Maybe he is looking at that $2 Million up front as his insurance against his dodgy knee. Maybe he won't reach his potential and could see that he should hedge his bets by taking the money now.

I made this same comment a while ago and I still thin it holds some weight - if he is concerned about his degenerative knee issue affecting the length of his career then the GWS offer would have been harder to refuse.

Would love some of our players to say something on Twitter. Something like. Can't blame the kid when the afl make rules like they have but bring on 2012 and can't wait to play against him cause his heart wasn't really in it anyways...

Childish I know but I want someone from the club to give him a tounge lashing

In saying that I hope all Gary Lyon says tonight is truthful then says he is one 20 year old kid there is no way he is going to bring down a club for a period of time that I'd 150+ years old

The picks from Twitter

Dear Tom Scully. I understand why you left, but what I don't get is you're lying, and playing the club for a fool. That's why I'll boo you.

Lebron James, I mean, Tom Scully off to GWS! Thank God its finally over! Trengove is better anyway

Hope our Sydney colleague's grill Tom Scully about the season just gone, and when decision was actually made. Guess this is the reality!

Good riddance, hope his dodgy knees stand up #$cully RT @DemonsHQ: As you have probably seen/heard Tom Scully is going to GWS.

It was always obvious that Tom Scully was gonna go to GWS he should have just announced it ages ago, wouldn't have lost as much respect.

One club player my bum Tom Scully

Go away Tom Scully! Today is Sam Stosurs day! No one cares about your press conference

Tom Scully going to GWS. In other shock news, brown bear faeces found in woodland environment.

Public Transport is Melbourne is slower than Tom Scully making his 'I'm gone' press conference

MODS get him the hell off the BANNER ASAP !!

PUT JT there as he deserves it a hell of allot more than that kid ever did.

I second that.

GOOD ON TOM FOR ACCEPTING THE GWS OFFER... I WOULD HAVE.

YOU CANT BLAME THE KID. HE HAS JUST WON LOTTO!!!

NOT SUCH A BAD THING FOR THE MFC. REALLY!!!

DODGY KNEE & NOT PROVEN AS A FOOTBALLER AS YET. A HUGE GAMBLE I THINK ON GWS BEHALF.

INFLATION HAS GONE THROUGH THE ROOF!!!

GOOD LUCK TOM!

SMART DECISION...

I agree Jungle dee.

I would have taken the money too.

In AFL football it can be all over with the one wrong injury.

Take the money while it is available.

Good luck Tom I hope it all works out.

For the MFC life goes on how many games has TS won for us.

IMO zero!

cannot wait to play them, the boy will rediscover pain

Some of these are funny:

Twitter Presser Quotes

I want to see some strong words from the club this afternoon..... something like

"he didnt want to play for the Melbourne Football Club and he will know that next year when we front up against him"

Round 1 next year Swans Vs GWS

Round 2 would like to see the Dees Vs GWS at the G.

Bring it on.

I'll admit I was Naive .

I thought he might stay .

Ironic that we gave him the 31

2 mill cash in pocket plus another 4 over 6 years .

He would be crazy to pass it up .

What I haven't liked is the complaints leaked about China ,the administration ,the drinking culture etc. leaking to the media .

Velocity sports is a scuzzy agency with a book full of no names .

Good luck Tom- you're gonna need it when you wake up in hospital after Beamer flattens you .

As far as the China trip goes- The smartest thing we have done off field ever .Only a young cashed up bogan would dispute it .

Join Luke Power and every other washed up cast off ,the new kids and the senile coach for the biggest laugh in in sporting history .

2 million for 4 wins in two years is my prediction

Scully will probably miss half the games as his knee degenerates

It seems the MFC have been naive through this whole thing. Other clubs put the hard word on and got answers, MFC got played. It was clear that he was a liar when Silvagni said that they offered him a contract last year.

Scully showed what type of person he is by not doing interviews all year and forcing his teammates to answer the constant questions.

Are you serious?

What a foolish comment.

Tell me, what is the net result of either approach?

And can you be sure Scully didn't wait until the end of the season to decide?

Some people just don't think.

Cannot blame Tom, that deal is too good (not overlooking our seemingly dysfunctional front office).

Anyway lots of clubs have lost big names and have achieved the ultimate - I believe we will too. Furthermore the positives I take is that we have money immediately free to ensure we keep the rest of our core together and potentially to attract some experience to the team.

Go Ds

We should take all the players of the banner it is cursed, have a look every player up there has been injured for a long period or struggled in 2012.

Tom Loves his desks !!

All the saps who accepted him lying his face off at the start of the year should keep their thoughts to themselves on journalists now. Who was right?

Yes, who was right?

I took his word. Sue me. I trusted a Demon.

He may have signed up before that press conference - I don't know.

He may have made this pathetic decision this week - I don't know.

I care about one thing in all this - the MFC.

I'm moving on - who is with me?

Round 1 next year Swans Vs GWS

Round 2 would like to see the Dees Vs GWS at the G.

Bring it on.

Scully will miss that one with a knee.

Cannot blame Tom, that deal is too good (not overlooking our seemingly dysfunctional front office).

Anyway lots of clubs have lost big names and have achieved the ultimate - I believe we will too. Furthermore the positives I take is that we have money immediately free to ensure we keep the rest of our core together and potentially to attract some experience to the team.

Go Ds

Spot on mate lets go use it on a proven player.

Scully leaving is a body blow. Putting how good he was / is aside (debate to rage no doubt), it is horrid to think that a second year player ups and leaves to a club which is 1) outside the players home state and 2) is a start up with very very few (if any) older wiser heads.

Nathan Buckley left for Collingwood as it was a big club and he thought he would find success (and money) there. (He chose poorly on the success front!).

Everyone will blame the AFL for not having protection measures in there for newly drafted talent - but all clubs agreed with the rules. This was on the incorrect assumption that GWS would target harder experienced bodies to compliment their raft of young players. How wrong the clubs were - they want even more young kids to run around with the already young list. What an interesting strategy. Basically saying, we will be horrid in our initial season and then use all the young guys we bring in as trade bait to keep building our list over a 3 year period. Will be interesting to see if that works or not.

What hurts is that due to circumstances outside our control, we were made to look foolish by a 20 year old who has amassed an entire 31 games. Unfortunately we were the ones to lose the battle, where as Richmond did not with Martin. In saying that, it sounds as though martin signed a deal with RFC for far less than what we had to offer Scully to stay, so on account of that, we may still win the war, as no man is bigger than the club, which if we paid Scully that much would have been the case.

The compensation is going to hurt by the sounds. If we get one first round pick (mid) and one second round pick (mid) then we are losers out of all this. Just do the analysis of number 1 picks compared to a package of (random and not hindsight picks) say pick 14 and pick 30. Or any around there. We will need to be miracle workers to do better than a number one pick in total.

Anyway - we move on and we look forward. It is time for someone / more people to stand up for MFC. Jimmy Stynes has done it in a very bad time in his life. Maybe Malthouse could be tempted to work for a "little guy" in the battle for a premiership? Maybe Garry Lyon will be motivated to increase his commitment to the club beyond the good job he is doing now??

All I know is that we need our most important sets of people to make a stand, that is the players and the supporters. Enough moaning, whinging, somplaining and excuses. For the supporters, its now or never to show a united front. Stand up, buy a few memberships, make a donation to allow a big name coach to be signed.

For the players, build a culture of success that is worth staying for.

Yes, who was right?

I took his word. Sue me. I trusted a Demon.

He may have signed up before that press conference - I don't know.

He may have made this pathetic decision this week - I don't know.

I care about one thing in all this - the MFC.

I'm moving on - who is with me?

I'm with you. Close this S--t down lets move on.

Tom Loves his desks !!

Maybe we should call Schwabby "Colonel Henry Blake " from now on. Anyone remember the MASH episode with the desk .

"Nice desk Henry ,What is it Oak?" "Nope ,it's Oak".

My my...some of you have changed your tune .

Im not bitter agaisnt Scully. I had every inkling this was happening, nothing made sense unless you took the view it was a sham, a charade and lo and behold , he was probaly not telling the whole and unequivocal truth. In simple terms for some. He was lying. Some may cling , for whatever reason works for them, that hes only just made up his mind ; but the more rational amongst us know this is a furphy.

This day has been coming for months now. maybe close to a year as it was surely back in last Oct that the seeds were sown.

Personally I think we are well rid of him. I dont think , unfortunately, he'll ever get to the lofty heights many think he will. GWS have paid well over the odds in my opinion.

We are a proud club, with great tradition. Its values are not his and will never be. Dont judge the club by who has left but rather who remains

Take the money and run young Tom. Enjoy your time with that bunch of mercenaries. Not sure how you'll go with an eternity of losing but good luck with that..

Now do some of you get it.????

Still trust in Tom ??? lol

See you judas. Don't let the door hit you on the arse on the way out. You are a first class liar and if moloney doesn't iron you out when you play dees at mcg next year, maybe the sniper rifle will (kidding about sniper but not beamer!!).

Tom $cully you are a disgrace. Not only did you sell your sole for money, you lied straight faced to the most respected people at our club who supported him, and showed no appreciation and honour for being allowed to play at our great club.

This debacle shows him for the true person he is, a greedy, selfish, disrespectful fool who values wealth ahead of friends, loyalty and success.

Yes, who was right?

I took his word. Sue me. I trusted a Demon.

He may have signed up before that press conference - I don't know.

He may have made this pathetic decision this week - I don't know.

I care about one thing in all this - the MFC.

I'm moving on - who is with me?

Here here!

Here's to 40000+ members to shove it right up em!

Go Dees!

I said Thursday it'd be announced today after the weekend of finals to reclaim the focus,he's known for weeks,but this was the plan.It gave GWS max exposure and it portrayed Tom as "still weighing up both deals" and saving face and most here believed him,just another deceptive act.

Thanks for 31 average games and good riddance,i'll send you a photo of what the MCG looks like!

It does have the stench that it's all been orchestrated to make it look like he hadn't decided until today.

Bye Tom, hope you go on to have a nice 5 year injury riddled career with a team that every football supporter in the land hates.