COACH Chris Scott has described Geelong’s placement in a quarantine hub in Perth next month as a privilege.
The Cats, along with Collingwood, will head to Western Australia ahead of Round 7, with the two clubs to play other before taking on West Coast and Fremantle in a three-week period.
“We’re excited by the prospect,” Scott said at GMHBA Stadium on Thursday morning.
“It’s not only our desire, but it’s our obligation to do what’s required for the good of the competition.
“Even more than that we are excited about the opportunity it presents; I think it’s a real privilege to be one of the clubs that’s allowed into WA.
“I think the whole West Australian contingent should be justifiably proud of the way they have handled this situation.
“They seem to have things really under control, so to let two Victorian teams in, in our opinion, is a privilege and something we’ve got to take really seriously.”
While the intricate details surrounding the rules and protocols Geelong will have to adhere to are yet to be laid out, Scott believes the time away as a group will come at a perfect time as the Victorian winter sets in.
“We had a meeting with our players and our staff yesterday, and I can sincerely say that it’s actually got everyone up and about,” he said.
“We’re excited about the prospect; I’m not seeing any negativity at all about some of the issues we might face.
“We’re advocates of getting away as a group somewhere in the middle of the season especially if it’s somewhere where the sun shines a little bit more than it does here in July.
Whether it’s an advantage or not, we’re seeing the positives in it.”
“Scott revealed the Cats would be “open and liberal” to having discussions around players hesitant in relocating to the hub, stressing the club’s desire to cater to players’ lives outside of footy.
Geelong and Collingwood are likely to be the first AFL clubs to play in front of significant crowds.
The WA Government will allow 30,000 spectators at Optus Stadium from this Saturday, with an increase to the 60,000 capacity on July 18.
“I think it’s a unique opportunity for WA supporters to see two of the bigger Melbourne clubs go at each other.,” Scott said.
“I suspect a lot of footy mad people over there would go and watch anyone play at the moment, but it’s a great opportunity for our West Australian supporters.
“We do have a big contingent over there. We won’t be able to mix with them much given the restrictions that will be imposed on us, but we’ll do everything we can to put on a really good show for them for three weeks in a row.
“It’s a rare opportunity for them, and again, it’s another one of the many positives.”
The details of the WA hub will be revealed in the coming days, but for now, Scott is determined to keep his squad focused on the present, with Sunday’s important meeting with Melbourne at the forefront.
“It’s a test of professionalism there’s no doubt about that,” he said.
“We have -not issues like this- but issues through every single season where we are asking our players to compartmentalise.
“Get organised, have this in the back of your mind, but then put it in a box and move on to what’s important short term.
“Every time we’ve tested their professionalism, we’ve been extremely impressed with how they’ve handled it, so that gives us an extra layer of confidence.
“We’ve got a good group of young men; we are really confident about that.”
