Yes, I work in Gordon (the old Sun building) and live in the Inner West... still has the word "west" associated with it, so I suppose according to some here, I'm a slum dweller :-)

I'm in the Northern Suburbs and as for the inner west, went to school there, and would love to live in Balmain if I had the money....

Horrible, horrible place!!!

Looking at the Sheedy quote, I wouldn't think his confidence is particularly high re Scully signing on...

"GWS coach Kevin Sheedy was confident his club would boast a strong midfield, even if Scully decides to stay with the Demons.

"We've got four or five boys (midfielders) training already that are very capable of playing league footy next year," Sheedy said.

"All of a sudden you're looking at about a dozen players in the midfield. If he's one of them, then so be it."

To sum up 8 gazillion posts

Is this whole issue a game everyone is playing or not.

If anything, they perpetuate the claims, with their sad self-deprecation...

I'm in the Northern Suburbs and as for the inner west, went to school there, and would love to live in Balmain if I had the money....

Horrible, horrible place!!!

Yes, Balmain... what a slum!! Well, we live in Dulwich Hill in a humpy situated on a garbage tip where I get my kids to forage for scrap metal and other items that can be sold, so that we can afford bucket loads of KFC and Maccas; what hope do we have of living the "westie" dream if the kids can't attain pre-pubescent obesity?

To sum up 8 gazillion posts

Is this whole issue a game everyone is playing or not.

Apparently it's a conspiracy that everyone is in on and lying about that only idiots like me can't see.

You are right it would change anything and it wont make the AFL flinch on their next move.

Meek? I d rather the Club did not waste scare resources disappearing up blind alleys.

There are better ways to unite the Club but you will still have the entrenched posse of pessimists who mystreriously see themselves in the vanguard of positive action by continually claiming the Club is weak, meek, crap and has been so for 50 years.

So on your advise I should just sit here, say nothing, do nothing and be happy with being shat on?

Sorry I have done that for way too long.

Let's get a grip people. Yes, we are all passionate about this club and want Scully to stay (most of us). We also want to be compensated adequetly should he decide to leave (or when he actually admits it, as some would argue). At the end of the day though, there really are far more important issues in the world. In fact, the time and energy many of us have spent discussing whether this kid will leave or not (me included) could be best be spent elsewhere.

How good Tom becomes and whether his knee holds up is anybodies guess. None of us can see into the future. So even if he does go, it may not end up being as massive a blow as we think it will. Only time will tell.

I hope the official announcement comes soon, mainly to help end this madness.

Apparently it's a conspiracy that everyone is in on and lying about that only idiots like me can't see.

I have zero idea so I am apparently actively choosing to be an idiot.

So on your advise I should just sit here, say nothing, do nothing and be happy with being shat on?

Sorry I have done that for way too long.

I wrote Tommy a nice little speech to help him out when he gets around to announcing his new contract with the Dees. I'm sure there's heaps we can do!

I hope the official announcement comes soon, mainly to help end this madness.

Surely there will be an announcement tomorrow?

That won't happen, unless we hypothetically got pick 4. If we don't GC offers pick 4 to GWS which trumps us and gets pick 1 in under 17 mini draft aka OMeara.

I don't think GWS will be interested in pick 4.

Compo picks for next year will be worth more to them, due to the strength and depth of that draft, and staggering the ages of their talent (albeit slightly).

Disagree that Demetriou & co are to blame.

Yes they set the rules and have given GWS a lot of incentives to lure players. But in the end it is the player that makes the decision whether to or not based on circumstances.

Saying Demetriou & co are to blame is like saying steve jobs is to blame for you having an expensive phone bill. Yes people set the rules and the "incentives", but at the end of the day it is the individual that makes the decision and choice.

All in all, if someone offered me up to 5x what I currently get paid, to do what I do now for 5 years and all I'd have to do is move to Sydney...I'm fairly sure I can deal with the "pain" of living in Sydney.

The AFL have created this situation, do u think without the expansion teams the ridiculous pay offers would be on offer?

Not all of Sydney is automatically evil,

We'll have to agree to disagree there Queen C, although I have to confess there are two nice places near by.

Only 6 hours south there's a lovely town called Merimbula and about 9 hours north a delightful place called Byron Bay!

I know it wont happen, but I think that any club would give up pick 1 to get Scully. With that in mind, that is what I think we should get.

Even though he is staying anyway, so it doesn't matter.

GWS said yesterday they wanted to stagger the release of new signings.That being the case,i'm tipping Monday to be the day Tom is unveiled as the GWS marquee signing,regaining the AFL focus after a weekend of 4 great finals and maximise newspaper exposure in Sydney,that's how i'd do it.It's been nearly 2 weeks since Tom's last game,he'd know by now.

If Tom played his whole career with us,he'd earn 8-10 $Million excluding endorsements,it's not as if he plays his last game and can't earn any money after retirement.Cameron Ling owns/part owns 3 pubs in Geelong and is set up for life,Mark Ricciuto the same in Adelaide.Tom could do the same,maybe Gary Lyon should offer to partner with Tom in a few pubs/businesses,at least Tommy wouldn't drink the profits.

If Tom invests his money properly,he'll make more money after football in the next 40 years of his life.I invested wisely a few years ago in a Sovereign Islands home on the Gold Coast,see pic.It's since doubled in price.

Stay with the Demons Tom and invest wisely and you'll make more than you'll ever be able to spend.

Sorry mate, spent 15 years of my life living in Frankston and know what it's like when your home town cops a unwarranted spray. Was just looking for a town well known. Moe seems to cop a lot of the wripple effect from Morwell from what I hear.

Well I spent the first 11 years of my life living there mate and was thrilled when the family moved. Spent a weekend in Sydney for the first time since back in 2005 and had forgotten how much I dislike the place. No competition between the two cities and surrounding suburbs IMO.

Frankston gets an unwarranted spray? Is the council still playing classical music in public areas to get the junkies to move on?

Frankston gets an unwarranted spray? Is the council still playing classical music in public areas to get the junkies to move on?

Haven't been back in awhile so can't confirm either way sorry. I know they opened a mini police station (a few uniform members were station there, only open certain hours) on Young st which is where a lot of the junkies were hanging. Apparently it's been reasonably succesful.

On the topic of certain areas having a bad rep, I work with department of justice and have been based out at Frankston, Dandenong & Melbourne dealing with the crims on a daily basis.

Can easily say, and I've even seen the stats that not only is there less crime in Frankston then the other areas (lower population I know) but the seriousness of the offences are far less serious at Frankston compared to the other areas.

I don't think GWS will be interested in pick 4.

Compo picks for next year will be worth more to them, due to the strength and depth of that draft, and staggering the ages of their talent (albeit slightly).

Good point, to expand of what Gareth is saying if anyone doesn't understand it:

If they get pick 4 then they really are picking the 4th best player, and with pick 1-3,5,7,9 etc they might get all the players they want anyway. Look at GC and how they structured their top picks last year to get a good mix (although that might have been what they considered best available).

Our (hopefully) 2 compensation picks are linked to our ladder finish I believe. Obviously the one after the first round is better to be saved for a couple of years time when it will be worth pick 19ish. The one after our first pick could be worth something like pick 6-12 next year and presuming GWS have the number 1 pick that year (after finishing bottom) it might be very nice to have a high-mid first round pick in a much stronger draft than pick 4 in a weak draft as well as having pick 1,2,3,5,7,9.

To be fair, any club would've given pick 1 plus something for Ablett last year too. The system is inherently unfair as it is not left to market forces to decide the players value. Best case will be the same as what Geelong got for Ablett.

"Compensation picks will be tradeable and can be used by clubs at any time within five years covering the period 2011 to 2015. First round compensation picks can not be until the 2012 draft onwards. Clubs will be required to nominate the year in which they plan to use the compensation pick before the first round of the Toyota AFL season in that particular year.

As per the rules with Gold Coast, the compensatory pick would be assessed around the player’s age (greater weighting for younger players- ), club contract ranking (greater weighting for club key players), on field performance (greater weighting for strong club best and fairest performance) and draft position if less than four years experience.

This ranking system will then determine if a club is eligible for a compensatory pick in one of five spots -- first round pick, end of first round pick, second round pick, end of second round pick or third round pick. Under the model, the round one, round two or round three picks would be taken immediately after the pick the club already has in that round in the draft that year."

In my opinion, based on scully being a lot younger than ablett, and being a number 1 pick- (don't know where geelong took him father son), i reckon we'll be getting pick 13 (pick immediately after our first round pick), and an end of first round pick.

of course that's if he goes.....!

I should add by way of clarification that I don't know either way which way the decision will fall but I think it's time for all AFL supporters to combat the AFL's stand over tactics.

I have no issue with a new franchise but the rules giving them clear unfettered access to recruit 20 and 21 year olds like Davis, Ward and possibly Scully is an attack on the integrity of the game.

So on your advise I should just sit here, say nothing, do nothing and be happy with being shat on?

Sorry I have done that for way too long.

Don't rock the boat old dee it's been travelling well for the last few years. Things are looking up; we are about to lose our number 1 draft pick, probably Football Manager, maybe CEO, we've lost our coach, the future of all the assistants is in doubt, we've had to enlist an ex player to find us a coach and sort out the mess we are apparently not in; what more could you ask for?

Did I mention we don't have a leadership group worth a pinch and our Captain only got games this year because he was our captain. our Vice Captain also had a bit of a problem getting on the park as well, not the one who was dropped because he had a drinking problem, the other one.

what...not another Scully thread.. thought we werent doing that

I can see it happening in around 24 hours ...

We lose a first draft pick after investing two years into him and in return ... we'll get bubkes (aka bugger all).

Thanks Demetriou.

You just had a 'Yahtzee!' moment didn't you WJ.

I should change my profile pic to Mike Williamson because .... I tipped this!

I should add by way of clarification that I don't know either way which way the decision will fall but I think it's time for all AFL supporters to combat the AFL's stand over tactics.

I have no issue with a new franchise but the rules giving them clear unfettered access to recruit 20 and 21 year olds like Davis, Ward and possibly Scully is an attack on the integrity of the game.

A lot of this is just plain old bad timing. To deal in hypotheticals a little, which is quite reasonable on this site:

• If we were in a stronger postion for the last 5 years, we wouldn't be having this conversation or caring much about it
  
• How frequently will new franchises be added to the AFL in the future? Too bad GC and GWS fell right in the middle of us being really bad and
  
• We did in fact get TS and JT out of that draft so while it's going to be disappointing, we still have done very well.
  Build that bridge people.