Or we are doing a good job of keeping him away from the reporters...

Why?

Why?

The club probably feels that sending a 19 year old out to answer questions he can't answer isn't the best preparation for his second season.

Remember there is no grey here.

He will be asked point blank and he can't waiver and appease any of us.

We want an unequivocal 'staying' statement before negotiations are under way.

He would only give ambiguous answers eg. state his love for the Dees, but say he can't talk about the negotiations or his future.

And that won't be good enough will it?

Let the boys play.

Try hard to keep him, and be confident about doing so.

We'll reassess when the facts change or become more concrete.

You can add Marc Murphy to that list. Article in sun today.

Is it more unjust that GWS can target Tom Scully than it is that they can target Marc Murphy? He was pick 1 in 2005 and Carlton have spent 5 years developing him and he should be entering his prime right now. It's a long bow to draw that Carlton have had their value from Murphy.

If the amount of money is True, Tom has to wonder why are they throwing all this money at me, the answer is simple every other big named player they have targeted has said no.

Is it more unjust that GWS can target Tom Scully than it is that they can target Marc Murphy? He was pick 1 in 2005 and Carlton have spent 5 years developing him and he should be entering his prime right now. It's a long bow to draw that Carlton have had their value from Murphy.

That's a good point.

Eddie on radio with Jim reiterates that Scully is going and that his "source is impeccable".

Make what you want of it.

Eddie on radio with Jim reiterates that Scully is going and that his "source is impeccable".

Make what you want of it.

If his source is so 'impeccable' he would have never told Eddie. In essence, creating this pressure.

I think it is deliberate, and I think Eddie is being played.

Eddie might be everywhere but he certainly isn't always right. Keep in mind he is and always will be foremost Collingwood. Hes battling heads against Sheeds. Marvin the Martian knows what he's doing. Sources whilst 'impeccable' can also get it wrong. As nothing is apparently set in concrete then it's fluid and a work in progress. Til he signs one way or another Scully is a required Melbourne player. The club just needs to emphasise it's preference for sorting out sooner rather than later.

Still he's only one player. Full of talent, little realized and the whole season before us.

It's either negligent of the AFL or despicably crafty for this situation to exist but exist it does.

As a club there will be some tough and gut wrenching decisions to come. They will be made and I for one will think they'll be made well and as best they can.

At AFL level you play for results, for finals and really when you get down to it Premierships. Scully has probably a good 12 years in him , barring injury. GWS won't come near a premiership in that time. I know a team that will !!

I have absolutely no idea what the situation is.

However, I think Scully's management team (Velocity) will take a huge hit to their ongoing credibility if Scully has in fact agreed something with GWS and Velocity has then released a statement saying that Scully/Velocity have not discussed anything with GWS or signed any agreement with GWS.

And that whole AFL contract v some other type of agreement that was discussed earlier in this thread is IMO completely missing the point.

If his source is so 'impeccable' he would have never told Eddie. In essence, creating this pressure.

I think it is deliberate, and I think Eddie is being played.

Eddie is happily being played by Gubby Allan.

Gubby creates the chaos he wants.

Eddie gets his headline.

And our more stupid and paranoid supporters boo and demand that Scully be played at Casey and effectively chase him out the door, into Gubby's waiting hands.

Can anyone tell me why they think Scully would have rushed a decision and signed with GWS already, instead of waiting til the end of the season, as is the smart option?

There's no reasonable case for him having already signed.

Can anyone tell me why they think Scully would have rushed a decision and signed with GWS already, instead of waiting til the end of the season, as is the smart option?

There's no reasonable case for him having already signed.

Like Ablett did!

We will soon find out, if Tom has signed he will be [censored] himself that his now former manager will drop a few hints to his now 3AW colleagues. You would assume there is a confidentiality clause in place but over the next 8 weeks I'm sure a few hints will be let out either way.

And also - so far I've heard Dale Thomas and Marc Murphy say to the media that they don't intend to go.

I've not heard anything from Bartel, Swan, Pendlebury, Greenwood or a host of others linked to GWS.

Now why have we not heard from Scully?

When is the last time you saw an AFL club have one of their 2nd year players front the media when this sort of frenzy surrounds them?

Never.

It just doesn't happen.

The club probably feels that sending a 19 year old out to answer questions he can't answer isn't the best preparation for his second season.

Remember there is no grey here.

He will be asked point blank and he can't waiver and appease any of us.

We want an unequivocal 'staying' statement before negotiations are under way.

He would only give ambiguous answers eg. state his love for the Dees, but say he can't talk about the negotiations or his future.

And that won't be good enough will it?

Let the boys play.

Try hard to keep him, and be confident about doing so.

We'll reassess when the facts change or become more concrete.

Well I would like Tom to say via a simple personal statement and not through his manager, I have not discussed or made an agreement with GWS or any of their affiliates or proxies to play with them in 2012. I will only enter contract negotiations at seasons end. In the meantime I will play with a 100% effort and commitment for Melbourne and looking forward to fruitful contract negotiations at the end of the season. If Tom had something to say in this vein I am sure the club will stick his gob in front of every mike in the country. Sadly I think we are past anything like this being said. I hope this matter will come to a head before the season proper starts.

Like Ablett did!

Exaclty.

Ablett found out what was on offer, took his time to make a decision, and through the whispers out of GC, Mark Thompson lost his rag and made the decision an easy one for Ablett to make at the END OF THE SEASON.

We will soon find out, if Tom has signed he will be [censored] himself that his now former manager will drop a few hints to his now 3AW colleagues. You would assume there is a confidentiality clause in place but over the next 8 weeks I'm sure a few hints will be let out either way.

Hints that he hasn't signed and is waiting til the end of the season to decide?

Yeah, I bet that juicy rumour will spread like wildfire...

Well I would like Tom to say via a simple personal statement and not through his manager, I have not discussed or made an agreement with GWS or any of their affiliates or proxies to play with them in 2012. I will only enter contract negotiations at seasons end. In the meantime I will play with a 100% effort and commitment for Melbourne and looking forward to fruitful contract negotiations at the end of the season. If Tom had something to say in this vein I am sure the club will stick his gob in front of every mike in the country. Sadly I think we are past anything like this being said. I hope this matter will come to a head before the season proper starts.

Your paranoia knows no bounds!

He has already released a statement through his (ex)manager to say he has not signed an AFL contract.

And from that, the paranoid conclusion is that he must have signed some other contract instead, but not an AFL one?

Of course, that way he can play funny buggers at press conferences and have a clear conscience!

Come on...

The Abblet thing was very different. He'd already tasted glory in Sep . He was established at the higher echelon of the game and he had acrimony in his relationship with his coach. He it seems had a very sound reason for this. He felt betrayed and unfairly characterized.

No such simillarity could be said to exist re Scully and Melbourne.

We will soon find out, if Tom has signed he will be [censored] himself that his now former manager will drop a few hints to his now 3AW colleagues. You would assume there is a confidentiality clause in place but over the next 8 weeks I'm sure a few hints will be let out either way.

I was wondering the same thing......

edit: fat fingered error

He has already released a statement through his (ex)manager to say he has not signed an AFL contract.

Does not mean he has not signed any other legally binding agreement that would see him play for GWS next season.

However, I think Scully's management team (Velocity) will take a huge hit to their ongoing credibility if Scully has in fact agreed something with GWS and Velocity has then released a statement saying that Scully/Velocity have not discussed anything with GWS or signed any agreement with GWS.

I think Velocity is a smaller agency with fewer clients under management - they probably think it's all good publicity.

http://www.melbourne...35/default.aspx

1. He has not signed an AFL contract with GWS

2. Velocity Sports has not had talks with GWS re Scully

3. States that one reason is Broadcast rights potentially increasing the money pool available (ie salary cap increases)

4. Puts Scully in the same boat as Watts, Pavlich and untold others.

Re point 1. This is not a direct quote so its is difficult to ascertain whether it was the interviewer that used the term "AFL contract" or Kleiman. If Kleiman has used that term then one could think that the wording may have deliberately precluded the possibility of third party agreement involving an AFL contract. Two problems with that hypothesis

- We don't know how ther writer came to use the term "AFL contract" in the article.

- It makes it very difficult or impossible for point 2 to be factual.

Re Point 2. Again while not a direct quote it can only mean one thing. It is either true of untrue. For me this is the most comforting news however Kleiman could quite easily deny any talks even though they may well have occurred. Any talks would be wrapped in confidentiality clauses and the content will never see the light of day anyway.

Re Point 3. It's a plausible excuse, and a tactic to give reasons fro thier decision to hold off negotiations other than the advent of GWS. Designed to enhance thier cred and protect his client.

Re Point 4. Rightly points out that Tom is not Robinson Crusoe in relation to delaying contractual talks. Again attempting to enhance thier cred and take pressure of Tom as he is "among untold others".

What does it all mean?

If you take point 2 as truth then Tom is staying at MFC. If is is not true then it doesn't preclude Tom staying put.

What can we do about it? Sweet FA

What am I going to do about it? Enjoy my most anticipated footy season since Lyon and Schwarz roamed or forward line.

Does not mean he has not signed any other legally binding agreement that would see him play for GWS next season.

Paranoiaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Hints that he hasn't signed and is waiting til the end of the season to decide?

Yeah, I bet that juicy rumour will spread like wildfire...

Hints either way, the first thing his former manager will say to the 3AW journo's is I can't give you any information pertaining to my old clients especially Tom Scully. Then with the knowledge he has does he allow his station to pursue a rumour that is untrue whether it be we has signed or hasn't signed. Lets say MMM continue to stick with he has signed push, if this is wrong and we hope it is, does 3AW push the he hasn't signed, using the knowlegde they have.