Take note of the difference between your first post and Keyser's last post.

That he may want to sign and get this over with but he is heeding the advice of his management - I have no problem with that premise

But to state as you did - that he wants to sign but his management won't let him is a nonsense. Dustin Martin signed early, Marc Murphy signed early. Managers answer to players not the other way around. Make no mistake that if Tom Scully wanted to sign right now it would be done.

As much as it kills me, I understand why his management is advising him to hold. It is easy for me to understand that he may want to sign, it is easy for me to understand what his management have told him and it is easy to understand that management are looking to get the best possible contract.

Unless I misread your post - you were trying to make it sound like Tom Scully had no say in the matter - I completely agree with Keyser in that he is "heeding the advice of his management" - after all, thats what you pay them for.

obviously if tom really wanted to sign he would, but if my manager said to me just dont sign yet and we will see what melbournes best offer is i know what my response would be.

especially that tom is only coming into his second year. if he has a ripper of a year his price is only going to increase, hence the reason why we moved our older players on earlier than normal and why we were front ending contracts. exactly for this sort of scenario so that we could hold on to our up and coming stars.

obviously if tom really wanted to sign he would, but if my manager said to me just dont sign yet and we will see what melbournes best offer is i know what my response would be.

especially that tom is only coming into his second year. if he has a ripper of a year his price is only going to increase, hence the reason why we moved our older players on earlier than normal and why we were back ending contracts. exactly for this sort of scenario so that we could keep on to our up and coming stars.

There you go - we are in violent agreement. Sorry to take you to task - but what you posted here makes 100% sense ( except I think we are now front ending contracts to give us room when our youngsters hit their peak and are worth more money - I think I got that right) - this post is a wee bit different to what you originally posted.

Tom heeding management advice ? absolutely !

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.

You believe?

Well that's comforting.

The reality is that no matter what has actually come to pass between GWS and Scully, Scully now finds himself in the position where he needs to make a decision on his future. He needs to either sign with the MFC NOW to avoid the type of rot that set into Geelong with Ablett, or admit to having signed with GWS already.

If he does anything other than sign with MFC immediately, we should deem him a transient and treat him as such. Prepare the side that will be together for the future.

We all spent two seasons watching the Dees and hoping they wouldn't win too many matches because we were so worried about the draft picks. I don't plan to spend this year watching Scully develop into a gun player with the sickening feeling that he'll probably leave at the end of the year. And 'believe' me, if he makes no statement, he's gone.

I hate Sheedy. Send him a kid who hasn't played top level footy for a year.

You believe?

Well that's comforting.

The reality is that no matter what has actually come to pass between GWS and Scully, Scully now finds himself in the position where he needs to make a decision on his future. He needs to either sign with the MFC NOW to avoid the type of rot that set into Geelong with Ablett, or admit to having signed with GWS already.

If he does anything other than sign with MFC immediately, we should deem him a transient and treat him as such. Prepare the side that will be together for the future.

We all spent two seasons watching the Dees and hoping they wouldn't win too many matches because we were so worried about the draft picks. I don't plan to spend this year watching Scully develop into a gun player with the sickening feeling that he'll probably leave at the end of the year. And 'believe' me, if he makes no statement, he's gone.

I hate Sheedy. Send him a kid who hasn't played top level footy for a year.

Because thats what all mature, professional clubs - deliver ultimatums to players they want to keep, when what their management has asked for is not unreasonable.

You believe?

Well that's comforting.

The reality is that no matter what has actually come to pass between GWS and Scully, Scully now finds himself in the position where he needs to make a decision on his future. He needs to either sign with the MFC NOW to avoid the type of rot that set into Geelong with Ablett, or admit to having signed with GWS already.

If he does anything other than sign with MFC immediately, we should deem him a transient and treat him as such. Prepare the side that will be together for the future.

We all spent two seasons watching the Dees and hoping they wouldn't win too many matches because we were so worried about the draft picks. I don't plan to spend this year watching Scully develop into a gun player with the sickening feeling that he'll probably leave at the end of the year. And 'believe' me, if he makes no statement, he's gone.

I hate Sheedy. Send him a kid who hasn't played top level footy for a year.

Get a grip.

He will sign for the MFC in good time.

We are above petty ultimatums.

Okay..., so after reading this thread the one thing I can say with certainty is that there are a lot of deluded fans here. No one wants to believe that Tom Scully is going to leave Melbourne simply for Dollars, so you are all trying to think of reasons for why he would stay. BUT why wouldn't he go to GWS? What ties does he have to the club at the moment? There is a reason Scully chose to only sign a two year rookie contract not a three year contract like Trengrove.

People on this site have been saying Tom is very driven, professional, cares about the demons, has known the playing group for a long time, his family and support network are in Melbourne. News flash, 100% of those statements were true for Gary Ablett Junior too, Ablett’s support network was in Geelong, he was born and raised in Geelong, he supported Geelong growing up, yet still chose to leave! Why will Scully be different? (Note: there was jousting in amongst Demons staff about whether to pick Scully number one or two, because they were afraid he wouldn’t be able to handle the pressure of being a number one pick?)

GWS will offer Scully a much much bigger contract than the Demons can, and I believe Scully will take it! It hurts to say this but it is the truth and we need to realise it. I take some solace in the fact that I think trengrove is going to be a better player, appears to be tougher, is bigger in size and has a bigger engine from what I have seen.

If Scully was going to even contemplate signing with Melbourne and it wasn't about dollars, why wouldn't he negotiate now??? There is no sane answer for that? By not signing with Melbourne he is throwing the dice that he won’t get a devastating injury at any point this year. The only reason he would wait and risk that is because GWS have expressed interest in him and given him an indication of Dollars.

GWS would gladly spend more money on Scully rather than Pendulbry. Pendulbry is proven as a gun, is better right now, but GWS want a player who will be a gun in 2 years, not now. Scully is a perfect fit for team captain there.

Why would Scully go to GWS? To be the face of the franchise, to be THE man there, also there are the dollars? The future for GWS in Scully's prime i.e. 2013 to 2018, will be far better than the Demons. It is a sad fact but after the year 2014, the Demons will be light on talent, with GWS and Gold Coast stealing 90% of all the good young players it should be a given that GWS and Gold Coast will dominate during that period, or at least more likely to be competetive than the teams that are good now (collingwood, st kilda, etc)

The only plausible way I think Demons could keep Scully, is if we make the grand final this year and LOSE it! Then he will think okay, I can stay here for less money and challenge for a flag or even win it next year. If we make the granny and win it, then he will say, okay there is nothing more to do here, I will go to GWS for heaps of dollars. If we don't make the granny he won't stay because who knows how we will go next year.

I think we are ready for finals this year, and need to make a charge at a flag this year or the next. Most of our players are in thier primes or about to be next year. Losing Scully next year will hurt, big time! Hopefully we can trade the picks we get back for someone who can help us immediatley so we don't stumble too much.

Scully is going to leave, we need to acknowledge this and embrace it. The writing is on the wall in blue and red blood!

Lord spare me. Just got back in from work and opened up this post!

There are so many wrong or ill-informed opinions/judgements/speculations here I wouldn't know where to begin.

That bottle of scotch never looked more attractive.

Another incredibly stupid post.

Another incredibly stupid post.

And another incredibly stupid post.

And another incredibly stupid post.

And another?

Wow, just wow. That post is an absolute doozy!

Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah MFCSS blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah irrational fear blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blahjustification blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah self preservation blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah ignore common sense blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah

Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah MFCSS blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah irrational fear blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blahjustification blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah self preservation blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah ignore common sense blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah

Hello Keyser! What part of my post is stupid? Please explain to me why Scully would have only signed a 2 year rookie contract when the standard is 3 years, if he wasn't looking to move to Great Western Sydney?... Very quick to slam my post but you don't provide any rebuttal at all.

Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah MFCSS blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah irrational fear blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blahjustification blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah self preservation blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah ignore common sense blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah

Please call this number before it is too late, 13 11 14.

Hello Keyser! What part of my post is stupid? Please explain to me why Scully would have only signed a 2 year rookie contract when the standard is 3 years, if he wasn't looking to move to Great Western Sydney?... Very quick to slam my post but you don't provide any rebuttal at all.

Because all of this has been covered, logically, ad nauseum through this thread & the Scully thread.

Standard contracts for draftees are 2 years.

3 is unusual.

At least know what you're talking about first.

Hello Keyser! What part of my post is stupid? Please explain to me why Scully would have only signed a 2 year rookie contract when the standard is 3 years, if he wasn't looking to move to Great Western Sydney?... Very quick to slam my post but you don't provide any rebuttal at all.

There is actually very few draftees at all who sign 3 year contracts. As Keyser said 2 years is the standard for draftees. Tom is no exception. Just calm down a fraction and enjoy Tom this year. Who knows what the future holds???

If Scully was going to even contemplate signing with Melbourne and it wasn't about dollars, why wouldn't he negotiate now??? There is no sane answer for that? By not signing with Melbourne he is throwing the dice that he won’t get a devastating injury at any point this year.

No sane reasons at all? None? Every footballer who waits until the end of the year to sign is insane?

Short of his head falling off he would be well looked after even if he was badly injured. We didn't pick him so we could screw him over as soon as he hurts himself. We are expecting 10+ years of quality football from him and chances are there will be period where he is injured.

I really don't know why people want to believe he is gone. Think about it. If you are right and he goes you've had a crap 2011 with a big disappointment at the end and I've had a good 2011 with a big disappointment at the end. If he stays you've had a crap 2011 with a big whack of joy at the end and I've had a good 2011 with a big whack of joy at the end.

I win either way.

Its not the same as Ablett.

Abletts father and brother live on the Gold coast.

He is a man Tom is a boy.

Okay..., so after reading this thread the one thing I can say with certainty is that there are a lot of deluded fans here. No one wants to believe that Tom Scully is going to leave Melbourne simply for Dollars, so you are all trying to think of reasons for why he would stay. BUT why wouldn't he go to GWS? What ties does he have to the club at the moment? There is a reason Scully chose to only sign a two year rookie contract not a three year contract like Trengrove.

People on this site have been saying Tom is very driven, professional, cares about the demons, has known the playing group for a long time, his family and support network are in Melbourne. News flash, 100% of those statements were true for Gary Ablett Junior too, Ablett’s support network was in Geelong, he was born and raised in Geelong, he supported Geelong growing up, yet still chose to leave! Why will Scully be different? (Note: there was jousting in amongst Demons staff about whether to pick Scully number one or two, because they were afraid he wouldn’t be able to handle the pressure of being a number one pick?)

GWS will offer Scully a much much bigger contract than the Demons can, and I believe Scully will take it! It hurts to say this but it is the truth and we need to realise it. I take some solace in the fact that I think trengrove is going to be a better player, appears to be tougher, is bigger in size and has a bigger engine from what I have seen.

If Scully was going to even contemplate signing with Melbourne and it wasn't about dollars, why wouldn't he negotiate now??? There is no sane answer for that? By not signing with Melbourne he is throwing the dice that he won’t get a devastating injury at any point this year. The only reason he would wait and risk that is because GWS have expressed interest in him and given him an indication of Dollars.

GWS would gladly spend more money on Scully rather than Pendulbry. Pendulbry is proven as a gun, is better right now, but GWS want a player who will be a gun in 2 years, not now. Scully is a perfect fit for team captain there.

Why would Scully go to GWS? To be the face of the franchise, to be THE man there, also there are the dollars? The future for GWS in Scully's prime i.e. 2013 to 2018, will be far better than the Demons. It is a sad fact but after the year 2014, the Demons will be light on talent, with GWS and Gold Coast stealing 90% of all the good young players it should be a given that GWS and Gold Coast will dominate during that period, or at least more likely to be competetive than the teams that are good now (collingwood, st kilda, etc)

The only plausible way I think Demons could keep Scully, is if we make the grand final this year and LOSE it! Then he will think okay, I can stay here for less money and challenge for a flag or even win it next year. If we make the granny and win it, then he will say, okay there is nothing more to do here, I will go to GWS for heaps of dollars. If we don't make the granny he won't stay because who knows how we will go next year.

I think we are ready for finals this year, and need to make a charge at a flag this year or the next. Most of our players are in thier primes or about to be next year. Losing Scully next year will hurt, big time! Hopefully we can trade the picks we get back for someone who can help us immediatley so we don't stumble too much.

Scully is going to leave, we need to acknowledge this and embrace it. The writing is on the wall in blue and red blood!

I was talking to a customer today who does a fair bit of work in footy in the south Eastern Suburbs.

The talk turned to football and he said he had good news for me (being a Melbourne supporter).

He said he knows a very good friend of the family. The rumour that Tom is going to GWS is pure Bulltish.

Tom has not signed. Tom is very happy with the Dees and he is VERY close with his family here in Melbourne.

Tom has either bought a place here with his sister or has gone into business with his sister (he wasn't sure but this tallies with an earlier thread)or is in the process of doing so. Moving to GWS? It's just not on.

To Jrod, can you please reveal your source that says he will leave?

Interesting reading The Ox's book.

He came out of contract at the end of the 94 season just when Fremantle were entering the comp.Freo had some big bucks to splash around so David and his manager decided to hold off for a bit and let a few offers In to increase his market value. On Top of his huge break out year and some big offers from Freo and Sydney he did very well with his contract.

Sound familiar?

Scully is going to leave, we need to acknowledge this and embrace it. The writing is on the wall in blue and red blood!

This is nonsense.

The syndrome once again.

We keep our best players, and I expect him to stay and he will stay.

Because thats what all mature, professional clubs - deliver ultimatums to players they want to keep, when what their management has asked for is not unreasonable.

I don't agree nutbean. I don't think Scully's management has been reasonable. They've either underestimated or don't care about the impact that this will have on the club.

I don't agree nutbean. I don't think Scully's management has been reasonable. They've either underestimated or don't care about the impact that this will have on the club.

They're not our management.

Was able to stay away from this thread till today ... should have kept it that way.

The title indicated we might get some interesting insites to and background on our man Tom, but it has managed to descend to the same puerile level as the thread one or two below this one.

Don't people have other things to think about?? We're actually playing a kind of real footy match this Thursday, yet the board is inundated with half-baked conjecture.

You're right.

The Tom Scully business is becoming a bit of a yawn. Perhaps it really has been demystified or maybe there was nothing in it from the very start.

See the comments in this thread -

FUTURE FUND FUNCTION

And on that note we bid this subject farewell unless there is good reason for it to be revived.