Racing
League
Rugby
Cricket
Golf
Motorsport
Combat Sports
Football
Netball
Basketball
Other Sports
Sport Nation
Buckley reveals Scott's "out of the blue" text in Geelong approach
SEN • October 15th, 2025 11:21 am
Nathan Buckley has revealed it was Chris Scott that reached out to him about the possibility of joining Geelong’s ranks after he was confirmed as the club’s new assistant coach.
The brilliant footy mind spent 10 years amongst the coaching ranks at AFL level, leading Collingwood to five finals campaigns and a Grand Final before stepping into the media space in 2021.
A regular on SEN, Buckley turned down the opportunity to take on the Melbourne Demons head coaching role, and pivots to Geelong with a continued ambition to lead the Tassie Devils in the future.
“Chris’s Scott is not your quintessential coach. He comes at things from a different direction,” Buckley told SEN Breakfast.
“Scotty (Chris Scott) sent me a text last Tuesday out of the blue. He said if I had a chance could we chat. We had that conversation, he planted the seed.
“I met with Steve Hocking, Andrew Mackie and Chris (last Thursday). We feel there’s a fit there for what I’m passionate about.
“I don’t think you’re ever half into something like this. If you’re committed to getting back into the cut and thrust of the game, that’s what I’ll be doing.”
Buckley revealed there were three initial sticking points which involved living arrangement for him and his children, the financial consequences and finally, his continued desire to work with the Tassie Devils franchise in the future.
The issues were explored, and a solution was found, resulting in his new role.
Buckley is adamant the new job will not impact his ambitions with the Devils given whoever is in the running for that role will have an existing job withing the football world.
He also revealed he had discussed the Geelong opportunity with Brendan gale prior to the announcement.
“I said what would the Devils opinion be if this was to take place,” Buckley explained. “The feedback was that this would only prepare me better and put my claim further ahead and it would be supported.
“They still have some hurdles to cross with the license and stadium. The senior coach fits in there somewhere, that’s on their timeline.
“Do I tread water in between that? I have to be thinking what am I doing with my life if I want to get back into coaching.
“My understanding is the Devils don’t feel they need their senior coach on deck immediately.
Whoever gets employed by the Devils, invariably they’re in the football system now anyway.”
Working with Geelong does not signal the end of Buckley the media pundit.
“I won’t be as prolific as I was but there is an opportunity to continue this.
“(But my primary role and responsibility will be to Geelong but the way they’re set up I will be able to still work in media.
“I don’t think I have been someone who has dealt in information as some sort of currency, I’m not a shock jock, I’m generally on the positive end of the scale. I don’t have any fears.”
