Matthew Scarlett Biography

Matthew Scarlett steps away from his role as assistant coach of Geelong.

"It has been an incredible journey, much more than I could ever have hoped for when I joined the club," Scarlett said.

"I have enjoyed coaching, but the time is right to take a break. The relationships I have formed over my time at the club will remain with me forever."

Six players are inducted into the Hall of Fame in a gala ceremony at Crown Palladium including Matthew Scarlett, Wayne Johnston, Terry Wallace, David Neitz, Mel Whinnen and Bernie Naylor.

Matthew Scarlett will coach Geelong's defence in his first year as a full-time assistant coach in 2016.

"In Matthew Scarlett we have a person that was a fantastic defender in his own right, and during his playing career he demonstrated a great knowledge of the game and an ability to communicate and pass on that knowledge," Cats general football manager Steve Hocking said.

"Over the past three years 'Scarlo' embarked on a coaching path in a part-time role and has shown the ability, aptitude and desire to take on a full-time position."

Matthew Scarlett is set to join the Cats in a full-time capacity next season as he pursues a career as an AFL coach.

Geelong officially inducts Matthew Scarlett as a legend of the club at its season launch at Simonds Stadium on Friday night.

Scarlett became the 22nd legend in club history, joining the likes of Doug Wade, Graham 'Polly' Farmer and Gary Ablett Snr.

"I'm not big on the personal stuff but it's such a great footy club and it (the honour) does mean a lot," Scarlett said.

After spending two seasons with the Bulldogs, Matthew Scarlett will return to Geelong in 2014 as a part-time development coach.

"Adding Matthew Scarlett, one of the greatest players of all time, to our group provides another quality coach for our players. It is evident already that 'Scarlo' is as excited to be back as we are to have him," Geelong's football manager Steve Hocking said.

Giants CEO Dave Matthews admits that the club tried to entice retired Geelong stars Matthew Scarlett and Joel Corey to the club at the end of 2013.

"We've really left no stone unturned... to see what sort of experience we could add," he said.

"We thought nothing ventured, nothing gained. They are both great people and super players."

David Wojcinski and Matthew Scarlett will test their football nous against each other in the Geelong Football League next year.

Wojcinski was named coach of Newtown and Chilwell on Thursday after signing a two-year deal.

The announcement came two months after Scarlett was named co-coach of powerhouse club South Barwon.

Matthew Scarlett reveals his low opinion of Magpies skipper Nick Maxwell in his newly released autobiography, entitled Hold The Line.

Scarlett wrote that his lack of respect for Maxwell was based on a history of sledging between the Collingwood captain and the Geelong side.

"None of our players had any respect for Maxwell. We hated how he was being compared to Tom Harley. It was simply wrong," Scarlett wrote.

In his recently released autobiography, Matthew Scarlett reveals that he developed a hatred for St Kilda after being spat on by Aaron Hamill.

"St Kilda had just kicked a goal when Hamill turned around and spat on me. I was stunned. I couldn't believe he'd just done such a dog act," Scarlett wrote.

"You can use verbal and physical tactics to get to your opponent, but I draw the line at spitting, which is as disgusting and degrading."

Ex-Geelong stars Matthew Scarlett and Cameron Mooney have joined the Western Bulldogs as specialist coaches.

"The younger players, in particular, are so excited to have (Scarlett and Mooney) here ... the one thing you can't have is too many good people in a footy club," Bulldogs list manager Jason McCartney said.

"Both Matt and Cam are good friends of mine ... and are probably putting their toe in the water (to see) if coaching interests them."

Matthew Scarlett hands his No. 30 guernsey to Nathan Vardy.

Matthew Scarlett says there is little doubt in his mind that it was the right time to retire from the game.

"There were signs during the year that the body and the mind had had enough of playing AFL, so I guess this is a great time to call it a day," Scarlett said.

"I'm going to have a couple of months off, just relax and charge the batteries up, and then go on a few holidays with family members and friends, and then I'm going to start work with my best mate who owns a building company.

"I'm going to have a year away from the game and see if I miss it, and if I do, I might want to get back into somewhere but I'm not locked down to anything at the moment and I'm sort of enjoying that."

Geelong's Matthew Scarlett officially announces his retirement, in typically understated style.

"I have enjoyed a wonderful time with the club and am proud to have shared this with so many great teammates," Scarlett said.

"Obviously the premierships stand out as highlights, but they would not have been possible unless we all worked together along the way."

Matthew Scarlett makes a low-key farewell to the game after the Cats lose their elimination final against the Dockers.

"We're going to miss him," teammate Andrew Mackie said.

"The guys who have been fortunate enough to play with him, he's taught us so much. It's irreplaceable.

"He's made all of us better players, we've got three premierships and a lot of it is because of him."

Matthew Scarlett says the AFL should look to its American equivalent for its fixturing and shorten the season.

"The AFL season's too long. It takes too much of a toll on players' bodies. They should shorten the season like the NFL," Scarlett said.

"The thing I love about the NFL is every game is huge. It's like a play-off atmosphere every week.

"I think the AFL could learn from that, but they'd probably lose money, so they wouldn't like it."

Geelong is hoping to talk Matthew Scarlett into one more season but believes he will retire at the end of 2012.

"He has indicated to his friends and to us he won't be playing with us next year," Cats chief executive Brian Cook told the Herald Sun.

"He has set his mind on playing with the club he started with, and that's South Barwon. He wants to do that next year as a farewell to football.

"As far as Geelong goes, he has pretty much made up his mind."

Geelong football manager Neil Balme says Matthew Scarlett is likely to call it quits at the end of 2012.

"I don't think we'd try and convince him (to play on)," Balme said.

"I think we all know the effort that is required to actually play footy and blokes like him … he knows what effort he's got to put in. He'll say 'I'm not prepared to do it.'"

Geelong star Matthew Scarlett believes he cost the Cats four points when he punched Hayden Ballantyne.

"I was pretty frustrated at the time and wasn't having a great game," Scarlett told Channel Nine's Footy Classified.

"I do regret it. I reckon ultimately that cost us the game that night. It cost us two goals and we only lost by (four) points.

"If it comes really close at the end of the year and we miss the top four or the top eight by a game, I'll be pretty flat with that."

Geelong is hoping to be bolstered by the return of star defender Matthew Scarlett for its clash with the Bulldogs after the defender missed the last two weeks due to thigh and ankle injuries.

"Because it's an unusual type of situation, where he had the one soft-tissue issue that he recovered from, [and] then rolled his ankle, it's two separate things we're dealing with," Cats coach Chris Scott said.

"We think the soft-tissue thing won't be an issue, and we'll give him as long as possible to get over the ankle."

Cats full-back Matthew Scarlett says he will play this season as if it will be his last, but will wait until the end of the year before deciding if he will retire.

"My body is feeling really good - it's going to be a long year and I'll decide at the end of the year," Scarlett said.

"It's not a bad way going into each season thinking it's my last year. I think mentally it's good for me.

"Physically, it gets harder every year. It's such a quick game and all these young kids they draft now are super quick and super fit, and it's really hard to keep up."

Matthew Scarlett says he is likely to retire after the 2012 season.

"I'm signed (with Geelong) for next year so at this stage I probably think that will be it," Scarlett said after the 2011 All Australian award ceremony where he picked up his sixth All Australian award.

"You can always change your mind, I don't want to make a big deal about it, but at the moment that's how I feel."

Geelong key defender Matthew Scarlett accepts a one-game ban for kneeing Hawthorn's Michael Osborne.

Matthew Scarlett is in doubt to face Fremantle after hurting his back late in the Cats' win against Hawthorn.

"When his back goes, it really goes - I think it's pretty much seized at the moment," Geelong coach Mark Thompson said after the match.

"He landed pretty heavily on the hard part of the ground, so we'll have to wait and see how he pulls up. We play in six days, so it'll be a challenge."

Geelong full-back Matthew Scarlett declares the 2009 premiership as "a lot better than 2007".

"This one, we had to work harder for it, so it's sweeter" Scarlett said prior to the beginning of Geelong's Mad Monday celebrations.

"We were the dominant team (in 2007) and we weren't challenged."

Geelong coach Mark Thompson nominates Joel Corey as an option for standing Carlton key forward Brendan Fevola in the absence of the injured Matthew Scarlett.

"He is only an option Joel," Thompson said.

"He is a power forward. He is a really good player and Scarlo is not there, so someone else is going to have to play on him."

Geelong have injury concerns after their thrilling 1-point victory over Hawthorn. Full-back Matthew Scarlett left the field with a groin injury while Harry Taylor also has groin concerns.

Geelong's narrow loss to St Kilda takes a heavy toll with four of the Cats' premiership players to miss this week.

Matthew Scarlett, Cameron Ling, Darren Milburn and James Kelly have all been sidelined.

The loss of All-Australian defenders Scarlett and Milburn has opened the door for 19-year-old Tom Gillies to make his debut, while Ryan Gamble, David Wojcinksi and Tom Lonergan come back into the side.

Scarlett has back tightness, Ling has knee tendonitis, Milburn rolled his ankle and Kelly was left out after pulling up this week with a tight hamstring. Kelly and Scarlett are expected to return for the round 16 game against Melbourne, while the club last night said Ling's condition would be monitored over the next week.

Mark Thompson is confident star defender Matthew Scarlett will be ready for Saturday's home match against Richmond.

Scarlett injured his ankle in last Friday night's win over Hawthorn, but Thompson says he has recovered well.

Geelong coach Mark Thompson and full-back Matthew Scarlett are making a trip to the US to support Ben Graham in the NFL Super Bowl.