If, by some miraculous turn of events, he decides to stay; I think he will have to pay to win back the respect and repay the faith of EVERY stakeholder at the club, a la: "ok MFC, you guys have had faith in me, I have stuffed you around all season. This decision probably has weighed on the playing group in matches throughout 2011. No one thinks I am worth what I have been offered, even the smaller offer from you. But, as an olive branch, I will accept from the MFC a contract reduced to two thirds of what you offered to help win back some good will with fans and repay your faith and patience."

That will go a long way to winning back fans. Accepting our offer as it allegedly stands (and as remote a chance that is) will cause much angst from fans toward him AND the club.

Stupid comment! He won't have to work to win back me or many others on here. Only those who, for some strange reason, feel they have been wronged by a 20 yr old making the biggest decision of his life.

If, by some miraculous turn of events, he decides to stay; I think he will have to pay to win back the respect and repay the faith of EVERY stakeholder at the club, a la: "ok MFC, you guys have had faith in me, I have stuffed you around all season. This decision probably has weighed on the playing group in matches throughout 2011. No one thinks I am worth what I have been offered, even the smaller offer from you. But, as an olive branch, I will accept from the MFC a contract reduced to two thirds of what you offered to help win back some good will with fans and repay your faith and patience."

That will go a long way to winning back fans. Accepting our offer as it allegedly stands (and as remote a chance that is) will cause much angst from fans toward him AND the club.

The fact that nobody thinks he's worth what he's been offered is just another side effect of this whole thing. Unless anyone's seen the offer first hand, the only numbers we know are the fictional ones coming out of the papers.

We don't have a clue what he's been offered, so let's stop pretending we do.

Stupid comment! He won't have to work to win back me or many others on here. Only those who, for some strange reason, feel they have been wronged by a 20 yr old making the biggest decision of his life.

Agreed. I'm for Scully to lose, not for him to win.

Is the consensus view that the only thread holding Tom back from taking the GWS cash is the prospect of the MFC getting an A-grade experienced coach?

Assuming Tom wants an experienced coach, the choices and timings are:

• Ross Lyon - next week (if Saints lose)
  
• Mark Thompson - next week (if Dons lose)
  
• Mick Malthouse - in at least a couple of weeks...
  

Would the TS decision be delayed a month if it's MM?

Fair enough for Tom to want to know before he signs on...

I would presume that if he re-signs, the club already knows who the coach will be, and therefore so does Tom. I couldn't imagine them letting it roll on past next week.

Perhaps, perversely, the process of trying to woo Tom to stay has forced the MFC to address issues in the FD faster than we may have otherwise done...

So even if we ultimately fail to keep him we will still gain from this excruciating process.

The possible scenarios we are on are:

1. Tom's gonna take the cash. With GWS holding back the announcement till the right media moment arrives (early next week)

2. Tom's open to staying if some stuff is sorted (i.e. coach,... ). Which means we must wait till the coach has signed on before Tom will...

The longer we wait the more likely scenario 2 is the one we're on.

Is the consensus view that the only thread holding Tom back from taking the GWS cash is the prospect of the MFC getting an A-grade experienced coach?

Assuming Tom wants an experienced coach, the choices and timings are:

• Ross Lyon - next week (if Saints lose)
  
• Mark Thompson - next week (if Dons lose)
  
• Mick Malthouse - in at least a couple of weeks...
  

Would the TS decision be delayed a month if it's MM?

Fair enough for Tom to want to know before he signs on...

I reckon it would definately be a factor.

Number one would have to be Ross Lyon in my eyes.

I don't think Bomber will be shifted from his postion at Essendon after one year and all of his other commitments outside of footy!

At what stage would GWS withdraw the offer, they have decisions to make on next year also!

Such an appropriate article for the current times:

Speculation Treads The Bull Dust Highway

The world doesn't work that way.

I agree - and it won't happen. It is kind of my way of saying ... just go, better for all of us.

The fact that nobody thinks he's worth what he's been offered is just another side effect of this whole thing. Unless anyone's seen the offer first hand, the only numbers we know are the fictional ones coming out of the papers.

We don't have a clue what he's been offered, so let's stop pretending we do.

Read the word "Allegedly". But let's be honest ... anyone's best guess is not going to be out by more than 100K.

Agreed. I'm for Scully to lose, not for him to win.

I'm for MFC to win. If MFC wins and he does too, great. In my opinion, him signing with us, contingent on what is alleged and what we know, he is the only one that will win.

Such an appropriate article for the current times:

Speculation Treads The Bull Dust Highway

I especially liked this bit...

Thus it becomes apparent that what we need in future is for such players and coaches to announce their ultimate decision months, if not years, earlier than is currently the case, if necessary before they've even made the decision.

If this information is of such importance to the media and public, the needs of the many must supersede the needs of the individual. Or to put it another way, this would spare us months of interminable bull-poo

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/speculation-treads-bulldust-highway-20110909-1k1y5.html#ixzz1XVRZ5sSx

I'm for MFC to win. If MFC wins and he does too, great. In my opinion, him signing with us, contingent on what is alleged and what we know, he is the only one that will win.

You misread what he said.

He is saying that Tom doesn't have to win his favour from here on in, he hasn't lost his favour.

And that Tom can only lose that favour with a poor decision in the next few days.

Stupid comment! He won't have to work to win back me or many others on here. Only those who, for some strange reason, feel they have been wronged by a 20 yr old making the biggest decision of his life.

+100

Stupid comment! He won't have to work to win back me or many others on here. Only those who, for some strange reason, feel they have been wronged by a 20 yr old making the biggest decision of his life.

Not about being wronged by Scully, purely about the MFC winning in this deal too. I don't care if its Scully we are talking about or any other player. I want my club to get at least equal benefit in any deal.

I posit that this whole situation with Scully has left a sour taste in many mouths. Even some apologists out there.

Perhaps, perversely, the process of trying to woo Tom to stay has forced the MFC to address issues in the FD faster than we may have otherwise done...

So even if we ultimately fail to keep him we will still gain from this excruciating process.

The possible scenarios we are on are:

1. Tom's gonna take the cash. With GWS holding back the announcement till the right media moment arrives (early next week)

2. Tom's open to staying if some stuff is sorted (i.e. coach,... ). Which means we must wait till the coach has signed on before Tom will...

The longer we wait the more likely scenario 2 is the one we're on.

Seriously, this is getting ridiculous. Scully's only one player on the list.

We need to get a damn good coach, not to appease Tom, but to take this club to the next level. It's that simple. We also have loads of other good players on the list to appease, not to forget the supporters. If we were to land Malthouse, it would be the biggest and most positive addition to this club in generations. The need for that is far beyond whether it will ultimately convince Scully to stay or not.

I hope we retain Scully, essentially because I fear the compensation we get won't be as good as a modern day number one draft pick will most likely turn out to be.

Changed my tune here a little, but given that the season's over and any damage caused by his delay has now been done, I think it will be really good for the club if he checks out the GWS offer and then commits to the Dees. Also, pick 9 and a late first round pick, to my mind, are not adequate compensation for the number one draft pick in a good draft.

You misread what he said.

He is saying that Tom doesn't have to win his favour from here on in, he hasn't lost his favour.

And that Tom can only lose that favour with a poor decision in the next few days.

Possibly.

But that is on the premise that leaving for GWS is the poor decision.

Not about being wronged by Scully, purely about the MFC winning in this deal too. I don't care if its Scully we are talking about or any other player. I want my club to get at least equal benefit in any deal.

I posit that this whole situation with Scully has left a sour taste in many mouths. Even some apologists out there.

I can't disagree with this sentiment, although the sour taste in my mouth doesn't taste like Tom Scully, it has that distinct rotten flavour of a Sheedy, Allen, Anderson, Silvagni, Demetriou, Lynch soup. Tastes disgusting! I would hold no gripe against GWS if they went about their business in a professional way like GC did last year, or against the AFL expansionism if it wasn't so heavily favoured towards GWS at the expense of all the other clubs. What makes it even worse is that it is coming at the expense of my club, a club with a longer history than all of them, a club who has struggled for sooo long, and now when on the cusp of potentially reaching a sustained period of success, the corruption of this whole goddam system is threatening to derail this. That is not to say that we won't make it, because one player does not a team make, but it sure as hell doesn't help. But I still can see no reason to lump TS with the burden of guilt for the sins of others. He is, after all, no Jesus Christ.

We need to get a damn good coach, not to appease Tom, but to take this club to the next level.

I think the point about the coach has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with the club trying to appease Tom with the next appointment. It is simply that it is probably a factor of consideration in his weighing up the pros and cons of the situation. That is all. If I were him, I would absolutely be wanting to know who was going to coach me if I stayed, and can't see how it is an unreasonable thing for him to consider. In no way is anyone suggesting that it is the club appeasing Tom. Surely it's a reasonable belief that it could alter ones decision if one club had that madman Sheedy and the other club had the other madman MM, or RL for that matter.

I never thought it was possible......

But a least a dozen guys on this thread could get blood out of a stone

Sheeeesh guys give it a rest.......only a few more sleeps

I never thought it was possible......

But a least a dozen guys on this thread could get blood out of a stone

Sheeeesh guys give it a rest.......only a few more sleeps

Yep, you're right. For what it's worth, on Monday I think we will all be discussing who to draft with our two additional first round picks.

And if that happens, what a gigantic waste of our first pick.

Also, pick 9 and a late first round pick, to my mind, are not adequate compensation for the number one draft pick in a good draft.

I'd agree ... but equally, having 3 picks in the first round, albeit in 2012, is not to be sneezed at. Scully is, or probably will be, the better player by far, even a future megastar. If he gets there. It'll only take a bad kneed injury, a year out of footy and a loss of a yard or two to change all that. And you only have to look at Hawthorn last night - if you can get on top of one or two of their big stars, they don't look half the team.

For me, I don't know that I wouldn't mind that we spread it round a bit, rather than having all our eggs in the Scully basket. We could have a gem or two with the picks we get.

Hope he stays of course ...

A multi million dollar endeavour of starting up GWS will not be allowed to fail Scully for all

Intents and purposes is gone the rest just window dressing. The reasons are obvious.

An AFL commission that manufacturers a gap where HOA can be offered informed start up clubs of the loophole.

Off the back of all the fantastic speculation and publicity the GWS/Scully situation has reflected exactly the Ablett/GC perfectly.

The announcement will be given it's own week to milk every possible amount of exposure.

Tuesday - announcement made of Scully leaving allowing Monday for the dust of first week of finals to settle.

Wednesday - reasons for leaving press conference. Sheedy smug in his hubris.

Thursday - The wash up MFC supporter backlash compo demanded AFL smug in their hubris.

this has been entirely manufactured the AFL allowed loopholes in it's own laws that fundamentally prevent clubs poaching from each

Other. Just hope that were not Dudded on compensation by rights we should get like for like.

Than finally focus can turn to the most important preseason.

I would presume that if he re-signs, the club already knows who the coach will be, and therefore so does Tom. I couldn't imagine them letting it roll on past next week.

I just cant believe that a player would commit to a club pending a coach! If this was the case we would have not resigned anyone!

A multi million dollar endeavour of starting up GWS will not be allowed to fail. Scully for all

Intents and purposes is gone. The rest just window dressing. The reasons are obvious.

An AFL commission that manufactures a gap where HOA can be offered informed start up clubs of the loophole.

Off the back of the fantastic publicity speculation has caused GWS/Scully has reflected exactly the Ablett/GC perfectly.

Not actually sure what you're trying to say with this sentence, so I can't do much to fix it.

The announcement will be given it's own week to milk every possible amount of exposure.

Tuesday - announcement made of Scully leaving allowing Monday for the dust of first week of finals to settle.

Wednesday - reasons for leaving press conference. Sheddy smug in his hubris.

Thursday - The wash up MFC supporter backlash compo demanded AFL smug in their hubris.

this has been entirely manufactured the AFL allowed loopholes in it's own laws that fundamentally prevent clubs poaching from each

Other. Just hope that were not Dudded on compensation by rights we should get like for like. I actually agree with this statement. Should Tom leave, the only fair compensation would be another no. 1 pick, but that just won't happen.

Than finally focus can turn to the most important preseason.

Grammar dude! It's not the mother of one of your parents!

Aside from the grammatical Chaos, I once again will say that until there is a signature on a contract, Scully is not gone. He is in fact a rather nice representation of Schrodingers Cat. He is in a state of flux in which he has the potential to be either a Melbourne or a GWS player. Until such time as the contract is signed he remains in this state. We might also view his career as analogous to the cat, perhaps even more aptly. Only when the contract is signed will we know whether Tom's career is alive or dead.

Thank god there's a teacher here to edit what fix did you make on your post for the edit genius