AFL 2020 Round 1: Geelong coach Chris Scott urges footy world to cut AFL some slack
You won't hear Chris Scott criticising the AFL this year with the Geelong coach sympathetic with the league as its works out how best to deal with the coronavirus crisis. Recap all of Saturday's footy action.
Geelong coach Chris Scott has called on the AFL world to simply “fall into line” with headquarters and “do as they’re told” during the coronavirus crisis.
Normally one of the most outspoken voices in the game, Scott said he was taking a personal vow of silence this season out of respect for the unprecedented challenges AFL powerbrokers are dealing with.
Frustrated at aspects of his team’s crushing loss to GWS at Giants Stadium last night, Scott bit his tongue and called on the rest of the game to follow his example and stop asking questions.
Scott called for a moratorium on criticising the AFL.
“There’s no point us second-guessing the decisions that have been made. We’ve just got to fall into line,” said Scott.
“I’m really proud of the way our club has handled it and the way our people have handled it in the face of adversity … We will stick together and we will support headquarters as well. I’ve been one of those that will be critical of them at times and ask questions around certain decisions but now is not the time to question why. Just get into line.”
Scott has been highly critical of the AFL in the past for taking home finals away from Geelong, but he refused to offer an opinion on whether GMHBA Stadium should be permitted to host more matches this season.
The Cats coach said he was “frustrated” that some have chosen to criticise the AFL and its handling of the crisis.
“We’re in unprecedented times and there’s a lot of people I suspect are really frustrated,” he said.
“There’s frustration everywhere. It’s a time where we’ve all got to stick together and support the people making these huge decisions. I’m not a great loser. I find it really difficult to speak this way after the game tonight where we felt we had some chances against a really really high quality team. But I thought it would be prudent to start by saying our job is to support the people at AFL headquarters who have done a great job trying to navigate their way through this bizarre situation.
“I just sense sometimes we let little frustrations get the better of us and we’ve got to get past those pretty quickly. I’m leading the charge a little bit because I’m frustrated tonight but I think it’s a good opportunity again just to say there is some people in charge, not only at the AFL, but Government levels all around the world who have a really hard job to do. I think this is one of those rare occasions where we should criticise less. Ask less questions and just do as we’re told.”
RECAP ALL OF SATURDAY'S ACTION IN THE BLOW BELOW
Originally published as AFL 2020 Round 1: Geelong coach Chris Scott urges footy world to cut AFL some slack