Geelong confirm contract extension for two-time premiership coach Chris Scott
Geelong president Grant McCabe has confirmed the extension of two-time premiership coach Chris Scott, locking him away until the end of 2029. The announcement was made at Thursday’s AGM, where McCabe expressed the club’s delight at securing one of the game’s most respected figures.
“He’s been a real stalwart of the game and one of the best in the business,” McCabe said. “We have secured his services until the end of 2029, which we’re extremely pleased about.”
Despite reaching the grand final, the president admitted to facing “significant challenges” throughout the year, including ongoing incidents involving Bailey Smith and a $77,500 AFL fine for third-party payments. “I want to acknowledge the considerable positives during the year have come despite some significant challenges behind the scenes,” he continued. “I’m really proud with how our club has worked through these issues and stayed focused on the job across the administration and football department.”
McCabe highlighted Geelong’s remarkable run of success, noting: “Our club is in the enviable position of enjoying what most people would regard as a period of sustained success. As somebody said to me recently, you’ve been on Broadway for 20 years, and we’re all proud of that. We enter 2026 committed and able to provide our athletes with the best possible environments and resources to succeed, now and into the future.”
Scott joined the Cats after a stellar playing career at Brisbane, where he won two premierships under Leigh Matthews, claimed the 1994 Rising Star and 1998 Merrett-Murray Medal. Taking over from Mark Thompson, the 49-year-old won a premiership in his debut coaching season and has since built an extraordinary legacy: from 15 seasons, Geelong have missed just two finals campaigns, reached four grand finals and won two. With a 68.47 per cent win rate across 360 matches, Scott was also recently named coach of the VIC team for February’s State of Origin clash against WA at Optus Stadium.
