Chris Scott (Australian footballer)

Early life

Scott along with his twin brother Brad was born in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia to parents Colin and Lynne. He attended St Kevin’s College. Both were also proficient in cricket with Chris in year 11 playing in an APS premiership with St Kevin’s. His St Kevin’s school fees were aided by Legacy, due to the circumstances of his fathers death when he was eight years old. Colin Scott served several tours during the Vietnam War as an Army reconnaissance pilot where he won a Distinguished Flying Cross and ultimately died due to injuries in the war.

Chris Scott was picked by the Brisbane Bears in the 1993 AFL draft with the 12th draft pick. Moving to Brisbane in Queensland as a 17-year-old he continued to study at St Kevin's College in Melbourne before completing year 12 at Brisbane Boys' College during his first year on Brisbane's list. Scott had to catch a taxi to training because he was too young to drive.

Playing career

Brisbane Bears

Scott made his AFL debut in 1994 with the Brisbane Bears, taking out the Norwich Rising Star award.

Scott became one of the AFL's toughest defensive players, using his strength to outmuscle opposing forwards. Along with his twin brother Brad, they were nicknamed the Kray brothers by some fans for their forceful and ruthless styles of play.

Scott played a total of 55 games and kicked a total of 23 goals for Brisbane Bears from 1994 until 1996.

Brisbane Lions

At the end of the 1996 season, following the merger of the Fitzroy Football Club and the Brisbane Bears, Chris Scott joined the newly formed Brisbane Lions.

During Brisbane Lions's three-peat era, Scott was part of a powerful backline also containing Mal Michael, Chris Johnson and Justin Leppitsch. He was a member of the 2001 and 2002 premiership sides, but did not play in the 2003 AFL Grand Final after being named an emergency.

He caused controversy in round 1 of 2005 when Scott, along with Mal Michael, crashed into St Kilda's Nick Riewoldt after Riewoldt chose to stay on the ground with a broken collarbone. In the same game Scott also had several teeth knocked out after receiving a back-handed fist from opponent Aaron Hamill.

Scott's later career was plagued with injuries. Brisbane's round 22, 2007 match against on 1 September 2007 became his last, after he announced his retirement from his playing career a few days earlier on 28 August 2007.

Scott played a total of 160 games and kicked 56 goals for Brisbane Lions from 1997 until 2007. He was also a member of the Brisbane Lions premiership teams in 2001 and 2002.

Coaching career

Fremantle Football Club assistant coach (2008–2010)

In 2008, Scott joined Fremantle Football Club as an assistant coach under senior coach Mark Harvey.

Geelong Football Club senior coach (2011–present)

In 2010, Scott was a frontrunner for the Port Adelaide Football Club senior coaching position to replace the sacked Mark Williams but ultimately fell short and caretaker senior coach and former Port captain, Matthew Primus, was chosen by the selection committee to be the club's senior coach. The media speculated that Scott was considered the second best applicant by the selection committee. On 18 October 2010, it was officially announced by the Geelong Football Club that Scott would be their senior coach, following Mark Thompson's resignation at the end of the 2010 season.

Scott had a brilliant start to his AFL coaching career, with Geelong winning its first thirteen matches of the 2011 season. His thirteen wins in succession was the best start to a coaching career in almost 80 years. But this streak was broken in round 15, when the Cats went down to Essendon by four points. Scott coached Geelong to its third Grand Final in five years and became the first senior coach since Malcolm Blight in 1997 to win a premiership as a first-year club senior coach, when Geelong under Scott defeated in the 2011 AFL Grand Final by a margin of 38 points, where the final score was Geelong 18.11 (119) to Collingwood 12.9 (81). He is also the youngest premiership coach since Alex Jesaulenko in 1979 to win a Grand Final.

In August 2014, Scott signed a two-year contract extension extending his tenure as senior coach of Geelong until the end of 2017.

In August 2018, Scott signed a four-year contract extension extending his tenure as senior coach of Geelong until the end of 2022.

In the 2020 season, which was significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, Scott coached Geelong to the 2020 AFL Grand Final, but fell short and lost to Richmond by a margin of 31 points, where the final score was Richmond 12.9.(81) to Geelong 7.8.(50).

In May 2022, Scott signed a two-year contract extension as senior coach of Geelong until the end of 2024.

In the 2022 season, Scott coached Geelong to a premiership win in the 2022 AFL Grand Final, where Geelong under Scott defeated Sydney Swans by a margin of 81 points, where the final score was Geelong 20.13 (133) to Sydney Swans 8.4 (52), This made Scott a two-time premiership coach.

Statistics

Playing statistics

:

|- | 1994 || || 22 | 19 || 9 || 6 || 193 || 88 || 281 || 66 || 27 || 0.5 || 0.3 || 10.2 || 4.6 || 14.8 || 3.5 || 1.4 || 1 |- | 1995 || || 22 | 14 || 8 || 12 || 118 || 65 || 183 || 57 || 10 || 0.6 || 0.9 || 8.4 || 4.6 || 13.1 || 4.1 || 0.7 || 0 |- | 1996 || || 22 | 22 || 6 || 8 || 199 || 110 || 309 || 62 || 33 || 0.3 || 0.4 || 9.0 || 5.0 || 14.0 || 2.8 || 1.5 || 0 |- | 1997 || || 22 | 5 || 3 || 1 || 26 || 19 || 45 || 15 || 2 || 0.6 || 0.2 || 5.2 || 3.8 || 9.0 || 3.0 || 0.4 || 0 |- | 1998 || || 22 | 21 || 14 || 8 || 296 || 156 || 452 || 100 || 45 || 0.7 || 0.4 || 14.1 || 7.4 || 21.5 || 4.8 || 2.1 || 1 |- | 1999 || || 22 | 24 || 4 || 4 || 363 || 150 || 513 || 150 || 34 || 0.2 || 0.2 || 15.1 || 6.3 || 21.4 || 6.3 || 1.4 || 7 |- | 2000 || || 22 | 21 || 7 || 5 || 274 || 135 || 409 || 137 || 48 || 0.3 || 0.2 || 13.0 || 6.4 || 19.5 || 6.5 || 2.3 || 0 |- | 20 || 8 || 7 || 275 || 121 || 396 || 142 || 31 || 0.4 || 0.4 || 13.8 || 6.1 || 19.8 || 7.1 || 1.6 || 2 |- | 22 || 5 || 3 || 260 || 130 || 390 || 134 || 30 || 0.2 || 0.1 || 11.8 || 5.9 || 17.7 || 6.1 || 1.4 || 3 |- | 2003 || || 22 | 19 || 2 || 2 || 179 || 88 || 267 || 108 || 38 || 0.1 || 0.1 || 9.4 || 4.6 || 14.1 || 5.7 || 2.0 || 0 |- | 2004 || || 22 | 13 || 3 || 1 || 106 || 52 || 158 || 49 || 25 || 0.2 || 0.1 || 8.2 || 4.0 || 12.2 || 3.8 || 1.9 || 0 |- | 2005 || || 22 | 13 || 10 || 8 || 110 || 34 || 144 || 68 || 23 || 0.8 || 0.6 || 8.5 || 2.6 || 11.1 || 5.2 || 1.8 || 0 |- | 2006 || || 22 | 0 || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || – |- | 2007 || || 22 | 2 || 0 || 0 || 8 || 8 || 16 || 6 || 5 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 4.0 || 4.0 || 8.0 || 3.0 || 2.5 || 0 |- class=sortbottom ! colspan=3 | Career ! 215 !! 79 !! 65 !! 2407 !! 1156 !! 3563 !! 1094 !! 351 !! 0.4 !! 0.3 !! 11.2 !! 5.4 !! 16.6 !! 5.1 !! 1.6 !! 14 |}

Head coaching record

Honours and achievements

Playing honours

Team

• AFL premiership (Brisbane Lions): 2001, 2002 Individual
• Merrett–Murray Medal (Brisbane Lions): 1998
• Brisbane Lions vice-captain: 1999–2004
• Norwich Rising Star award (later named the Ron Evans Medal): 1994
• AFL Rising Star Nominee: 1994 (round 7)
• Brisbane Lions - Most professional player: 1999
• Brisbane Lions Team of the Decade: 2000–2010 (half-back flank)

Coaching honours

Team

• AFL premiership (): 2011, 2022
• McClelland Trophy (Geelong): 2019 2022 Individual
• Jock McHale Medal: 2011, 2022
• All-Australian: 2011, 2022
• Coach of the Australian international rules football team for the 2017 International Rules Series

Personal life

Scott's identical twin brother Brad Scott played alongside him at the Brisbane Lions and is the senior coach of Essendon. Chris is the older twin by a few minutes.

References

References

1. [https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/chris-and-brad-scotts-rivalry-drove-them-to-succeed-now-they-face-off-in-a-historic-final/news-story/727df54d89379babe5554b70f8d0e30a Chris and Brad Scott’s rivalry drove them to succeed now they face off in a historic final] from Fox Sports 22 February 2023
2. Anderson, Jon. (11 September 2014). "Chris and Brad Scott’s rivalry drove them to succeed now they face off in a historic final". Herald-Sun.
3. (27 November 2019). "Chris Scott".
4. "CHRIS SCOTT".
5. [https://www.lions.com.au/news/102867/chris-scott Chris Scott Brisbane Lions]
6. Cherny, Daniel. (8 September 2014). "Brad and Chris Scott: Seven things you didn't know about the AFL's twins". theage.com.au.
7. (2005-03-25). "Horror night for Saints". The Age.
8. (28 August 2007). "Scott finishes the game".
9. (27 August 2007). "Veteran Lion confirms retirement". ABC News.
10. AAP; [http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/fremantle/harvey-promises-cruel-summer/2007/10/29/1193618782459.html Harvey promises cruel summer]; [[The Age]]; 2007-10-29; Retrieved on 2008-02-19
11. (18 October 2010). "Chris Scott earns Geelong Cats coaching gig".
12. (18 October 2010). "Cats announce Chris Scott as new coach".
13. (30 September 2011). "Geelong wins 2011 AFL grand final".
14. Auciello, Michael. (13 August 2014). "Chris Scott signs two-year contract with Geelong until the end of 2017". [[News Corp Australia]].
15. (20 August 2018). "Scott signs on with Geelong until end of 2022".
16. (24 October 2020). "AFL Grand Final 2020 - Richmond Tigers vs Geelong Cats".
17. (27 May 2022). "Cats confirm new deal for Scott, 202cm teenager to debut".
18. (24 September 2022). "As it happened AFL grand final 2022: Brilliant Cats smash meek Swans to clinch 10th flag, Smith wins Norm Smith".
19. [http://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/C/Chris_Scott.html Chris Scott's player profile at AFL Tables]