Cats to remove line coaches in unusual step around Chris Scott

The Cats have turned heads with an extraordinary coaching shake-up, stopping the practise of having line coaches for 2022.

Geelong has cast off line coaches as it continues a bold shake up of its coaching panel around Chris Scott.

In an unusual move for modern football, Cats chief executive Steve Hocking said the club would spread its assistant coaches across the whole playing group, rather than cover specific areas in 2022.

Cats coaches Chris Scott and Matthew Egan. Picture: Alan Barber

Hocking said this shake up has been led by Scott.

The change comes for Geelong’s new-look panel with James Kelly, Matthew Egan and Eddie Betts joining the club in various roles, while Shaun Grigg has stepped up into an assistant coaching role after working in development in past years.

Josh Jenkins has also come on board in a part-time coaching role.

Alongside Scott, just Grigg, Nigel Lappin and Shane O’Bree remain from the 2021 coaching group.

Despite speculation the Cats would sign up a further experienced assistant, Hocking confirmed the panel was set for 2022.

“We are moving forward with the group we have got,” he said.

Will the Cats’ coaching shake-up fuel success in 2022? Join the conversation below >>

“We will have the coaching group spread and working more consistently across the whole (playing) group rather than having lines, that is something Chris has been leading on.”

In recent seasons, the Cats had strong coaches working on specific lines, such as Matthew Scarlett (defence), Corey Enright (forwards) and Matthew Knights (midfield), who were given freedom to run their cohort of players without strenuous oversight.

Cats coaches Matthew Egan and James Kelly. Cats pre-season training at GMHBA Stadium. Picture: Alan Barber

Hocking said he was confident Scott’s new two-year contract extension with Geelong would be finalised soon, as the club and the coach work through “a couple of small things”.

“It is definitely going to be done,” Hocking said.

“We are thrilled with what Chris has been able to achieve in his time here and we are looking forward to the next couple of years. He is definitely going to be extended, we just have a couple of small things we are going to finalise.

“The other thing we have clearly done is make some adjustments around him. We have 15 new staff and there are nine new players around as well. There is a different air around the place.”

Originally published as Cats to remove line coaches in unusual step around Chris Scott