Geelong is hoping coach Chris Scott is the man to lead them back to September summit

GEELONG is out of the finals — again. And after going all-in on Gary Ablett last year, the Cats recently re-signed the coach on a long-term deal. Is he the man to take them back to the top?

Chris Scott (left) and captain Joel Selwood during the elimination final loss to Melbourne. Pic: AAP

GEELONG is all in on Chris Scott.

Less than three weeks ago the Cats re-signed their 2011 premiership coach for the next four years.

Every other coach except West Coast’s Adam Simpson will fall out of contract before Scott next does in 2022.

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What the Cats’ next four seasons look like is now the great unknown.

Will their golden oldies rise up and snatch a premiership? It appears unlikely.

Gary Ablett, Harry Taylor, Tom Hawkins, Joel Selwood are all the wrong side of 30 and Friday night’s line-up included only three players aged under 23.

Cats coach Chris Scott and his team were struggling at the first break. Pic: Getty Images

They were Irishman Mark O’Connor, Brandon Parfitt and Jack Henry.

The Demons boasted nine — Angus Brayshaw, James Harmes, Christian Petracca, Oscar McDonald, Clayton Oliver, Bayley Fritsch, Sam Weideman and Charlie Spargo.

Whoah.

Ablett, 34, and Taylor, 32, are contracted for 2019 and are no certainties to play on after that.

Will the Cats continue to hover mid-table after finishes of 8th, 3rd, 3rd, 10th, 5th, 3rd and 7th? Possibly.

Or will they slip off the proverbial cliff, similar to the Brisbane Lions team Scott played in, which missed finals for four consecutive seasons after 2004? Maybe.

The moves Geelong pulls this off-season might define Scott’s next act.

Free agent Dan Menzel, 26, appears likely to join St Kilda on a multi-year deal with Western Bulldog Luke Dahlhaus, 26, set to replace him at the Cattery.

The Cats holds picks 11, 47 and 54, although their first top-20 selection in four drafts will be bumped back by Gold Coast’s compensation for Tom Lynch and possible mid-round priority picks.

Patrick Dangerfield hoped his homecoming would include a premiership. Pic: AAP

They do not have a second-round pick this year because of the Ablett trade.

“Clearly we have got some holes that have proved a little bit difficult to plug,” Scott said on Friday night.

“But we’re still optimistic. I can’t work out when our era started and if it’s finished or not, I’m not a really big believer in that. I think every year’s a year in its own right.”

Scott’s September problems and post-bye problems must be a concern. Since 2011 the Cats are one win from 13 games after the bye and three wins from 12 finals games.

Frustratingly for supporters, their past four finals LOSSES have effectively been iced at quarter-time – the Cats kicking 1.13 (19) to 20.12 (132) in opening terms.

The sole win after a bye and one of the three finals wins came courtesy of Isaac Smith spraying a set-shot after the final siren in the 2016 qualifying final.

It could’ve been even worse. How far away is that next finals win?