Cats coach speaks for first time since club's concussion fine

Chris Scott says he does not know whether Jake Kolodjashnij will play for Geelong again, and insists he has deliberately stayed away from the defender's case.

Scott spoke publicly for the first time since the Cats were fined $140,000 for failing to notify the AFL about a concussion waiver in Kolodjashnij's contract. The penalty included a $100,000 fine and a suspended $40,000 sanction linked to the league's investigation into Geelong's third-party agreements.

Kolodjashnij identified himself as the player involved shortly after the matter became public. He has not played at any level since, but returned to the club last week before the finals. If selected, he would almost certainly play in the VFL, where Geelong is considered a premiership favourite.

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I've been really conscious to separate myself from this.

"I've been really conscious to separate myself from this," Scott said. He added that he supported the club's position while acknowledging that he did not know all the facts. Geelong's stated approach is to acknowledge certain aspects of the matter and move forward.

The Cats had a pre-finals bye before Friday night's elimination final against Carlton at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Experienced midfielder Tom Atkins said the saga was not distracting the team as it pursued a fifth premiership this century.

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Hand on heart, I don't really even know the facts, so I'm certainly not going to be swayed by people who understand the facts less than I do.