So who do we believe, people?

The kid?

Or the unnamed, impeccable sources that have no agenda?

"98% sure" is an expression of speculation. In other words, he is speculating because he has heard something. If he was "sure", then he would be "sure". In other words,100%. I read the Ox's comments as more hearsay.

This. If the Ox's source was impeccable, then by definition that source would have faultless knowledge that TS has signed with GWS. There would be no reason for Ox to pull some arbitrary % out of his backside to satisfy the oafs he 'entertains' us with on Ch 7. If he was sure, he'd be sure. But he's not. Fully agree with this post.

But fark me, I couldn't bear losing this kid. It's unfathomable that there is enough money in the world to persuade anyone to play out at Blacktown- I mean, is there ANYTHING there? And I'd imagine looking that big 6'8" Irishman in the eye and lying that you haven't signed was be a fairly difficult task for anyone, let alone a 20-year-old kid.

I don't believe he has signed.

That's not to say he won't. But it's bad management, bordering on negligent, to sign a contract, or a memorandum of understanding, or anything, this early. Unless it's with Melbourne. No need to sign with GWS now. Hold out, make them get nervous, make us get nervous, up go the offers.

He has no benefit to signing now with GWS. If he wants to go there, he will wait till the end of the year to do it. If he wants to stay with us, he will sign when the offers are right, or when his management think the timing is best, or when he actually makes his mind up, which he probably hasn't done yet.

All in all, I don't believe for a second he has signed anything.

Any kids want to send him their pcoket money?

I'll take the word of Dean, Jim and Tom himself.

Anyone read Goddard's statements:

"I'm out of contract at the end of next year so in terms of that, we haven't gone down that path yet," Goddard said.

"In the position I'm in at the moment, I can't look any further than next week," he added, before flagging the possibility of a move.

"For me personally, I'm as loyal as they come but at some stage players are going to start thinking about their future and life after football is a lot longer than life in it," he said.

"I believe I've given everything I can to this footy club and they've given back to me as well."

To me that sounds much more worrying and left the door much more open than scully ever did with his statement.

It makes sense a player who's played at AFL for 9 years would want to get the huge contract to finish his career and set him up for life (think Ablett), it still doesn't make sense to me for a young kid in his second season of footy with a lot to prove.

Just out of interest what is the record for the most replies to a post on D'land? We are up to 15pages at the mo (even if it is a combined thread) thats got to be close.

The most replies was another thread about Scully that was closed.

Just out of interest, does anyone think schwarz has better sources than top footy journos?

It's just that no one other than ox or Eddie have made such an unequivocal statement and not than walked it back a lot I.e. Sheehan.

I don't buy that ox talked to gws top brass or sheeds and they pinky promised him they were telling the truth...I mean it's the footy world , it's not very big, everyone talks to the same people.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/scully-going-to-gws-schwarz-20110612-1fz63.html

Either he's signed with GWS or Schwarta is 'taking one for the team' and assisting with a strategy of heaping pressure on Scully to make a decision now.

If it's the latter, well that's entirely understandable in my view. The MFC will face the likely situation where Tom's management will drop the "Tom wants to stay but he got offered a gazillion by GWS" card. We will then have to ante up a substantial counter offer to retain him, which he may or may not accept. There is no other reason for Tom not to sign now other than this.

It's not a good scenario for Melbourne and it has the added negative that we can't be seen to be officially lobbying the AFL for compensation. That would be an admission that we are not confident in retaining the player, putting us in a catch 22.

My take on it is that the club are going to play hardball on Scully's contract and not bow to any pressure by his management to drive the price up on them. They see the writing on the GWS wall and have taken the view that they are prepared to lose the player rather than pay substantial overs for him and risk salary cap pressures further down the track.

The question of compensation then becomes paramount. Expect more Ox-like grenades about Tom Scully and articles on just this subject in the coming days and weeks.

It's a high-stakes poker game being played out in the public arena. That's unfortunate when there should be other, more positive stories being written about the MFC over the course of the rest of the seaon.

Gotta tip your hat to Marc Murphy for not allowing this to happen at the Blues.

The most replies was another thread about Scully that was closed.

THAT'S ME!!!! Hey I started that thread. Surely I'm due for a prize here. Maybe even a discount on my annual Demonland membership!!

As for Schwartz, 'The Age' says his sources are within the MFC. I'm not sure if Schwartz actually revealed his sources.

[Melbourne] see the writing on the GWS wall and have taken the view that they are prepared to lose the player rather than pay substantial overs for him and risk salary cap pressures further down the track.

The question of compensation then becomes paramount. Expect more Ox-like grenades about Tom Scully and articles on just this subject in the coming days and weeks.

It's a high-stakes poker game being played out in the public arena. That's unfortunate when there should be other, more positive stories being written about the MFC over the course of the rest of the season.

RR, your compensation/poker game comment is a fair point. Garry Lyon's "Scully could be as good as Judd" comment is part of the same strategy to ramp up Scully's compensation value.

As shattered as i am to say this, it's time for MFC supporters to cut him lose .... the enuendo is damaging the MFC and it's supporters.

As shattered as i am to say this, it's time for MFC supporters to cut him lose .... the enuendo is damaging the MFC and it's supporters.

Great, great call. Brilliant. Insightful, well-thought out, no-doubt backed up by a mirage of facts. Fantastic. Thank you.

I suggest when he gets the ball, we all turn our backs from him. That way he can know for sure that he's made the right choice if indeed has has decided to leave, and if he hasn't he'll know for sure that he should because a few articles about his contract are damaging MFC's supporters...somehow.

Great, great call. Brilliant. Insightful, well-thought out, no-doubt backed up by a mirage of facts. Fantastic. Thank you.

Thanks

RR, your compensation/poker game comment is a fair point. Garry Lyon's "Scully could be as good as Judd" comment is part of the same strategy to ramp up Scully's compensation value.

I have not commented on any thread about Scully leaving at least I cant remember commenting, something to do with Old Age

The reason I havent commented is that there is little I can do about keeping young Tom at the MFC

That will be Toms own decision and that will be a decision we as supporteres can only wait to see.

What the decision Tom takes will be a true sign of this kids Character. It will also be a decision he has to live with for the rest his life

If it is to stay with the MFC that will show it is not just about money for young Tom and to me that would be the most pleasing aspect to come out of this whole affair.

In other words the Kid as we all know is already so dedicated to his Football that he would then bleed RED & BLUE for the rest of his career

However if he chooses GWS that is his choice and it will be purely a monetary choice and for that I would not fault him either ,but with that decision it would show he was not ment to be at the MFC.

Whatever the decison he makes we all just have to wait and see

Regardless of whatever that decison is the MFC will also continue .

So everyone just needs to sit back relax enjoy the game today and stop fretting about young Tom.

What Will Be Will Be

Its certainly out of our hands thats for sure.

It goes on and on....

My impression is that Tom Scully is a very impressive young man. In fact I would be very proud to call him my son. My son who is 13 now, knows that he can get away with a fair bit, but that his integrity (ie not lying) is not negotiable.

If Scully was lying when he stood in front of the media earlier this year then he clearly isn't the impressive young fellow we all thought he was, and well he can just leave, and we will a premiership with the rest of the fine young men we have at our club.

So I believe Tom at face value on what he has said earlier this year.

he is gone and im starting to get not happy about it

in some ways atm its hurting to watch him play

As shattered as i am to say this, it's time for MFC supporters to cut him lose .... the enuendo is damaging the MFC and it's supporters.

Extremely well stated- he will do -whatever he does. But life and the MFC will still go on..

However, if he does go- just hope we get well compensated.

if he does go - just hope we get well compensated.

We'll be lucky to get a pick as high as the teens. Probably get a pick somewhere between 17 and 25.

I think everyone should watch his presser. Who do you believe? Tom or Schwarz. I know who I believe.

Tom's a Demon and he'll stay a Demon until well after we've won our Premierships.

Could you imagine playing alongside Trengove, Gysberts, Mckenzie, Watts, Jurrah and a host of other talented youngsters at the MCG.

Personally you couldn't offer me enough to pack up and play in shitsville for choco and sheeds.

No amount of money would soften the pain of watching your mates win several Premierships.

Now, off to the G to watch the awesome foursome take it up to the pies.

Someone quotes this on another site and I thought it was worth re reading again.

From the press conference;

"I love the club, I love my teammates and I want to be part of the future going ahead at the Melbourne Football Club. I'm sure my teammates have full trust in me." etc....

Best contribution to this thread.

As for Ox, I vaguely remember that the great personal crisis, a profound and addictive weakness in fact, which he has had to face in life stems from a propensity to make very poor prognostications. No doubt he felt '98% sure' just about every time he laid down the cash. The fact it's being given pride of place in the tabloid online version of The Age today, alongside all the other celebrity guff and idle speculation, just tells you everything you need to know about the MSM, where fantasy has become more real for the bewildered herd than reality. The mere fact that a well-known 'footy identity' has made an unsupported prediction reported widely in the MSM means it must be right.

That so many people can believe so readily that money is the only motivation, one which no one in his right mind would pass by, and a genuine and blame-free one which would leave an individual untarnished after what he has said so explicitly, tells us about the values of our society. Some may rise above this almost universal cynicism.

Cam Schwabb was great on SEN this morning.

Basically said it was all business as usual.

i doubt the club will let Tom go without a solid fight.. B)

I also heard OX on SEN this morning he still maintains that he is 98% sure Scully has signed something with GWS,the only reason he is not 100% sure is because he hasn't seen the signed contract,he also said that he has 4 very reliable sources (not 1,but 4) saying Tom is gone.He also said that his source had told Kevin Bartlet the same thing to which Kevin just replied Umm yes.I am much more likely to believe a champion and very loyal long term player of the MFC rather than a kid that is holding the footy club to ransom,if he was staying he would have signed by now like players from other clubs have.I didn't get any comfort from his press conference,he said nothing to change my mind that he will be gone,much like the Dale Thomas press conference.I think they will be playing together at GWS next year.Oh,and to call OX a liar because he had a gambling adduction is a joke.Wake up and smell the GWS rose,TOM is gone and a lot of people in the media and footy world know it