Schwartz doesn't have much connection to the machinations of the club at the moment.

Never the less his statement has me very concerned.

I have kept the faith but the ship has turned.

I think he's gone

I'm devastated

We must retire 31 after this

If I recall correctly, last year when there was debate about Ablett coming or going, his manager ( Liam Pickering) repeatedly said that he had not made up his mind. That was about this time last year.

I reckon that was true. I think his falling out with Bomber Thompson was the catalyst for his move.

Tom has come out and said he has not spoken with anyone, nor signed anything. I believe that.

Why don't his management come out and reaffirm this? Why can't Tom insist that they do?

I'd like the journalists who keep saying Tom Scully has signed and is going to GWS to stand in front of him and tell him he's lying when he says he and/or his management haven't spoken with or signed anything with GWS. Try telling him to his face he's lying.

I'd like the journalists who keep saying Tom Scully has signed and is going to GWS to start naming some sources!! They all have this impeccable totally reliable information yet not one of them can ever name how they know this.

Andy Maher said he had it from impeccable sources on SEN that Scully had already signed. Then on before the game said to Trengove that it is probably all just AFL Scuttlebutt!!! Well which one is is Maher!!! TRUE or BS!!!??? Or is your impeccable source not reliable enough or maybe not correct??? I think you'll find that means it is NOT an impeccable source just another GWS toolbag spreading rumors.

It's going to be very interesting to see this unfold over the coming weeks. The media scrutiny will only intensify.

If Schwartz did know and was told by people of the club then i doubt he would come out say that. Cus if true that would be the last time they every told him anything worth knowing.

There's no reason not to get a deal done with the MFC if he plans to stay.

The constant speculation takes his focus away from his football more than contract negotiations would.

What else is he going to say other than he hasn't spoken with them?

If he came out and said he signed he would be treated like a leper at the club, and probably wouldn't be playing seniors.

Very easy to come out and say at the end he wanted to stay but he couldn't say no to the money on offer.

He's gone, and as Schwarz said, time to turn the attention to compensation!

well if it can be proven he has signed a new contract up North, he should be dropped to Casey for the year.

Otherwise the media should just shut the F@#$%k up!

lets change the thread to compensation

he has been injured n didnt sign, those in the know in eddie, sheahen, schwartz all reckon he is gone

bye tom and what a disappointment

I'm not willing to be swayed by every little comment made by someone in the media.

I'll believe it either way when I see it.

Ignoring these new comments, has anyone been following the saga with Adam Cooney's knee?

It's my understanding that Scully has sustained the same injury.

Any medical types that can shed light on this?

Is this the sort of thing that is now more likely to reoccur in future and drastically curb Scully's career?

The best way for the MFC to retain Scully is to win games of footy, make the final eight, play in a final, and win a final, this year. I know, well beyond schedule etc... However, that journey, more than much else the club could do, would build a bond and expectation between the players that Scully would not be able to walk away from.

It started with the Dons last week, and continues with the Pies tomorrow...

Carn the Dees

One thing that is a counter argument is Dean Baileys comments.

He for one, is not going to go down and pretend that Melbourne still have a chance.

If Schwartz knows Scully has signed, then Dean Bailey is sure to know that he has signed.

Why would DB come out and say he is extremely confident that TS will be at Melbourne for the next 12 years or so, if people at Melbourne knew TS was leaving?

That is the flaw with Schwartz's comments.. If Melbourne knew, we wouldn't play him, would we?

More rumours?

Great.

Still not going to call Tom a liar.

He says he hasn't signed anything, I expect him to sign for Melbourne.

The quicker people start to accept that hes gone the better. Its shattering for everyone but its surely a done deal now. If everyone is willing to risk their credibility by saying he is gone why isnt someone willing to go the other way and say he is staying. That way if he did they gain credibility. Someone like Ox wouldnt want to add fuel to the fire for no reason. He loves the club.

Tom Scully is gone.... He signed a major deal with GWS when he went home, midway through the china trip. Tom Scully is a Liar, it's a done deal....

Tom Scully has sign nothing, you don't know what your talking about you liar!

The quicker people start to accept that hes gone the better. Its shattering for everyone but its surely a done deal now. If everyone is willing to risk their credibility by saying he is gone why isnt someone willing to go the other way and say he is staying. That way if he did they gain credibility. Someone like Ox wouldnt want to add fuel to the fire for no reason. He loves the club.

Listen the other way - DB, JT, Mark Robinson have all said it in the past week that he is staying.

Tom Scully has sign nothing, you don't know what your talking about you liar!

Don't call me a liar!ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!

The quicker people start to accept that hes gone the better. Its shattering for everyone but its surely a done deal now. If everyone is willing to risk their credibility by saying he is gone why isnt someone willing to go the other way and say he is staying. That way if he did they gain credibility. Someone like Ox wouldnt want to add fuel to the fire for no reason. He loves the club.

If you are not strong enough to take a person at their word, that is your problem, not any of ours who still think we are a chance to keep Tom at the Dees.

It's a disgrace and we won't be fairly compensated for him either which adds salkt into the wound. Hawthorn without Cyril, Collingwood without Dale Thomas, StKilda without Goddard. losing scully would be the worst thing to happen to this footy club for a long long time.

I guess it comes down to what we will get for him now?

He is gone, no doubt about it.

Well I think Scully is gone, here are the reasons:

* Key people not emotionally involved in the club such as Schwartz, Andrew Maher, Eddie, Sheahen etc all think he is gone. Regardless of their personalities, they are in the know and in the inner sanctum of footy

* When Campbell Brown didnt sign with Hawthorn when he did his PCL last year he had time to sign and when he didnt it raised my eyebrows. If Scully was keen he would have got it done during his injury time - why not then?

* Some people mention he is waiting for the new CBA. Thats not Toms style or personality and then why has every other superstar signed such as Pendles, Swan, Franklin, Murphy, Gibbs, etc. I don't see Tom as holding out for the sake of the CBA but he could just sign a contract that linked his salary to a % of the new CBA anyhow. The new EBA hasnt stopped other superstars showing their loyalty and those superstars would be more money hungry than Tom

* The only interesting thing is he has come out in public and said he hasn't signed. But if at the end of the year he signs for GWS who will really know if he did sign last year or not? No one will know if he did and no one can call him a liar?

* Bailey will say Scully is stayin to keep the season on track, imagine if he said Tom was gone and the hysteria it would create. What option does he have?

Originally I thought Tom being a local, introverted lad he would stay but now the jungle drums are beating in the other direction and I still find it hard to swallow but I think he is gonesky and the Demons miss out on their first superstar since Flower (Lyon wasnt consistent enough)

Anyhow with all this in mind this thread isn't about Tom going or stayin, its about the compensation. What is the current compensation and can we appeal like the Cats did? Ive heard rumours of a first round pick around late first round but with his high salary can we appeal and ask for sthing better? FFS would Adelaide get sthing similiar to that pick for Taylor Walker? Losing Tom could be shocking but losing him for a late first round pick would be the true injustice, hence this thread

Somebody please explain the rules for compensation, likely outcomes and whether a booming salary that we can appeal? At the end of the day GCS will get 5 years out of Ablett, but GWS will get 12 - 15 years of similiar level from Tom so the compensation must be similiar, surely?????

Look I love Tom think he'll be a superstar and I think he is a true professional.

On the speculation alone, Tom and his management would recognise how it damages his brand and affects the team.

In the same way the speculation increased and affected Ablett and Geelong going to GCS.

The new EBA being a road block in contract negotiations is silly any contract lawyer worth his salt would include

clauses regarding future earnings and changes to EBA in a new contract for Tom.

Tom has no reason not to start negotiating with the club other than he the fact he doesn't see his future being at MFC.

Tom isn't a liar he probably hasn't signed anything with GWS but I think he's done an Ablett and decided he's better off

at GWS.

Would have thought hypotheticals are what forums are all about ie - changes for next week, future leaders etc

Don't understand how you cant see this is a seperate topic and should be discussed seperately than be apart of 15 pages....

The quicker people start to accept that hes gone the better.

Why ?

Brad Green to be on the Sunday Footy Show

Betcha he will say the scripted answer to the TS question

One thing that is a counter argument is Dean Baileys comments.

He for one, is not going to go down and pretend that Melbourne still have a chance.

If Schwartz knows Scully has signed, then Dean Bailey is sure to know that he has signed.

Why would DB come out and say he is extremely confident that TS will be at Melbourne for the next 12 years or so, if people at Melbourne knew TS was leaving?

That is the flaw with Schwartz's comments.. If Melbourne knew, we wouldn't play him, would we?

Because any other response would derail our whole season ala Geelong last season

Best case scenario end of first round.

We will probably get an end of 2nd round.

We deserve like for like.

It's an indictment on the AFL that struggling clubs talent

can be plundered. The clubs which have had sustained success should

of been the ones to offer up talent to the expanding sides.

The AFL have ripped the heart out of the game.

This is the end of loyalty in AFL welcome to the NRL, EPL where

player will be known to be leaving mid season.

As much as I refuse to buy into the rumours and the mind games, I have to say that it would not surprise or shock me to see us get screwed over. Again.

MFCSS is high in what I'm about to say, but here goes...

When you get constantly let down, when you have been accustomed to disappointments and failures, you become almost oblivious to the pain that goes along with it. If you've been treated like crap enough times, it eventually becomes second nature to you.

If Scully leaves I'll be gutted, but I'll get over it, as will the rest of the club and its supporters, because we've been through heartache and disappointment before, and we are still here after 151 years.

I'd rather spend my energy enjoying the development of players that I know are loyal and keen to stay at this club, and worry about those who might have their sights set elsewhere later.