Geelong coach Chris Scott addresses Cats’ link to Matt Rowell, Morris Finance arrangement

Geelong coach Chris Scott was asked about his thoughts on unsigned star Matt Rowell. And with typical colour, he didn’t hold back.

Geelong coach Chris Scott says the Cats are among a “big group” eager to secure a player like Gold Coast midfielder Matt Rowell as he questioned the validity of trade and free agency news stories.

The Cats are among the clubs linked to the unsigned Rowell with club figures reportedly meeting with the Suns star and his manager earlier in the pre-season.

With typical Scott colour, went in all directions after he was playfully asked for his thoughts on Rowell as a player, even referencing the club’s past meeting with Port Adelaide champion Travis Boak.

Scott was confused initially before being told the question alluded to their reported interest in Rowell.

“Sorry I am often out of the loop on these things,” he said.

“Geez, what if you knew about all the players that we talked about? Should we go through the list? Let’s start with the top 15 players in the comp, and go from there,” Scott joked.

“One of the really good young inside mids in the competition and we’re one of a big group of players, probably his club, plus all the others, that would like that kind of guy on your team.”

He then labelled some trade stories as “speculation”.

Matt Rowell has interest from several suitors. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

“But I find if I could try to remove myself from it – and I know I can’t completely do it in this forum, but I do find that discussion a fascinating one,” Scott said.

“And it’s one it’s one of the areas in the game that’s difficult to talk to with accuracy, because there are some gaps in the knowledge around team salary cap space, how much players are actually getting paid, what percentage of the TPP they would take up, what an actual trade or free agency compensation would look like.

“But in a way, that kind of makes the speculation more fun, because you can just fill in your own gaps with your own facts, like a lot of people do these days.

Scott reiterated that rating a player doesn’t automatically make them viable in the trade and free agency market.

It’s much more complicated than, ‘Do you like this guy? Do you need him? You know, Is he good at his position?’”

“It becomes a cost benefit situation, and there are the very best players in the competition can still be too expensive for us, and I think that that’s sort of the case with a lot of guys you’re seeing at the moment.

“But if the question is, ‘Is he one of the best under 23 midfielders in the comp?’, Yeah, I’d have him in that group. I love watching him play.”

“Now, I hope that is not offensive to anyone. That’s just like (journalist) Caroline Wilson saying, ‘Have you spoken to Travis Boak’? Like yeah, of course.”

Scott also said his arrangement with club sponsor Morris Finance, which was ticked off by the AFL with the findings unannounced, was an existing deal.

“I’m not aware of the backlash. I don’t live in that space, but the AFL and the club are really clear on the situation – had been for a long, long time, three years,” Scott said.

“So the only thing that changed in my mind was there was some publicity around an existing deal that everyone was aware of.

“But if I wasted my time with what people who don’t know what they’re talking about think, I’d end up like them: a nuffie,” he added with a smile.

Originally published as Geelong coach Chris Scott addresses Cats’ link to Matt Rowell, Morris Finance arrangement