Scott announces new role
After the Cats’ preliminary finals exit many speculated that long-time senior coach Chris Scott would step away from the club. Last week, the former Brisbane Lion confirmed that he would be taking a new job. However, he would not be leaving Geelong.
Morris Finance announced Scott as their new Chief of Leadership and Performance. The 48-year-old main job will remain as Geelond senior coach though. That job will be his biggest priority.
“This new role reflects our commitment to embracing innovation and leadership, ensuring we stay at the forefront of our industry,” Morris Finance said in a statement last Wednesday.
“Chris’s leadership will enhance our ability to achieve these objectives by providing guidance to the Morris team and our broader stakeholder groups.”
Scott, commenting on his new job, said: “I am honoured to join Morris at a time when our partnership with the Geelong Cats is stronger than ever.”
“The values that Morris holds — integrity, ambition, and a commitment to fostering meaningful relationships — are the same values that have driven the Cats’ success on and off the field.
“I look forward to contributing to both Morris and the ongoing success of this remarkable partnership,” he added.
AFL to investigate Morris-Geelong connection
When Scott’s new position at Morris Finance was announced, Geelong CEO Steve Hocking said that his new job strengthens the relationship between Cats and Morris Finance.
“It underscores the enduring relationship between Geelong Football Club and Morris, which has only deepened over the past 14 years,” Hocking said.
“Morris has been more than a sponsor; they have been an integral part of our club’s journey, supporting our coaches and players.
“We look forward to many more years of collaboration and shared achievements.”
Because the connections between Cats and Morris are so strong, the AFL have opened an investigation to make sure this deal is not a way of getting around the league’s soft salary cap.
According to 7NEWS chief AFL reporter Mitch Cleary, the AFL will “will make (direct) queries around the implications of Geelong’s soft cap (with this new arrangement).”
Specifically, the AFL will ask “should all or part of Scott’s deal with Morris Finance be included in the soft cap?” and “Is this role different to an arrangement he’s had with Morris in previous years?”
It’s unclear when the AFL will deliver their verdict and whether the ruling will have any impact on Geelongs’ salary cap standing. Scott told 7News that this new job is “just the formalisation of something we’ve been working on for a long time.”
