I think we should ALL buy a new MFC footy jumper with the # 31 on the back, and wear it to Round 1 at the 'G

I had so much faith that he would stay, that I already bought one with #31 on the back about 3 weeks ago.

I had so much faith that he would stay, that I already bought one with #31 on the back about 3 weeks ago.

Good Man....I think we the Supporters can say a lot to Tom this year by showing REAL support to him...(and all our team, but 2011 is a big one for Tom...If he stays after a good year, i predict all our guns will stay to do the job....Win that Flag.

I think we should ALL buy a new MFC footy jumper with the # 31 on the back

Rang the Demon Shop this morning and did exactly that! New gurnseys due in at end of march

Someone conspicuously missing from this thread???

America De Call? Where are you??

Maybe you won't die of an ulcer now.

And so much for Eddie's 'Gospel Truth' or 'Impeccable source'....

Hey Eddie, they're coming after Daisy Thomas now....

Rang the Demon Shop this morning and did exactly that! New gurnseys due in at end of march

Cool thanks for that...saved me a trip in there.

I wasn't going to get a number, but after today i think i will, and wear it proudly throughout the MCC Reserve!

I had so much faith that he would stay, that I already bought one with #31 on the back about 3 weeks ago.

I'm still not sure..as Scully said..... "I'd love to say at the end of my career that I was a one-club player"... then Scully, sign the dotted line NOW... all pressure will be off everyone

My reply to this topic...

Good Man....I think we the Supporters can say a lot to Tom this year by showing REAL support to him...

Absolutely. Big cheer when he gets his first kick on Saturday would be a start.

Support the boy(s).

I'm still not sure..as Scully said..... "I'd love to say at the end of my career that I was a one-club player"... then Scully, sign the dotted line NOW... all pressure will be off everyone

Some will never be pleased.

Once again:

It is exactly like Pendlebury said this morning. They are simply waiting to see what the Collective Bargaining and TV Deals bring so they can see if they can get more of the money pie. Smart blokes. Both committed to their respective clubs. Give it a rest now and cheer hard!!!

So. GWS has not approached Scully.

Question is. Why not?

Answer 1. GWS recruitment staff are not doing a good job.

Answer 2. Scully is lying.

Answer 3. GWS does not want any Melbourne player.

Answer 4. GWS has already signed/Close to signing another Demon

Answer 5. Other.

But to me the key point is that, despite these media types insisting on their "impeccable sources" that he's gone already, he (or anybody associated with him) hasn't even been approached by GWS.

Mike Sheehan has miraculously changed his opinion. Scully Interview

I dont think he had quoted any sources, but he was definately very confident before today that he was gone.

Another interesting note. Listening to one radio station today, the interview was summed up quickly giving the impression of Tom still undecided and the grab was of him saying something like ' Still waiting till seasons end ' etc. I felt pretty crap after hearing the news. Once I got home and heard the entire interview, I had a totally new perspective, and was feely good about the whole scenario.

The ppoint being that a lot of media are still going to go with the story and milk it for as much as they can.

And the morale to the story is: Only listen to what comes from the horses mouth.

Additional: Tom Scully is a gun. Go Dee's!!

So. GWS has not approached Scully.

Question is. Why not?

Answer 1. GWS recruitment staff are not doing a good job.

Answer 2. Scully is lying.

Answer 3. GWS does not want any Melbourne player.

Answer 4. GWS has already signed/Close to signing another Demon

Answer 5. Other.

OK everybody should now panic that GWS hasn't approached Scully.

That obviously means it's because they have already signed up Sylvia and also because we have a terrible list and they want nothing to do with us. Also Scully is a liar and GWS are poorly managed.

WTF?!

GWS haven't approached Scully?

Must be because he's a hack. Trengove should've been one.

Far out. He's a good kid, a gun of a player and a member of the might Red and Blue family. Move on people.

I had so much faith that he would stay, that I already bought one with #31 on the back about 3 weeks ago.

My four year old loves tommy. Fave player (along with ronald deeman!) and she wants a jumper with a number. Having experienced much angst (and some good times) with the dees, I have been weighing up whether I go the 31 or not. Well after today, I am going to go for it. Unlike some posters (cough, cough curry and beer) I am not going to convince myself that doom is nigh and there is no chance he will be here next year etc. So I am taking a leap of faith for me and my little girl that us as supporters can trust him and the mfc. Not a decision I would take lightly for that all important first jumper. Tommy we are right behind you and can't wait to watch you this year. She will wear the 31 with pride and hopefully you and the other lads can take us to the promised land and a premiership (I just want one in my lifetime although more would be a bonus!).

So GWS haven't spoken to Scully and yet the rumours were so strong that he'd signed. Gubby Allen is up to his old tricks. GWS would be looking at a handful of players from Melbourne, let's face it we've got aot of talent. They can only have one of them and they've got 2 years to snare them. This year their job is to create as much suspicion and angst as possible and hopefully force some clubs into overpaying a few of their players. What this does is then open the door for them to grab a player next year because the club has overpaid another and left itself unable to adequately compensate all it's players (Think Richmond with Martin). The MFC would be keenly aware of this and for us to keep our list together and continue to add to it we're going to need a player's agreement similiar to Geelong. Their is no way we can pay all our players their open market worth if they develop as we hope. Tim Harrington must wake up in a cold sweat from time to time. Exciting Times!

OK everybody should now panic that GWS hasn't approached Scully.

That obviously means it's because they have already signed up Sylvia and also because we have a terrible list and they want nothing to do with us. Also Scully is a liar and GWS are poorly managed.

WTF?!

Hmmm... clearly i didn't write that clearly enough. I'm not saying all answers are true. Im asking which one of the options do you think is true.

Why wouldn't GWS have approached Scully?

Hmmm... clearly i didn't write that clearly enough. I'm not saying all answers are true. Im asking which one of the options do you think is true.

Why wouldn't GWS have approached Scully?

Good questions UTAH. I'll say Gysberts!

Couple of FACTS to come out of Scullys press conference:

1. He is a class act, clearly a future captain

2. While he didnt say he was staying, he said everything else to hint that he was

3. He has done what Ablett, Brown, Bock, etc didnt do - Hit the media speculation head on and be transparent.

An execllent and succinct summary of the situation Red and Blue. Living in Geelong I have seen the inept way Ablett and management handled this issue last year. This was my greatest fear regarding this potential circus. I can see Cameron Schwab's fingerprints all over this.

Well done to Scully on this aspect. As I said in original post - class act!

Totally agree.

But to me the key point is that, despite these media types insisting on their "impeccable sources" that he's gone already, he (or anybody associated with him) hasn't even been approached by GWS. Not to say they won't at some stage, but they haven't as of today.

The point about Swan, Pendlebury & Thomas is that it's simply going to be impossible for the Filth to keep all three. They will need to put out so much extra to keep the first two that there just won't be enough in the salary cap to keep all three. GWS can just take their time. Thus Eddie's efforts to try to get GWS to overcommit to someone from another club before they start to eye off his boys.

What's disturbing is that so many here were prepared to put their trust in the likes of McGuire & Sheahan, ahead of the senior people at MFC. And to allege all sorts of garbage about Tom in the process.

Good post - it's understandable for many to react negatively when so many journo's (with their "sources") consistently beat the drum that he'd already signed with the Giants. I can honestly say I didn't bite - but was quietly concerned that we didn't hear from Scully himself... until today. While short of signing, it's the closest thing to it (in my mind at least).

An execllent and succinct summary of the situation Red and Blue. Living in Geelong I have seen the inept way Ablett and management handled this issue last year. This was my greatest fear regarding this potential circus. I can see Cameron Schwab's fingerprints all over this.

Well done to Scully on this aspect. As I said in original post - class act!

Also well done the club for organising it. Obviously the relationship is strong between the Club and Tom and both respect and trust each other for the media scrum to go ahead. Maybe the club has taken a few lessons from the past about the need for trust between players and the club if they want them to stay longterm. The rest of the team will be watching this play out and can only be impressed about how they have handled the situation, so far.

Also well done the club for organising it. Obviously the relationship is strong between the Club and Tom and both respect and trust each other for the media scrum to go ahead. Maybe the club has taken a few lessons from the past about the need for trust between players and the club if they want them to stay longterm. The rest of the team will be watching this play out and can only be impressed about how they have handled the situation, so far.

In line with that and i preface this with saying there is still one hell of a long way to go BUT......

All the successful clubs ooze class and professionalism not only on the field but off it. I can't help but have that same feeling about Melbourne...the on field stuff will come but this stuff in the interim is what "building towards a premiership" is all about!!!

My four year old loves tommy. Fave player (along with ronald deeman!) and she wants a jumper with a number. Having experienced much angst (and some good times) with the dees, I have been weighing up whether I go the 31 or not. Well after today, I am going to go for it. Unlike some posters (cough, cough curry and beer) I am not going to convince myself that doom is nigh and there is no chance he will be here next year etc. So I am taking a leap of faith for me and my little girl that us as supporters can trust him and the mfc. Not a decision I would take lightly for that all important first jumper. Tommy we are right behind you and can't wait to watch you this year. She will wear the 31 with pride and hopefully you and the other lads can take us to the promised land and a premiership (I just want one in my lifetime although more would be a bonus!).

Good man because

SCULLY IS NOT GOING ANYWHERE.

The most common response to Sculls interview today was how mature, professional and level headed he is. Terrific stuff from a young fella. I have to say this maturity is in complete contrast to the hysterical comment/vibe that has permeated most (but not all thankfully) of the posts on Demonland to do with the TSS (Tom Scully Saga). Please demonlanders get a grip, lets focus on the year ahead and take a leaf from the young mans' book and focus on the task at hand. TS will come out tommorow and go about his business and start the build towards another season of footy. Lets do the same and start focusing on the team not the individual

Hmmm... clearly i didn't write that clearly enough. I'm not saying all answers are true. Im asking which one of the options do you think is true.

Why wouldn't GWS have approached Scully?

Would have thought it was pretty obvious! It just makes no logical sense for them to pursue Scully or someone like him.

GWS have more than their fair share of young guns. Why on earth would they need to spend heaps on one more young gun who's just a year or two older? They're going to have enough trouble in the years ahead holding onto the young guns they've got - if they want to keep those guys, the last thing they'd want to do is to spend several hundred thou a year on someone at a similar stage in their career.

Any competent recruiter or list manager will be looking to spend big on more established "top-20" players in their low-to-mid 20s ready to step up into a leadership role. Such as ... oh, I don't know, guys who would fit the bill perfectly are Dane Swan, or Pendlebury, or Daisy Thomas maybe.

Frankly, we just don't have enough likely players in that bracket, the one exception being Col Sylvia. But I don't think he really fits the bill from the leadership angle. Perhaps if someone like Bate or Warnock struggles to get a game, that's the sort of player they might look for at a lower level, but our bunch of players in that age range just aren't what they'd be chasing.

There's really no mystery about it.

FWIW, I think Gold Coast did an excellent job of picking up exactly the sort of players they need to complement their young guns. GWS would do well to follow their example.