This suggests to me that the AFL are feeling the heat on the Scully affair or why would they write this article!

Their article is also full of holes.

Yes we got White when he wanted to come home but at a cost of draft picks etc.

We did not have an expanded salary cap and special conditions bestowed on the MFC

But what about the ones that went the other way e.g. Scot Thompson back to SA.

This looks to me to fall into that old saying

" If you appear to be a fool open your mouth and put it beyond all doubt"

hahaha.....good one wyl.....that one cracked me up B)

keep on being non-hysterical

I am angry about this...not Hysterical...large difference DC

This suggests to me that the AFL are feeling the heat on the Scully affair or why would they write this article!

Their article is also full of holes.

Yes we got White when he wanted to come home but at a cost of draft picks etc.

We did not have an expanded salary cap and special conditions bestowed on the MFC

But what about the ones that went the other way e.g. Scot Thompson back to SA.

This looks to me to fall into that old saying

" If you appear to be a fool open your mouth and put it beyond all doubt"

It certainly smacks of official disinformation straight from Big Brothers ministry of football.

The AFL have a great history of sticking head in sand ( or up some dark cavity ) when theyve stuffed up. Here we go again.

There's really only two ways for this to have occured. 1) the afl just didn't think it through. They underestimated the cunning of the emerging clubs to rort a system full of 'gray areas' or 2) they are effectivel in collusion and abetting gws in efforts to poach.

i.e. They either didn't k ow they'd left the door open and now realizing are denying there's really a door!!

Or

Theyre holding it open themselves.

I am angry about this...not Hysterical...large difference DC

still cracked me up wyl......in the nicest way

still cracked me up wyl......in the nicest way

No probs DC glad to make you smile But Hysterical is jumping on a kitchen table in a 50's sit com and screaming when a mouse is seen scuttling across the floor.

This article makes me want to take up arms for our cause.

"If the Demons truly want to set themselves up as one of the power clubs of the next decade, they'll have to take the prospect of losing a promising and important player on the chin. "

That doesn't even make sense?? If we want to be sucessful we have to let promising young players leave the club?

Crap article, but I doubt is is going to have any effect on Scully's decision.

"If the Demons truly want to set themselves up as one of the power clubs of the next decade, they'll have to take the prospect of losing a promising and important player on the chin. "

That doesn't even make sense?? If we want to be sucessful we have to let promising young players leave the club?

Crap article, but I doubt is is going to have any effect on Scully's decision.

The whole thing is poor, you can drive a truck through some his reasoning!

No probs DC glad to make you smile But Hysterical is jumping on a kitchen table in a 50's sit com and screaming when a mouse is seen scuttling across the floor.

This article makes me want to take up arms for our cause.

Yeah, DC. Hysterical is when you see conspiracies around...every...corner...

I've got nothing.

Just playing.

There's really only two ways for this to have occured. 1) the afl just didn't think it through. They underestimated the cunning of the emerging clubs to rort a system full of 'gray areas' or 2) they are effectivel in collusion and abetting gws in efforts to poach.

As i said there is absolutely no way the AFL did not forsee this possibility. Footy fans are the key stakeholders in this business an we deserve transparent leadership from the AFL.

Lets say for the sake of the argument that they are incompetent and did not see this coming. Given they are bankrolling the whole shebang they could still put (private) pressure on GWS not to sign Scully. Yes of course this would be retstraint etc but none the less they could do so. Or they could come out publicaly and say they didn't see it coming, don't support clubs losing high draft picks in say a window of 4 years since being drafted and commit to addressing this loophole before the next period GWS can secretly approach uncontracted players (between this upcomming season and the next).

But they won't and this will expose their agenda completely. Without trying to scare the horses (or create another posting firestorm) Trengove comes out of contract at the end of next season and hypothetically GWS could sign him. In the very unlikely event they do sign Scully and also Trengove, Melbourne would have lost our number 1&2 draft picks from 2009, one of which being a priority pick for poor perforemce over seasons. This would be a clear distortion of the draft system and run contrary to the purpose of the draft and notions of equity and a level playing field

But they won't and this will expose their agenda completely. Without trying to scare the horses (or create another posting firestorm) Trengove comes out of contract at the end of next season and hypothetically GWS could sign him. In the very unlikely event they do sign Scully and also Trengove, Melbourne would have lost our number 1&2 draft picks from 2009, one of which being a priority pick for poor perforemce over seasons. This would be a clear distortion of the draft system and run contrary to the purpose of the draft and notions of equity and a level playing field

Can't happen as they are limited to one player per club under this rule.

Can't happen as they are limited to one player per club under this rule.

That and Trengove ( heart on sleeve) has already commented to the effect he wants to be a one club player and considers Melbourne not just that home but THE place to be considering our future prospects .

Keep in mind peoples. A player can't simply be press-ganged, they have to want to go.

Re White

I'm amazed he brought up Jeff White! I don't remember all that well and maybe someone else can help me here, but we were punished severely for White and and Freo was compensated. Then Freo did exactly the same to us with Farmer and the AFL did nothing (or virtually nothing) as I remember it. They said looking back that they thought that the punishment for White was too strong - but did not compensate us for Farmer or being over-punished for White? Of course we all suspect what they were really doing was helping a fairly new club (can they lie straight in bed?). And there is no ability to reply on the AFL site after this article that I can see.

They don't come to us with clean hands because it's more important for them that the new clubs do well - stuff the team that's been buggered for 3 years.

The heading here should not be "Comment" but "AFL to have MFC bend over AGAIN"

Not sure about punishment - punishment for what exactly?

I hardly remember it at all, but I believe we traded picks 2 & 18 for White.

We'll be lucky to get the same compensation for Scully, as the AFL has set a precedent of nothing earlier than a mid-1st round pick.

Btw people keep saying Scully was a priority pick - he wasn't.

Btw people keep saying Scully was a priority pick - he wasn't.

yeah he was, we were given a 'before 1st round' priority pick. which was #1.. then the 1st round started and coz we finished last we started that round with pick 2

Btw people keep saying Scully was a priority pick - he wasn't.

Yes he was - he was pick 1, priority picks come before the first round, pick 2 was first pick of the first round.

I have posted the following using the "Write something..." box on the AFL's facebook page. I would suggest that as many as possible do the same, in order to get the message across (who cares if it gets bagged by supporters of other clubs):

blah blah blah

The AFL has since posted a response to my comment (see cited topic towards the top of the previous page) inviting comment; it's on the AFL + other part of their Wall on Facebook:

"Here is the article Tim is not happy about: http://afl.to/fY9bXp What do others think? One point that should be made, Tim, is that Jason's views are his own. He wasn't commissioned or pressured by the AFL to write the piece."

Please feel free to go and add your comments to the topic.

Not sure about punishment - punishment for what exactly?

I hardly remember it at all, but I believe we traded picks 2 & 18 for White.

We'll be lucky to get the same compensation for Scully, as the AFL has set a precedent of nothing earlier than a mid-1st round pick.

Yep

White + 22 (Troy Longmuir) for 2 (Brad Ottens) + 18 (Mark Alvey)

Freo traded 2 to Richmond for Chris Bond!

Still keen for an explanation how it's fair that GWS can target Marc Murphy 2005 pick 1, 100 games of development and about to hit his prime but it's unfair that they can target Tom Scully.

Still keen for an explanation how it's fair that GWS can target Marc Murphy 2005 pick 1, 100 games of development and about to hit his prime but it's unfair that they can target Tom Scully.

I'm not going to give it.

I think it's worse.

But 6 years is a couple of contracts I guess and half his footy life...

It would hurt more though. Especially if you haven't won a flag yet.

Yeah, DC. Hysterical is when you see conspiracies around...every...corner...

I've got nothing.

Just playing.

...or when someone tries to cut your lunch, tell you its good for you and tries to be your friend.....

...or when someone tries to cut your lunch, tell you its good for you and tries to be your friend.....

That's just kind of creepy.

A person doing that would be unwelcome if I was sitting there eating my lunch is all I'm saying.

It would be strange...

I have been watching far too much Family Guy.

Starting to talk and post in the manner of some of the characters in the show...

Odd behaviour...

I have been watching far too much Family Guy.

Starting to talk and post in the manner of some of the characters in the show...

Odd behaviour...

How could you watch family guy ? pfft

How could you watch family guy ? pfft

I'm not proud of it. It's a little embarrassing.

Like that time I was upstaged by C3PO while attempting to repair the Millenium Falcon.

"Have you checked the power couples, sir"

"Of course I have"

"Chewy, check the power couples"

"And Chewy, should you be wearing protective gear down there? I mean your pantless and it's got to be dangerous. I mean, I don't know where your 'stuff' is, but unless it's in the middle of our back, you're in for a world of hurt with those sparks flying around everywhere."

Thank you for indulging me, you've been great.