DEMYSTIFYING TOM SCULLY

[dee-luded 2,959]

Excellent Post. I want Scully to stay as well.

If he goes i will be bitterly disappointed, But the Melbourne Football Club is bigger than one man,

That is a lesson we should have learnt after RDB left in '65

So spot on WYL.

[Jack7 528]

I don't reckon Scully has signed as he hasn't seen our best offer,he wants to have a great year and extract the best coin he can out of us at years end.

It's a shame Scully doesn't have Trengove's attitude which is "i'll sign for 3 years and pay me what you think i'm worth"

Trengove puts footy first,Scully puts the coin first.

If he goes to GWS chasing coin,i couldn't care less.If someone doesn't want to play with us,there's the door.If we are good enough to win a flag in the next 4-5 years,we'll win it with or without Scully.

If i was at GWS,i'd take Pendlebury over Scully in a heartbeat,he's a proven gun on the big stage winning the Norm Smith and Scully is just "potential" at this stage.

Scully should play at Casey until he signs and put 22 games into someone else.

Demetriou is giving GWS picks 1,2,3,5,7,9 etc. and Melbourne's 2009 no. 1 draft pick,it's wrong and he doesn't care,so we let him rot at Casey.

The MFC is bigger than the individual and needs to show that no one player will hold us to ransom.

I believe Tom will play his career with us and his best mates on the MCG 14 times a year but until he signs,it's Casey for Tom.

[Redleg 40,769]

The new job for Kleiman was hinted at by a question to Liam Pickering on Friday night.

Who knows if it will make a difference in the Scully contract strategy?

Most managers do what their client wants them to, not the other way araound. Therefore a change of individual manager, within the same management company will probably not bring about much change, other than in style. If Tom wants his manager to achieve a result, that is what they will try and do. If Tom says deal with Melbourne now , they will and the reverse also applies. Tom and his family will run this situation and hopefully the choice is to remain a Demon.

[Redleg 40,769]

Scully puts the coin first.

There is absolutely no basis for that statement at this point in time. Too many on here attack people personally without any real knowledge of the person they are attacking.

[Guest melbman]

To bastardise a Rodney Rude joke:

GWS is a three ring circus; Sheedy and two other A-holes

[Keyser Söze 0]

I sort of agree. I've never seen anyone recently kicking an AFL ball on a Qld. or Sydney beach - ever. Seen plenty throwing a rugby ball though.

Its all about extra TV viewing and advertsing opportunities in the heartlands. If that revenue helps prop up Victoria et al, then its clearly a good thing. Just don't wastse emotional energy on the benefits of a national comp etc. etc. Its only a cash flow issue for the AFL.

Thats the whole point -- introduce a second team, increase exposure to the sport of AFL, increase popularity...

It has a snowball effect and eventually we WILL see kids playing footy on the beach there instead of rugby.

[jnrmac 20,040]

GWS is a circus, don't mistake it for anything else.

It is to a real football club what the NAB Cup is to actual football. And will get the same kind of attendences.

GWS won't mean anything much even by the time a current teenage player retires. The AFL itself expects to be subsidising it to a substantial tune for 20 years! $100m set aside to make that club run, above and beyond usual club payments. That's their plan.

Eddie the mouth isn't the first person to contemplate the possibility of snatching players back from GWS in the near future. Shame Dion Prestia was that little bit older and went to Gold Coast, that club actually has something to offer.

$100m and they've already spent six on Israel Folau!! This will be a bottomless pit. And having lived in Sydney and going to a lot of Swans matches and having spent time out West they will struggle off the field.

I have no doubt they will change rules and allocate money to ensure GWS gets a roster of decent players - eventually. But it has none of the allure, culture or history of the Gold Coast nor the stack of Melbourne ex-pats or AFL supporters (eg Southport etc). So recruiting is going to be much harder. And the players they recruit will have to be capable of being marquee type players - I'm not sure Melbourne has had one since Garry Lyon or Robert FLower. They don't grow on trees. SO it's a big ask. I don't think Scully is anywhere near that yet nor capable in the short term of being the lynchpin of a team.

[rpfc 28,205]

I don't reckon Scully has signed as he hasn't seen our best offer,he wants to have a great year and extract the best coin he can out of us at years end.

It's a shame Scully doesn't have Trengove's attitude which is "i'll sign for 3 years and pay me what you think i'm worth"

Trengove puts footy first,Scully puts the coin first.

If he goes to GWS chasing coin,i couldn't care less.If someone doesn't want to play with us,there's the door.If we are good enough to win a flag in the next 4-5 years,we'll win it with or without Scully.

If i was at GWS,i'd take Pendlebury over Scully in a heartbeat,he's a proven gun on the big stage winning the Norm Smith and Scully is just "potential" at this stage.

Scully should play at Casey until he signs and put 22 games into someone else.

I believe Tom will play his career with us and his best mates on the MCG 14 times a year but until he signs,it's Casey for Tom.

This is a pretty immature post by someone who is trying to lessen his 'grief' if the unthinkable happens.

And I dare say, Trengove and Scully will earn about the same over their careers at the Demons.

Play him at Casey as an ultimatum?

Yeah, that'll help the club keep him...

[Keyser Söze 0]

Frankly, it's embarrassing that some people think that would be the best course of action.

[jayceebee31 759]

Well said

DITTO

[Deeoldfart 8,001]

I don't reckon Scully has signed as he hasn't seen our best offer,he wants to have a great year and extract the best coin he can out of us at years end.

It's a shame Scully doesn't have Trengove's attitude which is "i'll sign for 3 years and pay me what you think i'm worth"

Trengove puts footy first,Scully puts the coin first.

If he goes to GWS chasing coin,i couldn't care less.If someone doesn't want to play with us,there's the door.If we are good enough to win a flag in the next 4-5 years,we'll win it with or without Scully.

If i was at GWS,i'd take Pendlebury over Scully in a heartbeat,he's a proven gun on the big stage winning the Norm Smith and Scully is just "potential" at this stage.

Scully should play at Casey until he signs and put 22 games into someone else.

Demetriou is giving GWS picks 1,2,3,5,7,9 etc. and Melbourne's 2009 no. 1 draft pick,it's wrong and he doesn't care,so we let him rot at Casey.

The MFC is bigger than the individual and needs to show that no one player will hold us to ransom.

I believe Tom will play his career with us and his best mates on the MCG 14 times a year but until he signs,it's Casey for Tom.

Incredibly impolite post. Do you know Tom well enough to make some of those personal statements about him?

[Sir Why You Little 36,858]

I don't reckon Scully has signed as he hasn't seen our best offer,he wants to have a great year and extract the best coin he can out of us at years end.

It's a shame Scully doesn't have Trengove's attitude which is "i'll sign for 3 years and pay me what you think i'm worth"

Trengove puts footy first,Scully puts the coin first.

If he goes to GWS chasing coin,i couldn't care less.If someone doesn't want to play with us,there's the door.If we are good enough to win a flag in the next 4-5 years,we'll win it with or without Scully.

If i was at GWS,i'd take Pendlebury over Scully in a heartbeat,he's a proven gun on the big stage winning the Norm Smith and Scully is just "potential" at this stage.

Scully should play at Casey until he signs and put 22 games into someone else.

Demetriou is giving GWS picks 1,2,3,5,7,9 etc. and Melbourne's 2009 no. 1 draft pick,it's wrong and he doesn't care,so we let him rot at Casey.

The MFC is bigger than the individual and needs to show that no one player will hold us to ransom.

I believe Tom will play his career with us and his best mates on the MCG 14 times a year but until he signs,it's Casey for Tom.

If Tom has signed nothing-then he is entitled to play this year at Melbourne, as an interegal part of our side.

If he has already signed with GWS then i agree with Paul Roos

But at this stage i believe he has signed nothing.

[Footynut 302]

If Tom has signed nothing-then he is entitled to play this year at Melbourne, as an interegal part of our side.

If he has already signed with GWS then i agree with Paul Roos

But at this stage i believe he has signed nothing.

Same as everyone else....

Nothing can be read into yet....

Actions will ultimately indicate where Tom's loyalties and ambitions burn....

[beelzebub 23,306]

Craig Hutchison has confirmed today in his Sunday Sun column that Tom Scully's manager Mark Kleiman has quit Velocity Sports to take on a producing role at 3AW.

This comes just days after Velocity Sports' clarification of the position taken over Scully's contract negotiations.

Perhaps, in light of everything that's taken place over the past few weeks and the likelihood that speculation will continue for months and possibly have detrimental effect on player and club, the new manager in charge of his contract and his welfare, might consider a review of strategy taken to date?

I hadnt seen this post before writing something similar in the other thread.. I concur 100%

as to GWS and "Roll Up Roll Up !!" well thats exactly what it is because thats exactly what might work in some ways there. Melb is not Sydney and vice versa. They attend things and go about their sport differently. It is a bit horses for courses and thats precisely why Sheeds go the gig because hes as close to a song and dance man as the AFL has.

A lot of Sydney is about razamataz and pretty light and fast things etc. Lifes far more a facade ( if not charade ) for many north of our border. Neither better nor worse its what works for you.

We wont really know how well the Giants will go nor how long they'll last until they do. Its a bit brave new world there. But it would have to be the absolute antithesis of probably everything young Tom has experienced to date in his life..One thing for sure he wouldnt find Blacktown nearly as inviting as Berwick !! LOL

[Dreamin' Demon 10]

The AFL itself expects to be subsidising it to a substantial tune for 20 years!

I reckon it would take more than 3 generations (over 60 years) & over $100m to make ANY inroads into GWS. The swans have been in Sydney since 1982 & their players can still walk through Sydney unrecognised by locals.

GWS is rugby league heartland, followed second by soccer. AFL would not even rate. Would dads of GWS allow their sons or daughters to follow AFL? I think not!!!

Ninty percent of all patrons attending games in GWS would be free tickets a la Brisbane Bears of the late 80's.

It will be a circus!!!

[beelzebub 23,306]

About the only thing the AFL can bank on is there estimation of a generation chnage needing to happen.

Im going to make a prediction. Young Tom will re-sign before the season proper. He has no time for distractions...just lok at the road to where he's got. He's immensely purpose driven.

He strikes me as no-nonsense.

yep he'll sign a lot sooner than later

[jnrmac 20,040]

The article also said Kleiman was Fevola's manager - OMG we are in trouble!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Keyser Söze 0]

I reckon it would take more than 3 generations (over 60 years) & over $100m to make ANY inroads into GWS. The swans have been in Sydney since 1982 & their players can still walk through Sydney unrecognised by locals.

GWS is rugby league heartland, followed second by soccer. AFL would not even rate. Would dads of GWS allow their sons or daughters to follow AFL? I think not!!!

Ninty percent of all patrons attending games in GWS would be free tickets a la Brisbane Bears of the late 80's.

It will be a circus!!!

I dunno... Maybe you should ask Gary Jack?

He was not only a rugby league supporter, but a star of the game.

He let his son Kieran follow and eventually play AFL.

GWS has just signed on a young bloke in their area by the name of Ned Mortimer.

He is the son of rugby league great Chris Mortimer.

I remember as a young kid, my dad desperately wanted me to play footy, but I was more interested in basketball, so he failed miserably.

It was not until I was a teenager and started to see footy as a superior game in my own right, that I began to follow closely and play.

[Bruce Almighty 0]

If Tom Scully signs with GWS he will regret that decision for the rest of his life.

And as for Ron Barrasi he is almost as big as fool as Kevin Sheedy - its embarrassing that he is the Number 1 ticket holder.

[Roost It 1,434]

If Tom Scully signs with GWS he will regret that decision for the rest of his life.

And as for Ron Barrasi he is almost as big as fool as Kevin Sheedy - its embarrassing that he is the Number 1 ticket holder.

Looks like we've got our very own circus performer....A CLOWN

[13thflag 0]

Tom has worked too hard for his shot at AFL to throw it away plying for some hack of a team like gws. I hope with all my heart he will be playing for the red and blue for many years to come.

[Deeoldfart 8,001]

Looks like we've got our very own circus performer....A CLOWN

You are being extremely polite there Roost.

[rpfc 28,205]

If Tom Scully signs with GWS he will regret that decision for the rest of his life.

And as for Ron Barrasi he is almost as big as fool as Kevin Sheedy - its embarrassing that he is the Number 1 ticket holder.

No it isn't.

It wasn't great what he said but he's Barassi - he is of Melbourne but has been a pioneer for football.

He is back in the family but you can't give up your passions.

He showed his passion when he convinced his grandkids to stop barracking for other clubs and start going for Melbourne.

And he showed his passion when he stated that Tom could do a great deal for the national game.

And I am also being far too nice...

[Keyser Söze 0]

I agree with Barassi.

Except my love for MFC overrides my love for the game as a whole.

Plus, I think GWS will do just fine without Scully.

[Grandson of a gun 276]

Whether you agree with him or not isn't the issue. The issue is that as the MFC's number one ticket holder Barassi is expected to (and should) be pumping the Melbourne angle. That is the role of the number 1 ticket holder. He should be biased to Melbourne in this instance. That is the reason for the anger at what he said and the questions regarding his role as our number 1 ticket holder.