.
I honestly believe any criticism of CS is unfounded in this particular regard.

Our form leading to the GF was exhilarating last year. Our best was widely regarded as the best to watch.
Our list largely determines how we play, and when we have nearly all players available, eg v WCE, Tigers 2021, we are nearly the best team to watch.

We have recruited and built teams trying to respect an excellent but dwindling core of players. Selwood, Duncan, Hawkins, Taylor, and we have added Danger, Stanley, Blic, Guthrie, and developed Stewart, Parfitt, Henry, MOC....

We are still envied and feared by many oppositions, and if anyone dislikes CS due to his antics in the coaches' box, that is pretty superficial. He does a mighty job, has taken pay cuts, is an awesome spokesman for GFC, and always the voice of reason. He always makes sense, is measured and respectful. Not ALL players are going to love him, but respect- yes. And opposing coaches often rate him the most difficult to coach against.
In short, we have a beauty, and still in 2021, the players seem to play for him.

The issues a small portion of fans have and it really is just a small minority as pointed out by brian cook who would know. They get nostalgic about 2007-2011 and expect us to wave a magic wand, fall to 11th to 9th on the ladder, draft future champions and brownlow medalists, somehow pick up a matthew scarlett and garry ablett again with pick 40’s, tell them to play fast footy, and like magic you have a tripple premiership team.

Its this ideology of recreating 2007-2011 thats the pessimistic obsession when you look into it. Because everything falls short of a once in a 100 year footy team right??

Thing is we arent going to do that, the landscape of footy recruitment has changed entirely since then, the drafts are now heavily compromised, free agency is a thing, father sons like garry ablett and scarlett wont come for a third rounder, and there are compensation picks that push your draft picks further out.

If the current landscape existed back then, we wouldnt have drafted all of bartel ablett johnson kelly in the same draft year for starters. Ablett would have forced us to forgo kelly bartel or johnson.

Its a different era that requires much different approaches, melbourne who are the hot favourites have an entire backline built off free agency and trades.

Geelong has addapted well to the times.

 

[Cataholic]

3peats in the last 20 years - Brisbane, Hawthorn......and Richmond?

Building the team, keeping them at the top, and snaring a 3peat is a true coaching feat.

 

[standupand]

I care far more about style then results.

without the right style we cease to exist. Geelong cats in name only.

if we play the right way and still lose then atleast the Geelong that I love is out there.

Respect that view. It's how I coped with that loss in 08. The Hawthorn-Geelong rivalry for eg should be seen I think as more than a rivalry between teams of a certain era but in fact a rivalry between enduring existential ideas of what it means to play. They shout those words louder and prouder than any other: "we play. to. win!". Us in a jaunty tune:"we.. play the game as it should be played"! This latter idea I believe they despise as being holier-than-thou. The former of course we see as almost a disrespect for the beauty of good skillful play which is an end in itself.

This may not have much to do with Scott. But he does seem a good student of the game and aware of his own influence and the limits of it in terms of the destinies of the club. And more and more these days describes himself as a "Geelong person". Sometimes he bristles when questioned about slow or negative game style, and rightly points out that for the past few years running we've led the comp in points scored and when at our best play a pretty exciting skilful brand of footy.

The best Geelong sides I think are ones that have been truly innovative and self-defining in the way they played. They have this attitude of just playing our game and playing it well, and the rest will take care of itself. With the Scott-coached sides, from the very beginning, it has been more about tinkering around the edges aimed at counteracting an opponent's gameplan than on a system that over a period of 10 years or so can be perfected and rightly described as the Geelong way. Who can really criticise his record? He brought just the right kind of adjustments to topple Collingwood in 2011. No-one can take that away from him or the club.

 

[David the Cat]

Yeah...* results..I'm with you Seeds...bring back the Geelong style...the Geelong style of player....give me a Rhys Stanley every day of the week...



btw.....anyone seen my handbag lying around?

 

[Vdubs]

Imagine if the speculation about Geelong - possibly bringing in Sam Mitchell to be assistant coach to CS next year- comes to fruition.
That would be with the view to taking over after CS's tenure.
I have always been a Mitchell fan.
The last Hawk star that took over a GFC coaching position was Ayres, and I was also a fan of his- still am actually.
However, not all would be happy with that appointment.
So let's enjoy the remaining years we have with CS- truly a once only coach, and reflect on the fact that whatever happens at Geelong, it will be far from drab.
I'd be happy if CS stayed on until 2030.

 

[Spazz Cat]

These things are important. CS has done all in HIS power to attract Geelong type players to Geelong, notwithstanding our potential annual lower draft options for always "failing" because we finish so high on the ladder every year.

Patrick Dangerfield- a classic , exciting Geelong type player.
Rhys Stanley- also a classic Cat . Fast , skilled exciting, but iffy.
Jeremy Cameron- fits our formula exactly
GAJ- say no more. But too little, too late perhaps. Would other coaches have bothered entertaining that near impossible dream?
Isaac Tuohy- not everybody's cup of Guinness, but a classic Cat once again
Isaac Smith- was there ever a more Cat-like Cat?
You can only comment on our approach to "building a team" on our recent success, leading to 07-11.
Before then, all our teams had holes.
Early 80's when we finished top- no KF's.
Late 80's ->90's-no defence, and we lost 4 GF's.
Having won 3 flags in 5 years, it is understandable we still crave that type of success, and it is agonising watching Hawks, then Tigers achieving similar eras.
But, rightfully, there are teams like Melbourne, Saints, Freo, Carlton that are all starved of success.
Yet we are still a team with a big chance.
I honestly believe any criticism of CS is unfounded in this particular regard.

Our form leading to the GF was exhilarating last year. Our best was widely regarded as the best to watch.
Our list largely determines how we play, and when we have nearly all players available, eg v WCE, Tigers 2021, we are nearly the best team to watch.

We have recruited and built teams trying to respect an excellent but dwindling core of players. Selwood, Duncan, Hawkins, Taylor, and we have added Danger, Stanley, Blic, Guthrie, and developed Stewart, Parfitt, Henry, MOC....

We are still envied and feared by many oppositions, and if anyone dislikes CS due to his antics in the coaches' box, that is pretty superficial. He does a mighty job, has taken pay cuts, is an awesome spokesman for GFC, and always the voice of reason. He always makes sense, is measured and respectful. Not ALL players are going to love him, but respect- yes. And opposing coaches often rate him the most difficult to coach against.
In short, we have a beauty, and still in 2021, the players seem to play for him.

I saw Cockatoo as a classic Geelong style player. Was so stoked when we drafted him.
But unfortunately not to be.
Gary Hocking was really Geelong style for me too. Excellent skills on both sides, only runs one way.

 

[Spazz Cat]

Imagine if the speculation about Geelong - possibly bringing in Sam Mitchell to be assistant coach to CS next year- comes to fruition.
That would be with the view to taking over after CS's tenure.
I have always been a Mitchell fan.
The last Hawk star that took over a GFC coaching position was Ayres, and I was also a fan of his- still am actually.
However, not all would be happy with that appointment.
So let's enjoy the remaining years we have with CS- truly a once only coach, and reflect on the fact that whatever happens at Geelong, it will be far from drab.
I'd be happy if CS stayed on until 2030.

I like Mitchell. I don't find Scott's style appealing. But footy in general is not appealing.
Dogs are having a go I suppose but its still nothing like us in the Blight and Bomber days.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

I care far more about style then results.

without the right style we cease to exist. Geelong cats in name only.

if we play the right way and still lose then atleast the Geelong that I love is out there.

Styles evolve all the time like technology does and gameplans shift quickly...look at richmond..no team plays the same style for decades.

Define a good club by its culture fair enough but not playing style as that never lasts anyway.

 

[Vdubs]

I saw Cockatoo as a classic Geelong style player. Was so stoked when we drafted him.
But unfortunately not to be.
Gary Hocking was really Geelong style for me too. Excellent skills on both sides, only runs one way.

That was Travis Varcoe for me. Loved him, and partly why 2011 is narrowly my favourite flag.
Agree about Buddha, although he was not typical of how Geelong was in the 60's, 70's, 80's. He would be superb now in this era. Imagine a MF with Selwood, Buddha, & GAJ all at their peaks.

 

[geelong_crazy26]

You work nights too?
Just my biggest memory of the 2. Thats the character I see.
2010? He didn't wanna coach anymore so he left.
Organised another job before he did like anyone would.

You think bomber Thompson with the CV he had at the time was going to struggle to find a coaching role at seasons end?? It was a pretty poor act to be going behind the clubd back mid season shooting emails and having meetings with essendon about employment while we were competing for a flag.

Recall at the time either brian cook or costa had a swipe at him over the incident and were not happy.

It was poor loyalty and commitment. Scott taking a 100% pay cut to me is quite the opposite of this sort of thing. Loyal and will fight for his club and players.

 

[geelong_crazy26]

Styles evolve all the time like technology does and gameplans shift quickly...look at richmond..no team plays the same style for decades.

Define a good club by its culture fair enough but not playing style as that never lasts anyway.

What exactly does a “good playing style” even mean??

Good football to me is seeing geelong win and not loose.

Everyone has their own idea of what great football looks like... Some hawthorn supporters used to tell me they had a more exciting game style back in the glory days because they got to watch two power forwards kick goals each week and we didnt.. Does that mean we didnt have the right game plan?? Very subjective to each individual.

 

[geelong_crazy26]

Yeah...fu** results..I'm with you Seeds...bring back the Geelong style...the Geelong style of player....give me a Rhys Stanley every day of the week...



btw.....anyone seen my handbag lying around?

Well.. I guess next time i see us lose a game of footy after playing fast moving football, and there is a smiling old man wearing geelong colours going down the MCG ramp, i now know that its seeds.

 

[Seeds]

Yeah...fu** results..I'm with you Seeds...bring back the Geelong style...the Geelong style of player....give me a Rhys Stanley every day of the week...



btw.....anyone seen my handbag lying around?

the fact you actually think the handbag label is a negative suggests you don’t even know what Geelong is about for many supporters.

and Rhys Stanley isn’t the Geelong style. Geelong used to have great tap ruckmans that would enable us to have surges of dominance. Not mobile second rucks as first rucks.

 

[Seeds]

Styles evolve all the time like technology does and gameplans shift quickly...look at richmond..no team plays the same style for decades.

Define a good club by its culture fair enough but not playing style as that never lasts anyway.

Yes it does shift. But Geelong has always historically been on the more attacking fast ball movement side of that shift.

until Scott.

 

[Seeds]

These things are important. CS has done all in HIS power to attract Geelong type players to Geelong, notwithstanding our potential annual lower draft options for always "failing" because we finish so high on the ladder every year.

Patrick Dangerfield- a classic , exciting Geelong type player.
Rhys Stanley- also a classic Cat . Fast , skilled exciting, but iffy.
Jeremy Cameron- fits our formula exactly
GAJ- say no more. But too little, too late perhaps. Would other coaches have bothered entertaining that near impossible dream?
Isaac Tuohy- not everybody's cup of Guinness, but a classic Cat once again
Isaac Smith- was there ever a more Cat-like Cat?
You can only comment on our approach to "building a team" on our recent success, leading to 07-11.
Before then, all our teams had holes.
Early 80's when we finished top- no KF's.
Late 80's ->90's-no defence, and we lost 4 GF's.
Having won 3 flags in 5 years, it is understandable we still crave that type of success, and it is agonising watching Hawks, then Tigers achieving similar eras.
But, rightfully, there are teams like Melbourne, Saints, Freo, Carlton that are all starved of success.
Yet we are still a team with a big chance.
I honestly believe any criticism of CS is unfounded in this particular regard.

Our form leading to the GF was exhilarating last year. Our best was widely regarded as the best to watch.
Our list largely determines how we play, and when we have nearly all players available, eg v WCE, Tigers 2021, we are nearly the best team to watch.

We have recruited and built teams trying to respect an excellent but dwindling core of players. Selwood, Duncan, Hawkins, Taylor, and we have added Danger, Stanley, Blic, Guthrie, and developed Stewart, Parfitt, Henry, MOC....

We are still envied and feared by many oppositions, and if anyone dislikes CS due to his antics in the coaches' box, that is pretty superficial. He does a mighty job, has taken pay cuts, is an awesome spokesman for GFC, and always the voice of reason. He always makes sense, is measured and respectful. Not ALL players are going to love him, but respect- yes. And opposing coaches often rate him the most difficult to coach against.
In short, we have a beauty, and still in 2021, the players seem to play for him.

The recruitment of Cameron is certainly a positive Move back in the Geelong direction.

and I love Scott’s antics in the coaches box. It’s one of the few things I like about him.

 

[PhatBoy]

You work nights too?
Just my biggest memory of the 2. Thats the character I see.
2010? He didn't wanna coach anymore so he left.
Organised another job before he did like anyone would.

Yeah I see a meth head dealer.

just my take on things.

 

[Cataholic]

Imagine if the speculation about Geelong - possibly bringing in Sam Mitchell to be assistant coach to CS next year- comes to fruition.
That would be with the view to taking over after CS's tenure.
I have always been a Mitchell fan.
The last Hawk star that took over a GFC coaching position was Ayres, and I was also a fan of his- still am actually.
However, not all would be happy with that appointment.
So let's enjoy the remaining years we have with CS- truly a once only coach, and reflect on the fact that whatever happens at Geelong, it will be far from drab.
I'd be happy if CS stayed on until 2030.

Where is the speculation on this Vdubs? First I've heard of it is all.......

 

[Cataholic]

Yeah...fu** results..I'm with you Seeds...bring back the Geelong style...the Geelong style of player....give me a Rhys Stanley every day of the week...



btw.....anyone seen my handbag lying around?

I understand Seeds preference for the old Geelong running game, as it's FAR more exhilarating to watch than the dour stuff we see now.

It's an evolution though. Scott is, by nature, heavily biased towards defence and control first and foremost, and in a generation where it's all about flooding and ever changing rules and interpretations this has been brought to the fore.

That said, is there a side that plays exhilarating footy any more? It's not just Geelong. Scott has had the guys play with exaggerated caution when compared to a few other teams, but it's degrees. As a spectacle, footy has become a tedious slog between flooded forward lines, and a pursuit of rules and interpretations to counteract it.

So I get the yearning for our old playing style but sadly it is what it is. That's where footy is at.

That said, winning is important. You've got to win your fair share to be in the lottery to win the big one. Supporters and sponsors want it, need it. That too is footy.

 

[Seeds]

I understand Seeds preference for the old Geelong running game, as it's FAR more exhilarating to watch than the dour stuff we see now.

It's an evolution though. Scott is, by nature, heavily biased towards defence and control first and foremost, and in a generation where it's all about flooding and ever changing rules and interpretations this has been brought to the fore.

That said, is there a side that plays exhilarating footy any more? It's not just Geelong. Scott has had the guys play with exaggerated caution when compared to a few other teams, but it's degrees. As a spectacle, footy has become a tedious slog between flooded forward lines, and a pursuit of rules and interpretations to counteract it.

So I get the yearning for our old playing style but sadly it is what it is. That's where footy is at.

That said, winning is important. You've got to win your fair share to be in the lottery to win the big one. Supporters and sponsors want it, need it. That too is footy.

Ultra defensive games aren’t new. They started in the late nineties and if anything hit a peak in the mid 2000s when the swans and eagles were playing in close games that were some of the most mind numbingly boring styled games ever seen. Nothing but chip kicks. Sound familiar.


it was Geelong that brought back attacking football in 2007. We used to be the trendsetters in attacking game.

as for now the bulldogs play a fast ball movement game. Richmond play a chaos ball game. Geelong has shown short periods of fast ball movement This year. And we did in the first half of last years semi agained the pies When we were facing a straight sets exit.

everyone understands the game has changed with improved running ability making positional games not possible anymore. But from 2015-19 we became one of the most ultra defensive teams in the comp. the trendsetter of defensive control games. The opposite of what Geelong was about. We moved on all our flashy half foward flankers with goal nous and replaced them with defensive fowards who didn’t know what the goals looked liked. Choosing Cameron is a good step in the old direction. Someone who knows how to snap goals (and is sh** at foward defensive pressure).

We’ve rejected the concept of choosing the best ruck at rucking and it has cost us big time in finals where the oppisition ruck has won the game against us. Again this is the opposite of Geelong of old. Yes we haven’t had a great ruck but we should still choose the best one at the centre bounce.

i think we are slowly moving back in the Geelong direction this year. More because we had no choice rather then it being some grand plan. But we have a long long way to go.

 

[Vdubs]

Where is the speculation on this Vdubs? First I've heard of it is all.......

Matthew Lloyd brought it up as an example last night, but I had heard it before. More to do with Mitchell/Hawks than Geelong, but it's out there.

 

[Cataholic]

Matthew Lloyd brought it up as an example last night, but I had heard it before. More to do with Mitchell/Hawks than Geelong, but it's out there.

Cheers. Interesting.

I wonder if Hodge has any coaching ambitions? His tv career probably suggests not.

 

[standupand]

What exactly does a “good playing style” even mean??

Good football to me is seeing geelong win and not loose.

Everyone has their own idea of what great football looks like... Some hawthorn supporters used to tell me they had a more exciting game style back in the glory days because they got to watch two power forwards kick goals each week and we didnt.. Does that mean we didnt have the right game plan?? Very subjective to each individual.

Everyone also loves winning and hates losing, but I do think what sustains a club over the long term ultimately isn't the wins and losses or even the premierships but a philosophy of who we are as a team and why we love this team and not another. I think sometimes we tend to confuse 'gameplan' which is essentially the tactics of how to win a game, 'system' which to me is the particular way in which the team is more than the sum of its parts, and 'style' which describes the aesthetics of play. But in addition to that, there is the philosophy of who we are - what we value in the game and the team: the reason, perhaps more than by mere chance, that a player like a Bobby Davis, or a Polly Farmer, or an Ablett Snr became legends of Geelong teams and not of others (Sth Melb, Richmond, Hawthorn).
I do think CS has a sense of the privilege involved in coaching this team. I think he knows that it's something more than just a job that he could do equally at another club. His job is to help the team win, and we might not always like the methods or ideas. But 10 years and a premiership is still 6% of our history and 11% of our all-time success. The fact that he's found his place as a coach here speaks to a pretty strong connection between himself and what ultimately sustains this club.