Gerard Healy does not believe Chris Scott has received enough plaudits for his side’s 2022 premiership win.
The Cats were mauled in the 2021 Preliminary Finals 125-42 by Melbourne, a match that at the time felt like the end of their era.
However, Geelong returned the following season with a more aggressive game style, positional tweaks, younger players breaking out and a fit Jeremy Cameron and were the clear best team of the season.
In totality, Scott has a winning percentage in the home-and-away season of 72.87 and Healy was full of praise for his efforts keeping the team in contention.
“Do you think Chris Scott has been given the rightful credit for what’s been a sensational second premiership? Because I don’t think he has,” the Brownlow Medallist told SEN’s Sportsday.
“Everyone knows it was a great performance and it was a big win obviously on the day, but Chris Scott, I think, has never been given enough credit for being where he is at.
“Everyone focuses on the games they haven’t been able to get across the line in, but he’s been there just about more than anyone else.
“To rebound from an 83-point loss in the prelim last year to have a similar victory in the Grand Final, it was a phenomenal coaching performance.
“He’s had a very low profile since. I don’t think anyone has interviewed him, I think he went overseas studying.
“That is one of the great victories given where they came from and how old they were and the way we see the game and the individuals.
“To me, he’s not getting credit he deserves. His record is unbelievable.”
Kane Cornes agreed, saying the Cats and Scott have defied the usual cycles of the competition.
“It’s one of the great coaching performances we have ever seen,” Cornes said.
“I’ve written Geelong off for the last six years. I’ve given them no hope.
“I remember speaking to Stephen Wells and he said at some point it is going to end. It hasn’t ended. When you look at Adelaide and North and Carlton and St Kilda and their rebuilds – to stay up there and be relevant, it must be an absolute joy to be a Geelong supporter and I can’t speak highly enough of them.
“This re-signing of arguably one of the most exciting players in the competition in Sam De Koning is another example of that.”
Geelong has every chance to get better in 2023, adding Ollie Henry, Tanner Bruhn and Jack Bowes in the trade period, as well as top 10 draftee Jhye Clarke.