News Cats expect Scarlett to Retire

[Pure_Ownage]

Not unexpected given the comments he has made throughout the year that indicated he was thinking of retiring. While I will be sad to see him go I think it's the right time if he really feels he doesn't have the drive to do another year.

At least this way too the fans know it's likely to happen so we can give him a proper standing ovation at home in round 23.

 

[Boxhead_31]

If he does finish up this year. Well done on a brilliant career in the Hoops Matty.
Mad Monday's will never be the same without you. Hopefully Scarlo has a honorary invitation to Mad Mondays for life

 

[dazbroncos]

Disagree. It's just a number.

So is the number of wins next to your name. They are all important. I think, and you are more than welcome to disagree, that getting club champions to milestones like this is important. 300 games for players may be harder to get than Premierships. Moons got one and barely played. Few can say that about 300 games. I think its important for the spirit of the club.

Is it the end of the world - no - but if a player gets close I think they should be reasonably supported to get there. It's not like they havent put plenty into the club to get close....

Go Catters

 

[Last Line Hero]

The best indicator for mine that he will walk away is in hearing Brian Cook say that he had planned to retire at the end of last season but talked himself into staying during the finals. Can imagine it would be exceptionally difficult to talk yourself into playing on two years in a row, especially given his well publicised disdain for the 'state' of the game and level of effort required in training.

Based on his comments relating to the issue of retirement thus far, in his mind he wants to retire and is set to, hence why he has mentioned it several times (you don't just say it if it is not at the forefront of your mind), and only the club convincing him that he is 'needed' will force him to ponder going on for 2013. The club seem to have recognised this is his state of mind also, and no longer seem too intent on talking him out of where his head is at, which is fair enough... you shouldn't have to convince a player to want to play and put in everything he has, it should come naturally. For Scarlett it simply doesn't anymore.

It would be amazing to see him reach the 300 game milestone, because if anyone at the club ever deserved to, it would be him, but the time is right in my opinion. As self- indulgent as it may sound, it would be magnificent if he stated next year would certainly be his last, and 2013 became a season basically dedicated to him by the playing group and he got the celebrated send- off he deserves. But, Scarlo being Scarlo, he wouldn't do it that way. I am a firm believer in players retiring with their legacy in tact; still playing at a high standard, their body in decent shape and their reputation as champion footballers unquestioned. Too often players linger on too long to the detriment of their standing in the game.

Furthermore, you look at Dustin Fletcher at Essendon or Darren Glass at West Coast, those players can afford to play on as they are surrounded defensively by youth, and their leadership and direction is invaluable. Whilst it remains true that Scarlett's impact on the Geelong back six is as significant as any respective defender in the competition (just look at our winning percentages and average score against without him over his career), however, the likes of Hunt, Enright, Lonergan, Mackie and Taylor have been in the system long enough to assume greater responsibility and not have to rely on Scarlett's presence.

Defensively we aren't really ushering in a new era, similar to that of Essendon or West Coast, and Scarlett is 33. Whilst over the rest of the field we are in a deep state of transition, those names I have mentioned above are at that point where they deserve their chance to be the leaders of the next era. As great as Scarlett has been he simply isn't going to be around for the next dominant era, and even if he was he wouldn't be the same player, so in terms of the 'team' in the long term is there any real benefit to him staying other than to get to 300 games? Not really I don't think.

 

[footscore]

sad

our greatest player next to Snr and his influence has been even more profound that Gazza Jnr's.
Will never see another defender like him and it's a shame he couldn't go just one more year but he knows it's time.
We managed well when Harley & Egan went but Scarlett's greatest asset is his composure in traffic and the ability to make the right decision almost every single time.

Maybe he pulls up better at season's end and feels he's right to squeeze out another season?

 

[you pick one]

His two indiscretions this year won't have been missed by the man himself and can often be a sigh that it's time.

 

[The Ghost Of Glenferrie]

Sorry to jump in on your thread, but I just wanted to acknowledge the career of a truly great footballer - Matthew Scarlett. I really hope he changes his mind and plays on in 2013 and beyond, but in short and sufficed to say this bloke is a man's man of a footballer.

I have watched his career for many years and in my opinion is up there with the very best of all time. I like players cut from the same cloth; Wayne Carey, Mark Ricciuto, Lenny Hayes, Paul Kelly, Luke Hodge, et al.

I love the fact he is as hard as a cat's head, uncompromising, tough, skilled, ruthless and looks like a funny bugger off the field - (Mad Monday).

Anyway congratulations Geelong and to great warrior - the game will be a lesser place without him.

 

[footscore]

ypo, he's been doing that all his career and it kind of sums up Scarlett's reasons for quitting...my assumption is a mix between lack of hunger and state of the current game.

Just shows how scrutinized the game is today as that love tap to the Essendon player would not even have been highlighted 5 years ago.
If you look at his history...he's got into trouble almost every single year and on most occasions he has escaped suspensions but seems that today, players are not even allowed to swear on the footy field without repercussions

 

[The Gee Spot]

As long as he keeps doing the job (I believe he can) then let him continue. He doesn’t need to play every game but he can play some and educate players around him. He deserves 300.

 

[Stig_90]

I would love to see him go on and get 300 games, but the timing is probably right. I hope they leave the official announcement until the week before finals. That would definitely fire up the boys knowing it could be Scarlo's last game.

 

[Stig_90]

As long as he keeps doing the job (I believe he can) then let him continue. He doesn’t need to play every game but he can play some and educate players around him. He deserves 300.

Read the HS article. He's already told the club he wants to retire at seasons end according to them.

 

[you pick one]

Sorry to jump in on your thread, but I just wanted to acknowledge the career of a truly great footballer - Matthew Scarlett. I really hope he changes his mind and plays on in 2013 and beyond, but in short and sufficed to say this bloke is a man's man of a footballer.

I have watched his career for many years and in my opinion is up there with the very best of all time. I like players cut from the same cloth; Wayne Carey, Mark Ricciuto, Lenny Hayes, Paul Kelly, Luke Hodge, et al.

I love the fact he is as hard as a cat's head, uncompromising, tough, skilled, ruthless and looks like a funny bugger off the field - (Mad Monday).

Anyway congratulations Geelong and to great warrior - the game will be a lesser place without him.

You seem to have come in good faith but you could let us bury our own when the time comes.

 

[AM]

Love Cookie but I hope he listens to our coaches response to this question as seen on our website. Cookie should have pulled his head in and let Scarlo publicly announce whatever is his final decision in his own time. Chris – big elephant stamp. Cookie – go sit in the naughty corner.

 

[AM]

"Wasn't given opportunities" is far more accurate. Funnily enough when he left no one was complaining, the consensus was "he's not up to it". Now that he's shown he's actually not a bad player the tune strangely enough is changing. They should never have let him walk over signing Milburn for another year.

The lesson should be not to let guys go after 10 games. Players can develop late and still become quality footballers. Seeing as we had Mooney, Harley and Sanderson from other clubs you'd think more of our supporters would realise this.

Nup! Was with the club long enough to have cracked it had he been good enough. He's fitted in at Carlton but would still be a 'bit' player had he remained with us IMO.

 

[Cursed Cat]

You seem to have come in good faith but you could let us bury our own when the time comes.

beautifully put.

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

So is the number of wins next to your name. They are all important. I think, and you are more than welcome to disagree, that getting club champions to milestones like this is important. 300 games for players may be harder to get than Premierships. Moons got one and barely played. Few can say that about 300 games. I think its important for the spirit of the club.

Is it the end of the world - no - but if a player gets close I think they should be reasonably supported to get there. It's not like they havent put plenty into the club to get close....

Go Catters

At the end of the day, it's completely in Scarlett's hands. The club is supporting him, but he's apparently not interested. If he calls it quits at the end of this year, sure, we'll always have questions about whether he could have gone on, but in my opinion, that's a lot better than running the risk of embarrassing himself, like Mick Martyn, if he's mentally and/or physically not prepared for another season at the top level.

 

[Geelong_Sicko]

Just between you and me Veedubs. I rated Gamble as well. He was fantastic in the air until he got knocked out ( ironically, I think it was against St. Kilda). Then his form dropped off from what I remember. But that's just between you and me.

Nah, it was against the Doggies at Jihad. You know, the game where Brad Johnson could have won the game for the Dogs after the siren but he shanked it? Happened right in front of us.

RIGHT IN FRONT OF US!!!!

 

[Cursed Cat]

wish there was more stuff on Youtube of Scarlo, here's some bits and pieces - particularly like the short clips of him when he had his flowing mane of curly locks during the Harley interview, brought back memories of him at his absolute prime; looked a bit bigger back then but maybe it was just that mop.

if you have a short attention span, skip to the 57sec mark



this is a random grab of highlights from a game vs the Bulldogs last year, just an average day at the office for Matty Scarlett



staring down the panel on Footy Classifieds



some of the ol' magic on display this season



highlights from his 250th game, a win against the Hawks, can't vouch for the awful music. Scarlett absolutely poleaxes Lewis at 2m55s.



there's some ok stuff there but it is a pretty miserly collection, I'm sure some bright spark on one of the networks will cobble together some kind of decent highlights package to see him out on Brownlow night or somesuch thing.

But as it stands I can't find any highlights of him shutting down players like Lloyd, Gehrig, Fevola etc to the point of despair - it is no exaggeration to say that there were games when he took on a highly-rated opponent and smashed him, often containing the so-called gun forwards to single-digit posessions whilst racking up big big numbers, unheard of numbers for a full-back.
I'd love some of that stuff on youtoob !

For most of his career Scarlett had an uncanny ability to shut down his opponent's bread & butter leads through a combination of positioning, closing speed, timing and judgement; this was one of his great attributes and has always been a measure of a great full-back.

I would hesitantly put forward 2003-05 as his absolute peak as a player, mainly as these are seasons I recall him as being in superb marking form.
People rightly laud Brian Lake for his guts and judgement in out-marking highly-rated opponents, but Scarlett really set a trend for this kind of audacity, and it was in those years that i nominated that his fingers were at his stickiest.

At his best he has been dare I say it cat-like with his agility once the ball hits the deck; he's extremely adept in ground contests for a bigger bodied player and essentially moves like a running half-back flanker on the rebound. Circa 2007 Scarlett was absolutely explosive once given the ball on the move, see the GF for evidence.

He was top 3 in Norm Smith voting for the 2007 GF, he could easily have been awarded the medal that year, no disrespect to Steve Johnson.
Not sure if he polled any votes for Normy in 2009, but I have watched game *a lot* (who hasn't !) and he was immense, right up there alongside Harry Taylor in my eyes.

 

[Partridge]

So is the number of wins next to your name. They are all important. I think, and you are more than welcome to disagree, that getting club champions to milestones like this is important. 300 games for players may be harder to get than Premierships. Moons got one and barely played. Few can say that about 300 games. I think its important for the spirit of the club.

Is it the end of the world - no - but if a player gets close I think they should be reasonably supported to get there. It's not like they havent put plenty into the club to get close....

Go Catters

Ah good, I like it when it heads down this path. A supporter dares to express a view contrary to the majority on BigFooty. Result - how many games did you play? You can't know! How dare you!

I presume you've made lasting contributions to Geelong's win/loss ratio yourself then? A tactical genius no doubt sending magical thoughts across the Pacific?

It would be great if Scarlett were to get to 300. But most of us realise sadly he just doesn't want to go through it again. It's nice and everything but to me it doesn't diminish at all his contributions to the club or his reputation as a player.

 

[Partridge]

Just shows how scrutinized the game is today as that love tap to the Essendon player would not even have been highlighted 5 years ago.
If you look at his history...he's got into trouble almost every single year and on most occasions he has escaped suspensions but seems that today, players are not even allowed to swear on the footy field without repercussions

He's been suspended in 2006, 2010, 2011 and 2012 (twice). They're just the ones I can think of instantly.

 

[Skerret]

The game where Ben Graham kicked the winning goal from 60 against Port in Geelong features a Scarlett one hander in the goal square at the city end, body to body against Tredrea. Clinton Grybas was calling, it'll be out there somewhere.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

I would love to see him go on and get 300 games, but the timing is probably right. I hope they leave the official announcement until the week before finals. That would definitely fire up the boys knowing it could be Scarlo's last game.

I'd actually prefer they announced it before the Dogs game so the last 2 games at home the fans can make into a celebration for him and show him how much we appreciate his contribution. We missed the chance to be able to do that with Ling and Otto etc last year (because it wasn't known publicly then) and I hope we don't miss the same with Scarlo.

 

[Stig_90]

I may have to quit reading the general board after reading some of the absolute shit written there about Scarlo.