You can't just assume he is leaving because he is going up to look at the facilities though. Would you buy a house without first inspecting it? I was just forwarding information that he is heading up today to check it out.

I'm still a believer... and trust what he has said about deciding post-season on his contract situation. I'm 50-50 about him staying though.

PRO staying:

- Health pending, he will be a superstar. I'm in no doubt about that. People forget that he has had a massively interrupted season. Even the greats like Carey, Voss, and Lockett struggled at various stages of their careers when returning from injury/or under an injury cloud.

- The compensation is not good enough. He is a #1 draft pick, so why do we not receive a #1 pick in return?

CON staying:

- My biggest concern is cost. If rumours are true, he will cost $600,000 a season for us to keep him. He is NOT worth that at present. If we could keep him for a contract of $300,000-350,000 a year, then I'd have no doubts about keeping him.

- Chronic knee problems are also a concern. We have to make sure his knees have not degenerated before we sign him to any long term contracts.

So Scully was going to Sydney alone without anyone, just by himself?

No idea mate. My mate was heading to Sydney as a connecting flight... so I'm guessing he is probably in transit again, I'll try get more information of him when he lands though.

Scully Rumors in past 5 days

GWS offer now 6 million

Scully to sign with Melbourne but only for Two years

Gws to make announcement re Scully signing on Monday

Scully and Luke power to sign on Monday

Scully will be captain of Gws

Scully will only sign with Melbourne if right coach is appointed

Scully traveling to sin city to check out banks, sorry Gws facilities

and thats just for starters. The kid could sure play a mean game of poker.

Oh and

Sheedy only wants scully to [censored] off melbounre "re missing out on the coaching job" i like that one

Errrr, Dogs released a statement re Ward hours before GWS

Palmer informing Freo was made public before announcing GWS signing

Davis held a presser with the crows a couple of months ago, his official unveiling was this week

Every incumbent club thus far in the GC / GWS saga has made a statement first

I stand by if MFC knew, we'd know

Until someone gives me a SENSIBLE and LOGICAL reason why we'd hold back, that's my belief

To clarify, I'm not suggesting that the Dees know what Scully is going to decide. And I agree, if they did, there's absolutely no reason why they wouldn't announce it.

It seems to me though, that in this situation the poacher ie, GWS knows more about the likely decision than the vanquished ie, the MFC. Hence, my statement above.

Scully Rumors in past 5 days

GWS offer now 6 million

Scully to sign with Melbourne but only for Two years

Gws to make announcement re Scully signing on Monday

Scully and Luke power to sign on Monday

Scully will be captain of Gws

Scully will only sign with Melbourne if right coach is appointed

Scully traveling to sin city to check out banks, sorry Gws facilities

and thats just for starters. The kid could sure play a mean game of poker.

Oh and

Sheedy only wants scully to piss off melbounre "re missing out on the coaching job" i like that one

Strangely enough, I'm 98% certain that each and every one of those rumours is true

Funnily, I heard Schwarz and Bartlett banter yesterday on SEN radio after the Collingwood match, with KB asking why DS he wouldn't put his rep on the line, why he was holding back to only an arbitrary figure like 98%.

DS replied that he couldn't say he was 100% sure, he hadn't seen a contract, and "cos I don't really know."

It made me giggle after some of the things I have read in this thread.

Completely agree (still).

Range Rover's "everyone's in on it" certainly doesn't qualify, it assumes Tom Scully is the only stakeholder they need to look after. Sweeping it under the carpet in this manner would be dreadful PR from the club and a shameful way to treat its members and its 40 or so other players. Unless the club is run by complete incompetents, if they found out then he should've been shown the door immediately.

If Scully leaves I'll be mad at him, but if RR's theory turns out to be the truth I'd be so much more angry at the club that it'd be incomparable.

The more likely scenario as posted by old55 a number of times is that Scully deliberately delayed the decision so that if he did decide to take the coin, he wouldn't have to spend the year lying to his teammates (as he genuinely hadn't decided anything and possibly hadn't looked at the offers) and being spat on in the Casey Reserves.

What was Melbourne going to do when they found out earlier in the season? Cry into their beer and send Scully to the Casey magoos to cut oranges? Cool heads prevailed, a meeting was called and a deal done. The MFC was dragged into this and unfortunately had to go along to get along.

If anyone has any doubts at this point they need to ask themselves one question and think about it long and hard ... Does anyone think in their right mind the AFL/GW$ would allow a pantomime like this play along all season had it not known the result well in advance? That they would condone a season-long marketing exercise of wil-he won't-he only for the protagonist to flip them the bird at the end of it and remain with little ol' Melbourne? Think about it ... think!

Even one of my ritual bashers Kento has started to twig a few posts back by stating has that this has the "distinct rotten flavour of a Sheedy, Allen, Anderson, Silvagni, Demetriou, Lynch soup."

The question at the end of this will be ... what was Melbourne's bigger humiliation, the 186 point thrashing or the well-planned heist of its number one draft pick from 2 years ago? I'm kinda leaning towards the latter.

And don't underestimate the additional motivating factor of revenge when you see Sheeds sitting there astride Tom at the GW$ presser. He has had a serious hard on for us and for Garry Lyon in particular for the past four years.

Humiliate that man at your peril. That's twice in 11 years he's now touched up our club.

Sheedy 2 MFC 1

Edited September 11, 201114 yr by Range.Rover

Whole family going up to Sydney to check out the place. He is surely gone

To clarify, I'm not suggesting that the Dees know what Scully is going to decide. And I agree, if they did, there's absolutely no reason why they wouldn't announce it.

It seems to me though, that in this situation the poacher ie, GWS knows more about the likely decision than the vanquished ie, the MFC. Hence, my statement above.

IF Tom Scully had agreed to terms with GWS he would inform MFC ASAP

On your line of thinking, he's possibly decided, but he's not informed the MFC. Cannot see this happening, no player would do this a week after their season had finished (2 if you count Tom didn't play round 24)

Look at all of the signings - the clubs release statements before official announcements

Melbourne have NOTHING to gain right now, in not annoucing it if they know. All the talk of Melbourne making it look "credible" that he "decided" after the season is rubbish. If that was the case, which I don't believe is, they'd would a.) say get stuffed TS and GWS, we owe you nothing b.) 1 week would've been more than enough

They'd owe TS nothing and they'd certainly owe GWS zero. Who honestly believes they'd just graciously allow this to play out to GWS's PR schedule? Who honestly believes if we're good boys and play along, we'll get Patton? Who, seriously?

The more likely scenario IMO IF he's informed the club he intends to sign with GWS, is they've asked for a week to sway him back to MFC (i.e. perhaps an imminent coaching announcement)

Bye. Good riddance

Hutchy just interviewed Tom and his Dad at the airport,announcement of GWS signing expected tomorrow.

The Sunday Footy Show - Scully at the airport, going UP TO SIGN.

Announcement as early as tomorrow.

Derm's comments - 'If you're an adult, if you're undecided, you go up there alone, not chaperoned by Mum and Dad - if you take your parents, you're showing them what you're going to be moving to'. This came about as his entire family are going with him.

Does this kid bend the truth or what?

He sounded totally unconvincing that he was still undecided too

IF Tom Scully had agreed to terms with GWS he would inform MFC ASAP

On your line of thinking, he's possibly decided, but he's not informed the MFC. Cannot see this happening, no player would do this a week after their season had finished (2 if you count Tom didn't play round 24)

Look at all of the signings - the clubs release statements before official announcements

Melbourne have NOTHING to gain right now, in not annoucing it if they know. All the talk of Melbourne making it look "credible" that he "decided" after the season is rubbish. If that was the case, which I don't believe is, they'd would a.) say get stuffed TS and GWS, we owe you nothing b.) 1 week would've been more than enough

They'd owe TS nothing and they'd certainly owe GWS zero. Who honestly believes they'd just graciously allow this to play out to GWS's PR schedule? Who honestly believes if we're good boys and play along, we'll get Patton? Who, seriously?

The more likely scenario IMO IF he's informed the club he intends to sign with GWS, is they've asked for a week to sway him back to MFC (i.e. perhaps an imminent coaching announcement)

Melbourne can't say anything becasue to do so would be to admit Scully lied. Schwab said he didn't for obvious reasons.

Alas, we are seeing what we are now seeing.

It is quite shocking I grant you and I don't gloat in the fact that I am right.

But ya'll need to start waking up and begin viewing the "touring of facilities" nonsense for what it is.

Who was it that said "the bigger the lie the more readily people will believe it"?

Not always the case but in this instance unfortunately so.

The Sunday Footy Show - Scully at the airport, going UP TO SIGN.

Announcement as early as tomorrow.

Derm's comments - 'If you're an adult, if you're undecided, you go up there alone, not chaperoned by Mum and Dad - if you take your parents, you're showing them what you're going to be moving to'. This came about as his entire family are going with him.

Does this kid bend the truth or what?

He has told the truth.

He has not signed...but he is definately going up there to sign today or tomorrow.

Show his mum and dad where he will be staying etc...

IF Tom Scully had agreed to terms with GWS he would inform MFC ASAP

On your line of thinking, he's possibly decided, but he's not informed the MFC. Cannot see this happening, no player would do this a week after their season had finished (2 if you count Tom didn't play round 24)

Look at all of the signings - the clubs release statements before official announcements

Melbourne have NOTHING to gain right now, in not annoucing it if they know. All the talk of Melbourne making it look "credible" that he "decided" after the season is rubbish. If that was the case, which I don't believe is, they'd would a.) say get stuffed TS and GWS, we owe you nothing b.) 1 week would've been more than enough

They'd owe TS nothing and they'd certainly owe GWS zero. Who honestly believes they'd just graciously allow this to play out to GWS's PR schedule? Who honestly believes if we're good boys and play along, we'll get Patton? Who, seriously?

The more likely scenario IMO IF he's informed the club he intends to sign with GWS, is they've asked for a week to sway him back to MFC (i.e. perhaps an imminent coaching announcement)

You have made a number of speculative assumptions here, Viney12. On the other hand, I am going on hearsay.

I expect we'll know more early this week.

Either way, this has not been good for this club. And I think Scully (perhaps through his management) could have handled this saga a whole lot better than he has - it may mean he ultimately gets more $$$, but it has not been ideal for the MFC. This is merely my opinion, and I respect the opinions of MFC supporters who have a different view.

Well, my mate wasn't mistaken. Hutchy has confirmed on Twitter:

@Craighutchy

'Scully looked at ease at melb airport today. family going to syd too for gws tour. Back tues. Tipping announcement by then. #poorolddees'

He has told the truth.

He has not signed...but he is definately going up there to sign today or tomorrow.

Show his mum and dad where he will be staying etc...

No you're right - but he could have signed a pre nup?

Callum Ward can hold his head up with a lot more dignity than Scully. His approach was much more honest and dignified as far as I am concerned.

I believe he has known all season he was going, and the fall back position was always going to be I didn't lie about having not signed a contract. This does not mean that he hadn't agreed on terms to go.

I for one don't wish him well up there. I hope he has an oft-injured and unsuccessful career up in Sydneys west. I grew up in south-west Sydney, and the place is a s*ithole, I hate going back up there to visit family and friends. But his $$$ should keep him and his family warm at night.

Edited September 11, 201114 yr by Jerry Lundergard

I wonder what Beamer has to say on this matter......

Oh dear, I fear the recriminations are about to begin.

Don't be too hard on Tom.

5 years, 5 mil and in all likelihood the captaincy. Who in their right mind would turn that down? Especially if your heart isn't in it.

He signed last October quicker than you can say "Grubby Allen".

If he's not with us, he's against us.....and there for he is fair game to whatever we want to throw at him.

It is well known that TS is very family oriented. While I think he has gone, maybe, just maybe, he wants his family with him to help him make up his mind. Despite what Brereton said, TS is still a boy, who is very close to his family and the decision he is about to make will be one of the biggest in his life.

Unlike RB, I wish him well, whatever decision he makes. If he goes, it will say more about the MFC's inability to keep him, rather than TS himself. This is the stark reality that faces the MFC and needs to be addressed for the sake of our future.

Melbourne can't say anything becasue to do so would be to admit Scully lied. Schwab said he didn't for obvious reasons.

Alas, we are seeing what we are now seeing.

It is quite shocking I grant you and I don't gloat in the fact that I am right.

But ya'll need to start waking up and begin viewing the "touring of facilities" nonsense for what it is.

Who was it that said "the bigger the lie the more readily people will believe it"?

Not always the case but in this instance unfortunately so.

So what does the fact that Scully is going to Sydney with mummy and daddy mean?

It could also mean that Tom has been telling the truth and that someone else, like daddy, has made up his mind for him.

Oh dear, I fear the recriminations are about to begin.

Don't be too hard on Tom.

5 years, 5 mil and in all likelihood the captaincy. Who in their right mind would turn that down? Especially if your heart isn't in it.

He signed last October quicker than you can say "Grubby Allen".

A number 1 pick is one of the most prized things in footy, not only has ours bent us over, he is now showing no respect either. The way this is now being handled shows he is nothing but a child with zero class.

It is well known that TS is very family oriented. While I think he has gone, maybe, just maybe, he wants his family with him to help him make up his mind. Despite what Brereton said, TS is still a boy, who is very close to his family and the decision he is about to make will be one of the biggest in his life.

Unlike RB, I wish him well, whatever decision he makes. If he goes, it will say more about the MFC's inability to keep him, rather than TS himself. This is the stark reality that faces the MFC and needs to be addressed for the sake of our future.

They said they were going to address this when we missed out on Judd, and then Warnock.

Problem is the timing is always terrible. we had shocking facilities etc when Judd was available.

and now just when Scully has to make up his mind, we have a shocker of a year,record losing margins, in fighting, sacked coach etc.

If we werent such a basket case we might be half a chance.