Cats coach refuses to speculate on defender’s future
Oliver Caffrey |
Geelong coach Chris Scott insists there has been no negativity around the playing group since Jake Kolodjashnij identified himself as the player at the centre of the Cats’ concussion crisis.
Kolodjashnij, who is out of contract at season’s end, faces an uncertain future after being ruled of playing at any level this weekend.
The 31-year-old has played 11 AFL games this season, but was managed out of the team in round 19 and has since made one appearance in the VFL.
Geelong sit atop the VFL ladder and should make a deep run in the finals, potentially giving Kolodjashnij more opportunities to press his case for an unlikely new contract.
But the mental toll of the saga is unknown, Scott simply saying Kolodjashnij had been supported by teammates and the club.
But the dual premiership coach refused to go into the exact reasons why Kolodjashnij had been ruled out for the club’s matches against North Melbourne this weekend.
Kolodjashnij decided to name himself on Friday, a day after news broke of Geelong’s controversial waiver with a previously unidentified player.
“I think any player deserves the right to privacy,” Scott said on Wednesday.
“I understand that we are in a public game, and there’s a quite savage desire to know certain things.
“I suspect the players are saying, ‘hey mate, if there is anything we can do …’.
“In terms of the impact on our broader group, I haven’t seen any negativity at all.
“I thought our players, as they have done for a long period of time, they just get on with the job.
“Difficult to compartmentalise sometimes, maybe this is a little more challenging than other times, but I’m still pretty confident we can do it.
“Because the situation is the status quo I haven’t felt the need to get an update (on Kolodjashnij).”
Geelong are facing a nervous wait after being issued with a belated “please explain” for their handling of the secret concussion deal with Kolodjashnij.
The AFL has hired independent legal counsel to help decide on the case.
It was expected the league would wrap up its investigation on Tuesday, but the findings will likely not be released until early next week.
Geelong chief executive Steve Hocking and former Cats president – and now AFL commission boss – Craig Drummond have been under fire since news broke of the controversial waiver.
“There’s a part of me that would like to give an impassioned defence of certain people within our club, but I just don’t think it would help at the moment,” Scott said.
“Even if it is to our detriment, our responsibility, and especially my responsibility, is to respect his (Kolodjashnij’s) privacy.”
Kolodjashnij dealt with concussions in the 2024 season, but ultimately signed a two-year deal until the end of 2026.
Instead of receiving a definitive answer when forced to face the AFL concussion panel in 2024, Kolodjashnij was left in limbo about playing on or retiring.
His twin brother Kade, who played for Gold Coast and Melbourne, prematurely retired in 2020 due to concussion.
Multiple AFL players, including former Melbourne star Angus Brayshaw, champion West Coast defender Jeremy McGovern and former No.1 pick Paddy McCartin, were forced into retirement because of repeated concussions.
AAP