My understanding is that it was to remain (the window to approach). Wasn't it a week or two prior to Christmas ? I recall Sheedy saying he made no apologies - starting up a new license / club and were allowed to approach by the direction of the AFL; and the green light for Gubby Allen to fulfil his tasks in talking to many uncontracted players with aces up his sleeve.

At a guess, plenty of contacting would have been done even prior to that by GWS through player managers, etc.

I think at the end of the year when the season has finished and the player is out of contract to have a few nervous weeks where a player may be exploring his options is fine...such as we have had from time with Green, Bruce, Yze etc.

But having the situation where a player may have already signed with another team whilst in contract and having this drag out the year is not good...the Ablett situation was a terrible distraction for the Cats and the game more boradly...

I can accept that this may just be part of the maturing of our game, but its not part of the culture that makes this game great...and I dont particularly like it...

This is going to really start giving me the #^%s. This rumour is like that email that was mildly amusing the first time it landed in your inbox but starts to wear very thin after you’ve received it 17 times in a 3 week period. It just goes around and around in circles and people who are on the outside of the information vortex send it on when most people are well and truly over it.

It doesn’t help that we have twitter, facebook, myspace, chat rooms, TV and radio fanning the flames so every 3rd rate hack journo can keep adding their little tid bits like “Scully’s cousin’s pool cleaner’s failed business partner’s brother was in Stephen Silvagni’s bridal party and he is currently the GWS list manager”.

I would almost guarantee that Scully hasn’t signed with GWS for the simple reason that his manager would be absolutely negligent in his duties if he didn’t at least give MFC a chance to counter offer whatever GWS has supposedly offered. What if MFC thought Scully was worth $7m for 6 years and he’s already signed with GWS for $6m over 6 years? He’s dudded Scully out of a million bucks and the chance to play in a premiership.

Dean Bailey should look the kid straight in the eye and ask him what the truth is.

If he has already signed he should be told to pack his bags for GWS immediately.

RR that is why coaches do get involved in Salary negotations.

You want it handled by agents and Gm's of the football department.

That way the relationship between player and coach is not destroyed.

For god's sake There is a better than average chance he has not signed

and your path may push him into the arms of GWS.

The Herald Scum had 4 articles about it with no now information or anything for 4 days in a row last week....this is nothing but unsubstantiated rumor coming from a man, who three of his top players, Thomas, Swan and pendlebury haven't signed yet, and have been talked about as targets...

So let me see...do I point the finger at Scully, who has been getting the Scum reporters so excited that their dry cleaners are making a mint, and take the attention away from my team or let them focus on Filth players??

Hate to buy into the speculation, but given it's going to go on all year... What would the MFC receive in compensation for losing Scully?

Hate to buy into the speculation, but given it's going to go on all year... What would the MFC receive in compensation for losing Scully?

I don't think there are hard and fast rules the AFL seem to make it up as they go along.

I cannot see us getting another No.1 draft pick!

Having just heard Sheedy on the radio & listened to Eddie's podcast, it is going to be very hard for us to hold on to Tom Scully.

I am gutted, but i do not blame Tom- i totally blame the AFL for this.

And i know we still have 2011 season with Tom. Let's hope we win a Premiership this year....

The Herald Scum had 4 articles about it with no now information or anything for 4 days in a row last week....this is nothing but unsubstantiated rumor coming from a man, who three of his top players, Thomas, Swan and pendlebury haven't signed yet, and have been talked about as targets...

So let me see...do I point the finger at Scully, who has been getting the Scum reporters so excited that their dry cleaners are making a mint, and take the attention away from my team or let them focus on Filth players??

Right on que:

The Hun

Dean Bailey should look the kid straight in the eye and ask him what the truth is.

If he has already signed he should be told to pack his bags for GWS immediately.

That's a bit fantasy land really. I think in reality these negotiations would be one or both of Chris Connolly and Cam Schwab in a room with Scully's manager. These are the guys paid to worry about things like this - Scully and Bailey are paid to worry about football matters almost exclusively.

The only way the conversation would come up between the player and the coach is if Tom seeks counsel from Dean off his own bat, which I doubt he would do.

Also, props to Rojik for the excellent post.

If im not mistaken Scully's number sake Barassi left Melbourne for more money also. Wouldnt that be ironic. Maybe we should have given Scully number 11.

That;s just it, you are mistaken.

Barassi left for the opportunity to coach and was encouraged to do so by the falling out he saw take place at Melbourne between Norm Smith and one of his predecessors, and chairman of selectors, Checker Hughes. Smith and Barassi talked it through at a time Smith appeared secure at Melbourne - although events proved them both wrong.

I can accept that this may just be part of the maturing of our game, but its not part of the culture that makes this game great...and I dont particularly like it...

Agree entirely.

Having just heard Sheedy on the radio & listened to Eddie's podcast, it is going to be very hard for us to hold on to Tom Scully.

What did Sheedy say to make you think that?

That's a bit fantasy land really. I think in reality these negotiations would be one or both of Chris Connolly and Cam Schwab in a room with Scully's manager. These are the guys paid to worry about things like this - Scully and Bailey are paid to worry about football matters almost exclusively.

The only way the conversation would come up between the player and the coach is if Tom seeks counsel from Dean off his own bat, which I doubt he would do.

Also, props to Rojik for the excellent post.

No doubt you're right but gee wouldn't it be refreshing to see some old fashioned up front honesty between player and coach? Look what the silent stand-off act did for the Thompson-Ablett relationship over at Geelong.

If I was Scully, I'd be [censored] off at the way Sheedy came out and inflamed the situation like this.

This may very well work against GWS.

If he is going to get $1 million a year then we would have to get a number one draft pick. Anything less would say that he is being overpaid.

What did Sheedy say to make you think that?

A front ended contract of $ 3 million is going to be very hard to counter...How can we compete??

Eddie may have done us a favour.

He has elevated the speculation to a new level. This is going to be an enormous distraction for the kid.

Scully might want to announce his intentions earlier than otherwise was going to happen - either he recommits to Melbourne or he lets it be known he is going. The sooner the better whatever it is.

No doubt you're right but gee wouldn't it be refreshing to see some old fashioned up front honesty between player and coach? Look what the silent stand-off act did for the Thompson-Ablett relationship over at Geelong.

Hardly equivalent situations.

Thompson and Ablett didn't talk full stop.

We simply don't agree that Bailey should confront a 19 year old on negotiations he may or may not be involved in through a third party.

Hurumpf!

Try and calm down people.

Eddie may have done us a favour.

He has elevated the speculation to a new level. This is going to be an enormous distraction for the kid.

Scully might want to announce his intentions earlier than otherwise was going to happen - either he recommits to Melbourne or he lets it be known he is going. The sooner the better whatever it is.

Hope you are right, it's going to be a wild ride 2011.

if true, let him work with his disposal with Casey in 2011 and should be worth his price tag with Folau's GWS come 2012.

else i'ld like to tom-tom eddie!

Isn't Scully's manager that little blond bloke who used to be Eddie's minder?

Mark Kleiman.

Not sure about him being Eddie's minder.

Gubby Allen who is creating this [censored] is the former recruiting manager from the Lions, but before that he was at... Collingwood.

He even masterminded the pinching of Buckley from the Lions after 1 season.

Reckon Gubby is feeding his old mate Eddie a bit of misinformation to create this whole mess??

I'd put money on it.

Hardly equivalent situations.

Thompson and Ablett didn't talk full stop.

We simply don't agree that Bailey should confront a 19 year old on negotiations he may or may not be involved in through a third party.

Hurumpf!

Try and calm down people.

Not equivalent but pretty damned close.

And it's hard to stay calm when our likely future best player and linchpin of any premiership success is being unfairly ripped from our side.

Sorry but this thing stinks to high heaven and we as supporters should be making a lot of noise about it.

The campaign to receive significant compensation from the AFL if he goes should begin in earnest now, not later.

A front ended contract of $ 3 million is going to be very hard to counter...How can we compete??

Regurgitating what has already been said - it isn't all about money.

And this front-end, back end argument is illusory. You get paid over the journey of a contract what you get paid over the journey of a contract.

Not equivalent but pretty damned close.

And it's hard to stay calm when our likely future best player and linchpin of any premiership success is being unfairly ripped from our side.

Sorry but this thing stinks to high heaven and we as supporters should be making a lot of noise about it.

The campaign to receive significant compensation from the AFL if he goes should begin in earnest now, not later.

Not close at all.

One situation involved a player and coach virtually estranged from one another, to the point they weren't even talking.

The other situation involved a player and coach not broaching a particular subject because of the unnecessary tension it would create.

Poles apart.