Hardening up and growing up is one thing (I think most of us would agree that's what we need to do), but let's not go kidding ourselves that this isn't a spectacular humiliation for our club.

It's inconceivable that such an injustice would have been carried out against the Essendons, Carltons and Collingwoods of this world.

Hopefully, like all bad experiences, it will serve to harden our character and toughen us up. Hopefully. OMR is right that such a development would go against the grain of our 'hardluck story'.

We can only hope. Over to you Gaz Lyon and co.

Does essendon losing Wanganeen to Port when they entered the competition count?

you forgot to add "IMO" because without precedent that's just your opinion. Given the same circumstances (not allowing 3rd party help) they would have had to cop it like we did.

Unless you are suggesting the AFL have it in for us. I simply don't buy that.

Probably not. But I think they fear the big clubs. After all, if you were trying to establish a mechanism to build a competitive GWS while evening up the comp (surely a desirable aim for the AFL), wouldn't you come up with a scheme where say, the top x clubs for the last 2 or so years have to lose 1 player each to GWS (or something along those lines) rather than the system they chose?

Does essendon losing Wanganeen to Port when they entered the competition count?

Nothing compares to losing your number one draft pick 2 years after calling out his name.

Wanganeen had quite a few years, a flag and brownlow in Essendon colours. Not even in the same ballpark.

I don't need to add IMO because I have been commenting on this matter since March this year. I have about 1000 posts on it from my other profile which I can't access for some reason (had to make a new one last night).

I called this sucker 6 months ago. Not to mention, I have been ripped to shreds by many posters for airing such an unpopular opinion (I even copped a week long ban there at one point!), so forgive me a little largesse in expressing it now that the cards have fallen my way.

You are new, so I'll forgive you.

It's not that the AFL have it in for us, but they certainly would view us as an 'easy touch', as another poster put it recently.

When you speculate on something that hasn't happened you should say "IMO" as it's an opinion- not fact. You are speculating that one of the bigger clubs wouldn't have "let" this happen. We have been [censored] over by circumstance.

I'd imagine your ban was a result of you being arrogant perhaps?

Strong clubs don't lose number 1 draftees

Weak clubs lose number 1 draftees

I agree. I'm not passing on criticism to other facets anymore. It's time to start performing as a club and an organisation, keep these players around. If the Pies could match offers for Thomas and whoever else, Melbourne should be able to as well under the same salary cap scheme. Why doesn't Melbourne have more third-party potential?

No more excuses. He's gone. We move on, be professional, and start performing. But the past few months for me as a Melbourne supporter, I've been utterly livid. That loss to Geelong I can't accept. I'm still hurting. It was utter rubbish.

If Scully is on the move, club has to counter this. This moment has the potential to define the club for decades. How we respond is so important, and I'm just not confident, because I'm constantly let down.

I can accept him moving on, but I'm not pointing fingers at others or the circumstance.

This happening to Melbourne is not surprising. If we weren't such a rubbish club to begin with, one that constantly bottoms out, we wouldn't be in this situation. We wouldn't be losing the very players we got for bottoming out. See Sydney for an example of a great club.

Just saw Hutchy on telly harassing Scully at the airport.

Said he honestly hasn't yet decided. Sounded genuine.

His dad said they've gone there to support Tom. Sounded genuine and plausible.

Sorry to be a voice of reason.

i agree. as said he is a family man through and through. I know if i was making the biggest decision of my life i would like some experience in my corner. Esp if i was his age.

speaking of Power Clubs let's not dismiss Eddie McGuire's role in all of this as well, for he was the first one to lob the Scully/GW$ hand grenade into the public arena back in April.

Jake Niall raised the issue in December last year.

AFL erred in concessions as the lure of money may be too much

TOM Scully is 19 and has been a Melbourne player for barely 12 months. If he wished, he could walk to the Greater Western Sydney Giants after next season as an out-of-contract signing.

Mind you, Jake expected Scully to stay: "This is not likely to happen."

Scully put off his contract talks in August last year, so it is fair to assume GWS may have been into his management as long as 13 months ago.

When you speculate on something that hasn't happened you should say "IMO" as it's an opinion- not fact. You are speculating that one of the bigger clubs wouldn't have "let" this happen. We have been [censored] over by circumstance.

I'd imagine your ban was a result of you being arrogant perhaps?

You'd imagine wrong.

To be right on a particular subject is not to be arrogant. It's just to be right.

If Tom Scully makes the decision to move to Sydney, don't take it out on him. Express your displeasure for a system that has allowed it to happen, two years after he was drafted at No. 1. No one can blame Tom if he accepts what he's supposedly been offered. And, once again, only GWS, Tom and his management know what he's been offered. And, the MFC, if his management is playing the two clubs against each other. And what good manager wouldn't do that?

Nothing compares to losing your number one draft pick 2 years after calling out his name.

Wanganeen had quite a few years, a flag and brownlow in Essendon colours. Not even in the same ballpark.

You're probably right..... Wanganeen was a proven champion in his prime and scully is a second year injury prone player who has shown jack. Not the same ball park.

Lol- there's that arrogance =P

No, it's neither.

This is a player making a decision on his future, while a host of insecure supporters watch on through a microscope.

Either he's bigger than the club, or he isn't.

If he isn't, what's all the fuss about?

Let the kid make his decision, and if he goes we deal with it.

Think that's more or less what I said.

The worst part about it is that a 20 year old kid is having to make such choices, largely because of a unique set of circumstances. But you cannot deny this has been a diversion we could have done without.

Spot on. Pretty simple.

West Coast lost Judd right after he carried them to a flag. They were extremely strong on and off the field at the time. (Yes I realise he was technically not a number #1 but surely that's not the point)

How about Des Headland saying "thanks for the memories" to Brisbane right in the middle of their dynasty?

Nah, strong clubs never lose their #1 draft picks.

Jake Niall raised the issue in December last year.

Mind you, Jake expected Scully to stay: "This is not likely to happen."

Scully put off his contract talks in August last year, so it is fair to assume GWS may have been into his management as long as 13 months ago.

No doubt

This development doesn't look good, but he hasn't told the MFC he is gone because the MFC don't know yet.

When they know, they will tell us and we can (re)begin the recriminations.

Anyone who believes the MFC owes anything to this situation if he has decided to leave are kidding themselves.

The club is not complicit.

The MFC does not know.

I don't need to add IMO because I have been commenting on this matter since March this year. I have about 1000 posts on it from my other profile which I can't access for some reason (had to make a new one last night).

I called this sucker 6 months ago. Not to mention, I have been ripped to shreds by many posters for airing such an unpopular opinion (I even copped a week long ban there at one point!), so forgive me a little largesse in expressing it now that the cards have fallen my way.

You are new, so I'll forgive you.

It's not that the AFL have it in for us, but they certainly would view us as an 'easy touch', as another poster put it recently.

Mate, if Scully leaves, you guessing that Scully would accept more money and leave 6 months ago means nothing more than you guessed right.

People kick up a fuss about your posts because you write them in a manner in which you make out it's actual knowledge, rather than pure speculation and your best guess.

1000 posts or 1 post, you have guessed that a bloke will accept a ridiculously inflated contract and leave the MFC (hardly amazing foresight).

My opinion is the longer this goes, the greater chance the MFC has of keeping Scully. However at this stage, the majority of evidence suggests he is likely to go. I'm not Tom Scully. I'm not related to him. I have no connection with him of the club that allows me have any stronger indication of his intentions. Therefore I'm not going to tell everybody what Tom Scully, the MFC, Cameron Schwab or anybody else has done or is doing in regards to Tom Scully's contract and future

This development doesn't look good, but he hasn't told the MFC he is gone because the MFC don't know yet.

When they know, they will tell us and we can (re)begin the recriminations.

Anyone who believes the MFC owes anything to this situation if he has decided to leave are kidding themselves.

The club is not complicit.

The MFC does not know.

Exactly. If they did know they would have dropped the bomb when he was omitted for the Port clash. Common sense tells us this. Everything else is just speculation.

Some posters on this site just want to wallow in pity. The AFL has vested interests to lure some "class" to the new franchise. Which club would have been able to stand up to these circumstances? None of them.

Lets just suck it up and move on. Secure the optimum compensation, secure a coach and keep on living!

This development doesn't look good, but he hasn't told the MFC he is gone because the MFC don't know yet.

When they know, they will tell us and we can (re)begin the recriminations.

Anyone who believes the MFC owes anything to this situation if he has decided to leave are kidding themselves.

The club is not complicit.

The MFC does not know.

I'm going to start a backpedalers and revisionists thread when the announcement is made and invite you to be first cab off the rank.

Mate, if Scully leaves, you guessing that Scully would accept more money and leave 6 months ago means nothing more than you guessed right.

People kick up a fuss about your posts because you write them in a manner in which you make out it's actual knowledge, rather than pure speculation and your best guess.

1000 posts or 1 post, you have guessed that a bloke will accept a ridiculously inflated contract and leave the MFC (hardly amazing foresight).

My opinion is the longer this goes, the greater chance the MFC has of keeping Scully. However at this stage, the majority of evidence suggests he is likely to go. I'm not Tom Scully. I'm not related to him. I have no connection with him of the club that allows me have any stronger indication of his intentions. Therefore I'm not going to tell everybody what Tom Scully, the MFC, Cameron Schwab or anybody else has done or is doing in regards to Tom Scully's contract and future

You can be the second cab.

Strong clubs don't lose number 1 draftees

Weak clubs lose number 1 draftees

What a crock of [censored].

Essendon lost their 23 y.o Brownlow medallist and best player Wanganeen to Port Adelaide. He was a 1st round pick.

They couldn't stop him, they must be a weak club.

Tom Scully has a very very long way to go until he is the quality of Wanganeen.

Some people here should just end it all. Woe is us, right?

Miserable sods. He's just one player, and he's nowhere as good as Dustin Martin.

How many other no.1 draft picks have been offered millions inside of two years?

You need to harden up and grow up in a hurry son. Don't give me this woe is us downward spiral hardluck story. How do you compete against the AFL? You don't. You sit there face down bum up and take it.

Then you dry the tears and move on with life.

Son? - Given I have followed this club since the 1960's I'll take that as compliment

In life you dont sit anywhere & take anything that is humiliating & detrimental to your very existence.

Fark the tears lets just grow some balls as an organisation & refuse to cop the cards that are being dealt.

Line in the sand time is here & now.

You can pretend we haven't been the whoopping boy's for decades, & we just move on away from this one.

Reality is we have! Most other supporters laugh at us , some even pity us.

We need to change this trend quickly & the only way to do that is to harden the [censored] up as a club & make a stand.

You can be the second cab.

Lol!

God I hope he stays just so you look like a [censored].

I bet you hope he leaves just so you could have been right all along hey? Fair dinkum.

And that is why we need to do everything we can to get Malthouse to coach this club from October 2011. How much of a momentum changing statement would that be?!

Pure & simple it was all about the $

If it comes out and say that the $ are not the reason he is going thats BS

People are having a crack at the MFC... what can they do pay a 20yo 800K-1m per yr, that would put the clubs salary cap & other players at risk!

So the club spends 10% of its 8mill cap on 1 player???

If he was a Judd,Franklin,Abblett I would say why not!

Blame the AFL not the MFC or Scully, but I would question him as a person if his driving ambition is the $. He will say that he can see a great future blah, blah.

You can be the second cab.

Back pedal from what? That I don't know what Scully is going to do?