Geelong coach Chris Scott says the Cats have no cause for concern with AFL’s third party investigation

Geelong coach Chris Scott is not aware of any information that would give the Cats “any cause for concern” over the AFL’s probe into third party deals at Kardinia Park.

Western Bulldogs champion Marcus Bontempelli and Chris Scott after their thrilling Round 11 match. Picture: Michael Klein

Geelong coach Chris Scott said he had received “close to zero” indication that his club was in any major trouble regarding an audit into its third party deals.

Scott said he was not fully across reports earlier this week that the AFL investigation was close to finished and that it would likely attract some minor fines.

This masthead revealed the club was set to be slugged for some minor late lodgements in relation to third party deals.

New recruit Bailey Smith has a lucrative deal with club sponsor Cotton On which was first signed when he was still at the Whitten Oval.

However, on Thursday, Scott said he would rather wait for confirmation from the league rather than buying into media reporting.

Geelong’s Shaun Mannagh and Chris Scott embrace after the Cats’ 14-point win over the Western Bulldogs. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

“I can’t refute it necessarily either, because it’s not really part of my remit,” Scott said.

“The question is probably better directed at our administration who may be across stuff more than I am.

“If the AFL have shared some information with journalists that they haven’t shared with us, we’d prefer it happened in the reverse order but we certainly haven’t heard anything that gives us any cause for concern.

“And when I say any, I mean as close to zero as you can imagine.

“I wouldn’t know whether it’s a big story or not.

“That’s probably a conversation you could have better with the AFL.

“It’s up to them to verify whether it’s actually it’s a story or not, I haven’t heard anything that suggests that media commentary is accurate.”

Scott says Tassie coaching job would be ‘enticing’

Geelong mentor Chris Scott admits the senior coaching job at the AFL’s 19th team in Tasmania was “enticing” but staying at Kardinia Park had more appeal.

Scott, who has guided his Cats to the finals in all but two of his 14 completed seasons at Geelong, had been proposed by some media commentators as the perfect candidate for the job considering his sustained success and industry respect.

Meanwhile, the Tasmanian licence is solely dependent on a parliamentary vote on the new stadium at Macquarie Point which is now expected to cost nearly $1b.

It comes as Collingwood champion and former Magpies coach Nathan Buckley said he still had the coaching bug and would be open to further discussions with Devils chief executive Brendon Gayle.

On Thursday, Scott said the job had appeal when probed by reporters.

“I think it would be enticing for a coach, but not as enticing as Geelong,” Scott said on Thursday.

Originally published as Geelong coach Chris Scott says the Cats have no cause for concern with AFL’s third party investigation