AFL off-season coaching news: Stay up to date with all the changes at your club

Chris Scott is set to make history at Geelong thanks to a contract extension which could be signed off within days. Here’s all the key details.

Eddie Betts will join Geelong in a coaching role for next season. Picture: Getty Images

Geelong is backing in coach Chris Scott with a two-year contract extension which will see him remain at Kardinia Park through to the end of 2024.

Despite another inglorious finals exit and growing speculation about the premiership coach’s future, new CEO Steve Hocking has endorsed Scott to navigate the Cats through what looms as the club’s most challenging period of recent times.

The new deal, which is likely to be signed off over the next week, will take Scott, 45, through to a 14th season in charge, which will see him pass Reg Hickey for the most games coached in the history of the club.

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There had been rumblings about whether a complete change in direction would happen at Geelong following another horror preliminary final loss to Melbourne.

With long-time chief executive Brian Cook departing to Carlton, there was speculation the Blues had enquired about Scott’s position despite having one more year of his contract to run.

But instead of Scott seeking a fresh start, the Cats have gone down the route of putting a whole new coaching panel around him.

Assistant coach Matthew Scarlett has left after tensions with Chris Scott. Picture: Alan Barber

This became the positioning after the surprise departure of club legends Matthew Scarlett, Corey Enright and midfield coach Matthew Knights shortly after the end of the season.

It’s understood tensions between Scott and Scarlett, his defensive coach, had got to the point where the legendary full-back decided it was best he stepped away.

There had been continuing friction over selection, one of those clashes is believed to have centred around young defender Zach Guthrie, who came in for the semi-final against the GWS Giants and then retained his spot for the preliminary final.

Scarlett had been a part of the Cats coaching panel since 2016 after previously working part-time at the Western Bulldogs following his retirement in 2012.

Enright, a close friend of Scarlett’s, decided he was better placed gaining experience elsewhere and will be St Kilda’s defensive coach next year.

Former Essendon coach Matthew Knights, who has been at Geelong since 2012 and was Scott’s midfield coach from 2015, departed for the West Coast Eagles.

Scott’s new coaching panel is starting to take shape with premiership hero James Kelly lured back to GMHBA Stadium after he worked as an assistant coach at Essendon before taking 12 months out of the game.

Carlton legend Eddie Betts has also joined as a development coach while former Richmond premiership player Shaun Grigg, who worked in development this year, is likely to increase his duties next season.

Chris Scott will sign a two-year contract extension.

Scott’s former Brisbane teammate Nigel Lappin was the only remaining assistant coach left after the purge while Shane O’Bree is the Cats VFL coach.

Former Gold Coast assistant Dean Solomon has been mentioned as a possibility along with Melbourne’s premiership winning assistant Troy Chaplin.

Despite having an incredible home-and-away record – he has the best winning percentage of any current coach – Scott has carried the brunt of criticism for the Cats’ poor recent finals record.

The preliminary final loss to the Demons was the fifth time the Cats have failed to progress past the final four during his tenure.

Given they’d loaded up with veteran talent Shaun Higgins, Isaac Smith and GWS gun Jeremy Cameron in an “all chips in” approach to win the flag, this loss stung badly.

Scott won the premiership in his first year in the job in 2011 after he replaced Mark Thompson. The Cats have made one Grand Final appearance since, losing to Richmond in 2020.

There is push for a game style change and an inclusion of speed and youth into the team next year with Scott committed to overseeing the “re-set” of his team.

While many are calling for the Cats to overhaul their list, recruiting manager Stephen Wells said this week: “Everyone knows we have an old list and have had a good crack, it might just be in a different way.”

The Cats have traded away young tall defender Nathan Kreuger to Collingwood so far in the trade period and are in negotiations with Fremantle over the future of speedster Jordan Clark. They have have also shown interest in former Crow Tyson Stengle.

CATS’ DOUBLE PLAY TO STAY IN FLAG WINDOW

— Jay Clark

Geelong wants to reinvigorate Tyson Stengle’s career in partnership with new development coach Eddie Betts to add even more firepower to the Cats’ forward half.

In massive coup for the club, the Cats landed Betts as part of sweeping changes to the assistant coaching ranks on Wednesday.

Geelong and Fremantle also inched closer to a Jordan Clark deal as the Dockers were poised to snare pick 19 from Gold Coast.

The Dockers would then give 19 to Geelong in exchange for Clark to send the West Australian back home.

The Fremantle Gold Coast deal will also see Suns onballer Will Brodie land at the Dockers.

Betts, who is one of the greatest small forwards of the modern era, had several offers but chose Geelong, where he is expected to work closely with the young players and forwards.

Chris Scott’s men will now zero in on former Adelaide and Tigers’ livewire Stengle, who has starred in Woodville-West Torrens premiership win in the SANFL after he was delisted by the Crows this year.

The Crows ran out of patience with Stengle after he was caught by police with an illicit drug in September 2020 which followed a drink-driving incident.

But the 22-year-old, who has played 16 senior games for 15 goals, is determined to revive his AFL career at a third club next year.

The Cats already have one of the best forward lines in the competition and the arrival of the 172cm Stengle will add another threat at ground level.

Geelong is one of several clubs chasing goalsneak Tyson Stengle. Picture: Dean Martin

Highly-respected list boss Stephen Wells confirmed the Cats wanted to remain in premiership contention next year and said they were keen to land Stengle amid interest from rivals including Essendon.

“We think Tyson has had a terrific period with Woodville West-Torrens. He has obviously been a good player in the SANFL all year, including a good performance in the premiership winning team,” Wells said on SEN.

“So, we do have some interest in Tyson, and he is very lucky he has got a man like (former housemate and Crows’ teammate) Eddie in his corner.

“But it’s not just us who like Tyson on our list. Tyson will have to make that decision himself in conjunction with his management team.

“But we would be pleased if Tyson ended up at Geelong.”

Jordan Clark might be staying at Geelong after all.

The Cats are dealing with Fremantle on a trade for wingman Jordan Clark but, as News Corp revealed last month, want a better pick than the Dockers’ second selection at No.27.

Wells said the Cats would happily accept Fremantle’s pick 8 and give the Dockers Clark and another pick back.

But he said Clark would only be released from his 2022 contract for a decent deal.

“Jordan understands he is a contracted player and it would have to be a good deal for us to let him go,” he said.

“We’ve never just said give us pick 8 for Jordan Clark. We are not like that, we are realistic, and that (straight swap) has never been on the table.

“If pick 8 came out way than something else would go back with Jordan, but that is not going to happen now, I don’t think.”

The Cats also have an interest in Hawthorn back-up ruckman Jon Ceglar if contracted tall Darcy Fort moves to Brisbane.

The club also confirmed new deals for Rhys Stanley, Gary Rohan, Brad Close, Francis Evans and Zach Guthrie, as reported by News Corp last month.

Retired Carlton legend Eddie Betts will start his coaching career at the Cats.

Geelong has been linked to a move on former Gold Coast assistant Dean Solomon to join new coaches James Kelly and Betts.

Betts said he was excited to start his coaching journey.

“Geelong is a successful club with a magnificent culture that has always been consistently strong, and I cannot wait to get involved,” he said.

“I’m excited to support the club and I’m looking forward to being able to grow myself as well.

“Geelong is known for developing people and that is also an exciting element of joining the club.

“I’m looking forward to working with the playing list, in particular the younger players and helping them develop both on and off the field.

“It’s important for players to develop skills in all parts of your life. Obviously I will spend some time with the forwards, particularly the small forwards, but hope to get across all on-field spaces where the club see they need me.”