AFL 2025: Geelong coach Chris Scott on AFL audit into third-party audit, soft cap cuts and industry salaries

Geelong coach Chris Scott has addressed the AFL audit of third-party payments at the club. And he expressed his strong views on player salaries and the soft cap, including an ‘irrefutable’ reality for coaches.

Geelong coach Chris Scott has warned people not to jump to conclusions following the AFL’s audit into third-party payments at the club, labelling the information relayed to him on the issue as “speculation upon speculation”.

This masthead reported this week the findings of the audit would not be made public unless Geelong is in breach of AFL rules and that the Cats were not the only club being audited.

It comes after Scott was appointed chief of leadership and performance at club sponsor Morris Finance in October.

Scott also aired his strong view on player and coach payments in the game, as he questioned the salaries of AFL administrator compared to the best players in the AFL, and the limitations placed on coaches through the soft cap.

Chris Scott after he was announced as Chief of Leadership and Performance at Morris Finace. Picture: Morris Finance

Asked whether he has full confidence that the club has abided by the rules throughout his time at the club, Scott said: “Look, I’m not across the reports... I mean, like, broadly, sort of I’m across it, but I have no visibility over whether the reports are accurate, and it’s just not part a part of our operation that I’m privy to.

“Other people I’m sure could answer that question when I can’t, so it is a pretty easy one for me to answer - I’m not a part of it.

“So yes, I’m perfectly confident that I don’t have anything to add to that conversation. But again, it’s the way it’s been relayed to me, is sort of talking about speculation upon speculation, and then it sort of gets to the point where I’m like, ‘I don’t even know sort of what’s real and what’s not’.

“But I wouldn’t jump to conclusions if I were you, but we (AFL coaches and the media) do play different games.

“I think if you start thinking about things that may or may not be true, you just end up confused and frustrated. So I just prefer not to operate in that space.

“Now, if it’s something that’s completely within my remit, I’m happy to expand on things and try to be as open as possible with you, but this is something that you’re likely to know as much about as I do.”

Asked whether speculation surrounding the connection of Cotton On and Smith — who is Cotton On ambassador — is unfair, Scott said he doesn’t read into it.

Cotton On x Bailey Smith. Picture: Rob Tennent/Instagram

“I don’t waste any time trying to understand those situations, because others in the club deal with it. It’s just not part of my job,” Scott said.

“What I do know is, the first I heard of Bailey Smith’s connection with Cotton On was when I was driving, probably sitting in traffic on Citylink, and I saw him on a billboard. And that was a few years ago now. Not sure how much we had to do with that.”

Scott said the relentless nature of his job means he tries not to think about whether players and coaches should be allowed to seek work through a third-party – club sponsor or otherwise.

He is confident that there are people that can advocate for coaches and players but alluded to the ambiguity on the issue.

“I guess the one thing I’d say is, and this goes for the on-field as well, what you want is clarity. You just want clarity,” Scott said.

“And then when you actually understand completely what the rules are, then you can start advocating. But if there’s ambiguity, then I guess (the topic of third-party payments is) a reasonable question to ask.”

Scott believes the soft cap, which increased by $400,000 to $7.676 million in 2025 and will rise to $8.175 million by 2027, has led clubs to bring up perceived unfair advantages.

He pointed to a hypothetical scenario of Tasmania being successful when they enter the competition compared to being a lower-ranked side.

“In a pretty short space of time, you’ve gone from the situation where there were no limitations, to all of a sudden there being a lot,” Scott said.

“Every club’s trying to either advocate on their own behalf, or point out where they see some unfairness or some advantages from some other clubs.

“The AFL have tried but I just don’t think that’ll ever change, because we do have 18 clubs, sort of spread across the country. There’ll be swings and roundabouts and roundabouts and like we know, as I said before, if Tassie win four premierships in a row, it will be because, in some quarters, they have an unfair advantage that other clubs don’t have.

“Now, yes, that may end up happening, but it won’t be so much of the issue if they’re bottom four, that’s the world we live in.”

Scott has the firm belief that the industry should reward people proportionately for their contribution for the game

He said that players are beginning to get the money they deserve but was critical of the AFL retaining the soft cap cuts post-Covid.

Chris Scott believes players and coaches should be better compensated. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

“Over time, what you’ll get is this lack of proportionality, and some people will be elevated and some will be unfairly limited. And we run the only elite competition that I’m aware of in the world where you have a limitation on the football department - a salary cap, a draft and a soft cap,” Scott said.

“So there’s huge limitations on certain cohorts, and I think players are finally, in my mind, getting closer to where they should be. I still think that they should be more paid more relative to other parts of the industry – and you can kind of use your imagination as to what those other parts are.

“I think it’s reasonable to sort of work out, ‘How do you prioritise sort of the people within the game?’

“Is it right that administrators get paid much, much, much, much more than the best player in the comp? Probably not.

“But having said that, I do have confidence that these things are hard to work through, and eventually they’ll get there.

“I think the whole Covid reset, where we went from a Covid crisis and there was a cash flow crisis, to all of a sudden, those (soft cap) cuts were rebranded as competitive balance.

“That was just made up overnight. And that’s clearly not right, is it? You can’t still be using the Covid cash flow crisis as an excuse to artificially put a ceiling on certain cohorts. You’ve got to be a bit more honest than that.”

Scott said that it is “irrefutable” that the cuts to football department spending has driven coaches out of the game.

“That is what’s happened. Now, it’s a separate question to ask, ‘Has it been deliberate?’” Scott questioned.

“I think that’s an unfortunate side effect.

“I feel comfortable sort of talking about it, because I do have a view, and I think it probably should be spoken about a little bit more. But I’d hate for any of you to get the impression that I’m spending heaps of time thinking about this one day out from when we play.”

Originally published as AFL 2025: Geelong coach Chris Scott on AFL audit into third-party audit, soft cap cuts and industry salaries