The mastermind behind Geelong's sustained run of success that has defied all the odds, there is not much that Chris Scott has failed to achieve in his 15 year coaching career.
Two premierships, two All-Australian selections and one of the highest winning percentages in the competition's history, Scott has produced a legendary resume that most other coaches would be envious of.
But along the journey there have been a handful of moments that have stood out above the rest, from moments of pure emotion and passion to record breaking performances and milestones.
Here is a list of the top nine moments from Chris Scott's incredible career as Geelong's coach.
1. Passion overflows in thrilling debut victory
There were plenty of unknowns about the Cats heading into the 2011 AFL season.
Every Geelong supporter would remember the whole too old, too slow mantra, combined with the loss of Gary Ablett Junior, arguably the best player in the competition at the time as he embarked on a new journey with Gold Coast.
To make things even more difficult, there was a change at the top with Mark 'Bomber' Thompson stepping aside after 11 years as coach, a fresh faced Chris Scott stepping in to take the reins as senior coach for the first time in his career.
The new look Cats were put to the test right away in 2011 as they faced St Kilda in Round 1, a Grand Finalist from the previous year on a blustery night at the MCG.
Scoring proved hard to come by and the game came down to the final moments, before super sub Darren Milburn kicked the match winning goal for Geelong with just 19 seconds on the clock.
It was a fairytale start in the coaches box, Scott rising to his feet and giving an almighty fist pump as the ball sailed through the big sticks, a thrilling victory to commence his tenure as Cats coach.
2. Biggest score and winning margin in 2011 masterclass
This game was just as thrilling for the Geelong faithful, but for vastly different reasons than the first moment on this list.
The Cats were tied at the top of the ladder when they hosted Melbourne in Round 19 of the 2011 season, but not many could have predicted exactly what was going to happen at Kardinia Park on that Saturday afternoon.
20 goals in the first half, another 17 after the main break, a total of 233 points and a 186 point victory, the biggest win in the club's history as Geelong ran riot against the hapless Demons.
To this day it is still the highest score and biggest win Chris Scott has had in his 15 year coaching career.
3. Reaching the pinnacle in his first year at the helm
Despite all the incredible achievements from that 2011 season, nothing will compare to winning the premiership in your first year as coach for Chris Scott.
The Cats went on to finish second on the ladder, cruising through their first two Finals against Hawthorn and West Coast, before taking down Collingwood by 38-points in the Grand Final.
In a remarkable feat, Geelong were the only team to defeat the Magpies throughout the entire 2011 season, triumphing in all three clashes between the two teams including the one that mattered most.
It capped off a sensational debut season at the helm for Scott, winning the flag and being named coach of the All-Australian team, his celebrations on the boundary line forever etched into the memories of Geelong supporters.
4. Raising the bat with 100th win as coach in 2016
It is a surprising statistic considering the long and storied history of this great club, but only three coaches in V/AFL history have ever lead Geelong to 100 wins.
Reg Hickey was the first, 'Bomber' Thompson followed suit in the early 2000's, before Chris Scott added his name to the list in Round 22 of the 2016 AFL season.
Fittingly it came against Brisbane at the Gabba, a place where he created so many memories across his 215 game career as a player, with the Cats rolling to a 10 goal win on the back of a five goal performance from Steve Motlop.
5. An exhilarating moment at a difficult time as Rohan sinks the Dogs in 2021
Fast forward a few years and the footballing world looked far different to when Scott took over as coach, particularly in the Covid affected 2021 AFL season.
Geelong's Round 11 clash was played in front of a completely empty MCG, so when Round 14 rolled around and limited crowds were allowed to attend, it was a welcome sight for everyone as the Cats squared off with the Western Bulldogs at GMHBA Stadium.
In poetic fashion, Gary Rohan nailed a set shot after the siren to win the game for the Cats, Chris Scott's emphatic celebration in the box was equally as entertaining to watch as the kick itself.
The first pump and passion bursting out was almost symbolic of Scott's coaching career, providing Geelong fans with plenty of joy and success even in the toughest of times.
6. Cats break through in 2022 Qualifying Final
Despite everything Scott had achieved during his tenure, a second premiership triumph had eluded him and the Cats with plenty of near misses, resulting in a mountain of pressure being piled on when Geelong headed into the 2022 Finals series.
The challenge in the Qualifying Final could not have been bigger, facing Collingwood at the MCG in front of over 91,000 spectators, but the Cats were not going to let this opportunity slip.
In what is widely considered one of the greatest Finals in the modern era, Geelong triumphed by six points after a late Max Holmes goal put the Cats in front with time ticking down in the final term, some Gary Rohan heroics also inspiring Geelong to an incredible victory.
Ultimately it paved the way through September for Scott and his side, as they clinched a home Preliminary Final and set up a two week period to remember for the Cats.
7. Scott gets his hands back on the Premiership cup
Geelong were in the box seat after their famous victory over Collingwood, comfortably dispatching Brisbane in a Preliminary Final to set up a date with Sydney in the 2022 Grand Final.
The result was never really in doubt throughout the match, the Cats flying out of the blocks with a six goal opening term and never looking back as they stormed away to claim an 81-point victory.
There were storylines everywhere including Joel Selwood's fairytale finish, Patrick Dangerfield reaching the pinnacle for the first time in his illustrious career, but it also saw Chris Scott get his hands back on the premiership cup for the second time as coach of the Cats.
It was also an extra special moment as Scott recorded the 200th win of his coaching career, the first Geelong coach to reach the milestone.
8. A sweet victory in 300th game on a historic night at the Cattery
Scott became just the second coach in Geelong Football Club history to reach 300 games in charge, when the Cats hosted Melbourne at GMHBA Stadium in Round 15 of the 2023 AFL season.
As had been the case with most of the milestones throughout Scott's tenure, the match ended up being another thriller as Geelong overcame a three quarter time deficit to clinch victory late.
It added to an impressive run of milestone matches for Scott who claimed a win in game one as coach, game 50, game 100, game 200 and of course his 300th against the Demons.
9. Surpassing Reg Hickey to become longest-serving Geelong coach
The great Reg Hickey coached Geelong in his 304th and final game in the 1959 VFL season, a record that had remained untouched for 64 years until Chris Scott surpassed it in 2023.
Scott equalled the record, again in very fitting fashion, against Brisbane at the Gabba in Round 19 before returning to home to officially pass the record in Round 20 against Fremantle.
Another thrilling match ensued but this time the result did not fall the Cats way, as the Dockers rained on Scott's parade with a seven point victory at GMHBA Stadium.
But the result did not take anything away from the magnitude of this milestone, as Chris Scott eclipsed Hickey's record and became the longest-serving coach in Geelong Football Club history.
