Cam Mooney on the tough conversation he had with Chris Scott on the cusp of the 2011 finals

A two-time premiership Cat has opened up on the difficult conversation he had with Chris Scott on the cusp of the 2011 finals and how history has repeated 13 years later.

Cam Mooney and Tom Hawkins at training during September, 2011.

There was a period late in the 2011 season where two-time premiership Cat Cam Mooney thought a window of opportunity had widened enough to possibly pinch a third flag at Kardinia Park.

With the key forward mantle slowly being handed to his heir apparent, Tom Hawkins, Geelong were beaten on their home deck by Sydney by 13 points in Round 23 and Hawkins, then 21 years of age, registered 13 disposals but no goals.

Mooney, who was out of the team at the time following a one-match suspension for front-on contact with Adelaide’s Graham Johncock in Round 21, saw his chance.

“I walked away thinking I’m probably going to get back in,” Mooney said.

However, Mooney’s dreams of a third medallion at Kardinia Park were dashed following a conversation with new coach Chris Scott early in the week before the final match of the regular season against Collingwood at the MCG.

Cam Mooney and coach Chris Scott talk at training on September 20, 2011.

“‘Scotty’ sat down with me (early in the week) before the final round, he just said: “Mate, I can’t give you a reason why, I’m just going to go with the young fella’,” Mooney said.

Thirteen years later, you wonder if Scott has had similar conversations with Hawkins as young forward Shannon Neale has established himself in the side in the veteran’s absence as he battled long term injury since Round 15.

“It’s the same scenario obviously which has reversed years later,” Mooney said.

Chris Scott at Cam Mooney’s retirement press conference.

“It’s a really tough one where (Hawkins') sitting because you’ve been at the club so long, you’ve been a massive part of the club but to fall short, whether it’s form or injury ... and the team’s having a really good run at it, it’s tough sometimes to walk in the doors every day.”

Mooney admitted 2011 was an emotionally torturous, especially when he realised his chances of another flag were slipping away.

Tom Hawkins and Cameron Mooney fly for a mark against the West Coast Eagles in 2010.

“I really struggled to walk through the doors in ‘11,” he said.

“I’d have to pull myself together, then walk through the doors with a big smile on your face when all you wanted to do is tip tables over, kick chairs.”

The Cats would flog the Pies by 96 points in Round 24 – Hawkins booting two goals – and Mooney then realised the door has just about closed.

“I thought OK, that’s hurting me, and then obviously in each game that went by (Hawkins) got better and better,” he said.

“And in the end it was the best decision Scotty made

“He’s usually one of the smartest men in the room I would have thought in footy.”

In a similar vein, Mooney believes some of the fresh additions to the team in 2024, like Neale, Lawson Humphries, Ollie Dempsey and Shaun Mannagh hold the key to a premiership tilt.

Mooney and Hawkins in action for Geelong’s VFL team against Werribee in June, 2011.

“The only thing that was concerning in the qualifying week (against Port Adelaide) was the young blokes,” he said.

“Each one of them stood up.

“The young blokes just didn’t let the club down, and I think that was the biggest surprise.

“And if they don’t go backwards, one, I can’t see why they don’t make the granny and two, I don’t see why they don’t win it.

“The bigger the moment, the younger guys tend to fall away. That’s my biggest question mark, how do the young guys handle it?”

Originally published as Cam Mooney on the tough conversation he had with Chris Scott on the cusp of the 2011 finals