Geelong to induct three into Hall of Fame

THE Geelong Football Club will officially induct three new members into the club’s Hall of Fame next month.

Senior coach Chris Scott and former players Harry Taylor and Travis Varcoe will receive the honour at the Geelong Cats Hall of Fame Dinner.

Scott, who has coached the Cats to two premierships, holds the record for most games as senior coach at Geelong, passing the previous record of 304 in Round 20, 2023, set by Reg Hickey in 1952.

Over his 317-game coaching career to date, Scott has enjoyed a winning record of 69.15 per cent, the highest of any coach who has coached more than 80 games.

After 215 games and two premierships as a player with the Brisbane Bears and Brisbane Lions, Scott spent three years as an assistant coach with Fremantle, before being appointed as Geelong’s senior coach in October 2010.

In his first year in charge, he led Geelong to its ninth VFL/AFL Premiership. In 2022, Scott again led the Cats to the ultimate prize, a rich reward after guiding the team to 11 AFL finals appearances in 12 years, including eight Preliminary Finals.

Taylor joined Geelong as a 21-year-old recruit, having spent three seasons at East Fremantle in the West Australian Football League before being selected with pick 17 in the 2007 AFL National Draft.

Making his debut in Round 2 of 2008, Taylor made an instant impact as a key defender, and played 21 games in his first season, including playing in the 2008 Grand Final team.

Taylor enjoyed premiership success just 12 months later, playing a pivotal role in the club’s 2009 triumph, and again lifted the cup aloft in 2011.

Across his 280 game career, Taylor played in four Grand Finals for two wins, named All-Australian teams in 2010 and 2013, and finished runner-up in the Carji Greeves Medal in 2013.

After making his AFL debut in Round 2, 2007, Varcoe went on to become a two-time premiership player with the Cats.

Varcoe played 138 games across nine seasons at Geelong after being selected with the 15th selection in the 2005 AFL National Draft, before playing a further 92 games with Collingwood from 2015

to 2020.

Last month, the Cats announced 2011 premiership captain Cameron Ling would be elevated to Legend status at the Hall of Fame Dinner on June 22.

Geelong chief executive officer Steve Hocking said the night would be a great opportunity to celebrate some of the key figures in the club’s history.