Geelong coach Chris Scott insists the club never claimed it was perfect amid questions surrounding its culture due to the concussion controversy.
An on-field powerhouse for two decades, the Cats are awaiting a probable heavy sanction from the AFL for their handling of a secret agreement with premiership defender Jake Kolodjashnij.
Due to the club's outstanding record of qualifying for finals and harnessing and attracting talent, Geelong have often been the envy of the competition.
But Scott believes the external perception doesn't fit how the club thinks about itself.
"We never said we were perfect," he said on Wednesday.
"We never set ourselves up to be some cultural icon.
"We know what is important to us ... I think we have an understanding of how we're slightly different to other clubs.
"But no one should interpret that as thinking we're better than anyone else."
Blame for the deal with Kolodjashnij, kept hidden from the AFL and AFL Players Association, has fallen on Geelong chief executive Steve Hocking and former Cats president Craig Drummond.
Hocking had a stint at the AFL as football boss, before returning to be Geelong's chief executive.
Drummond was leading the Cats' board when the deal with Kolodjashnij was struck and is now the AFL Commission chairman.
Kolodjashnij signed a waiver that meant he effectively took on legal responsibility for future brain trauma in a bid to exonerate the club and its medical staff from potential court action.
"I tend to assume good intent in my life, and I certainly do when it comes to people that I've worked with really closely for whatever it is, 15 or 16 years and been exemplary in the way they've gone about their business," Scott said of Hocking.
"You can be an absolute high performer in your field, it doesn't preclude you from making mistakes into the future.
"We're all fallible, despite what anyone says."
