No - put the number in mothballs for a season or two.

Lets just cut the pretence and give it to a young kid and stop creating monkeys on our back.

Some ordinary players have worn the numbers as well as one of our greats. Its just a number.

Here is the players who have worn it before?

No. 31

1913 F. Ellis (also wore No. 30, 1913)

1914 Jack Woolley

1915 A.M. ‘Max’ Hislop

1919 Leo Little (No. 3, 1920)

1920 Reginald Ellis

1921 – 1922 Fred Long

1923 – 1924 Marcus Glasscock

1925 – 1930 Colin Deane

1931 Lew Gough (No. 39, 1930)

1932 – 1934 Jack Power (No. 12, 1930 – 1931)

1936 – 1940 Ronald James Barassi

1941 – 1942 Leslie Gibbs (No. 28, 1939)

1943 Ken Levey (No. 29, 1944)

1944 Leslie Gibbs (See 1941 – 1942 above)

1944 Harry New (No. 20, 1945)

1945 Frank ‘Checker’ Hughes Jnr

1946 – 1950 Stanley Rule

1953 – 1964 Ronald Dale Barassi

1965 – 1968 Ray Groom (No. 15, 1963 – 1964)

1974 – 1975 Bill Barham

1976 Paul Goss

1978 Peter Garratt

1979 Phil Carman

1983 – 1985 Kelvin Templeton

1990 – 1992 Rod Keogh

1996 – 1998 Donald Cockatoo-Collins

2000 - 2009 Paul Wheatley

2009 - 2011 Tom Scully

Just FTR , Paul Goss, Donald C-Collins and Peter Garratt did not set the number of fire at MFC.

The No. 31 jumper is cursed. Personally i would retire it...... permanently. Never to see the light of day again.

1 very famous, and now one infamous player (from our club's point of view), have worn that jumper and turned their back on our great club and walked away.

It no longer holds any great honor IMO and i'd be more than happy if i never see that jumper running around on a MFC player's back ever again.

Nor should any player be burdened with it in future.

It never did.

Extreme hyperbole in the light of the facts.

Just give it to a kid and move on and sweat the serious stuff.

It never did.

Extreme hyperbole in the light of the facts.

Just give it to a kid and move on and sweat the serious stuff.

Not until now i agree.

Things have changed as of this morning mate.

Speaking of changes....shouldn't you be out there looking around for a new profile pic?

To be honest, i really liked scully as a footballer, in fact I purchased a no. 31 jumper this year.

So, i reckon the club should pass the jumper on ASAP.

candidates: Sam Blease I hope

Self interested yes, but the club should work quick smart to keep this heritage number on the back of a good 'true' demon

staple it to a frisbee and fling it over a rainbow

Not until now i agree.

Things have changed as of this morning mate.

Only for you.

Disagree. Why give Scully any significance for his brief and inglorious stint at MFC. We gave his brand value by choosing to take him #1, then Bailey put a valuable 2 years of training & teaching into the young player. He repaid us very little, and I suspect was a very incohesive influence all year by his refusal to announce his intentions. Barassi's jumper was far too good for him.

My point is retire the jumper. It's now linked in infamy with big name players walking out on the club. And no Scully is not a proven player....yet. But he was/is a big name in the game regardless of his youth. My point isn't 'Scully' as such.

IMO it's cursed and should be retired.

Only for you.

Far from it.

MFC just removed Scully's player profile. Other's, even at the highest level, have interests and feelings here too.

EDIT: Also just noticed, he's been removed from the Demonland banner. You been Photoshoping this morning RR?

Edited September 12, 201114 yr by Rusty Nails

tbh I'm not a fan of inducting our top draft picks with numbers of club legends. Just give them a number and let them make their own identity out of it. Like some others have said give 31 to a kid and move on.

Sick of all the symbolism crap we get caught up with at times. From now on it's actions.

I know the Great Man left us in 1965 after wearing the jumper with distinction as did his late father. However RDB'S departure was done with honour and not smoke and mirrors.

I have had the pleasure of meeting with the great man and speaking with him about the club. to hear him speak of his love for the club is inspiring.

I would ask Barass to speak with the player group early in the pre season about the importance of the club and the red & blue jumper, what it means to us as supporters and past players. Let him look the player group in the eye and ask them who wants to wear it with honour and represent this great club.

Edited September 12, 201114 yr by Pennant St Dee

Bring back Paul Wheatley.

You beat me to it!

The Captain should wear it because he's earnt it.Don't give it away to a first year player,just another mistake we've made.

What do we do with no. 31 jumper ?

********************* WASH IT, TO THE POWER OF 31!*********************

Edited September 12, 201114 yr by dee-luded

Burn it? :lol: :lol: :lol:

My thoughts, too. Must be jinxed since Barassi defected.

Last player to wear it before Scully, not good.

Far from it.

MFC just removed Scully's player profile. Other's, even at the highest level, have interests and feelings here too.

Proves nothing. Retiring the jumper is just plain dumb. Have a look at the history of it since RDB.

The guys gone FFS. Move on and spare the pretence.

Jaeger O'Meara!!!!

If only.

Viney

O'Meara

Gaff

Nicho

No - put the number in mothballs for a season or two. The whole Scully episode (if he does announce his GWS signing that now looms imminent) has placed a shadow over this famous jumper that should not be tolerated and never repeated. Sam Blease is a great footballer but he would feel like the second choice which is unfair so put no. 31 away until someonje has "earnt" it.

.

I'd put it in mothballs for 5 or more years we have not had a great deal of success with the number 31 jumper over the last God only knows years.

Let someone come to the club and earn the number, let's not just allocate it to some random who may turn out to be an ordinary footballer.

Id also mothball it for a few years... When's Viney starting ?? Cols got 12...maybe 31 for Jack? just an idea..a no -nonsense , hard at it, take no prisoner type with a passion for Melbourne. Be fitting

I'd just give it to some kid on our list who wants it. It's a jumper number, it is not some magical artifact imbued with the curse of a heroic mercenary from half a century ago. Paul Wheatley managed just fine as a "good average" player eeking out a footy career in #31.

I have an idea. Depends on what happens with Brad Green over the next 2-3 years, but we could give it to Billy Stretch if Brad's still playing in 2014.

I have an idea. Depends on what happens with Brad Green over the next 2-3 years, but we could give it to Billy Stretch if Brad's still playing in 2014.

Brad already has a jumper number.

Brad already has a jumper number.

Yeah, but if Brad were to retire by 2014 then the #18 (Steven Stretch's number) becomes available.

Yeah, but if Brad were to retire by 2014 then the #18 (Steven Stretch's number) becomes available.

I completely misread what you said. I need sleep. Sorry.

Ask again in a couple of months when the head clears

If I had to decide today it would be on its way to the Springvale crematorium

The number 31 lost it's value when Barassi went to Carlton.

Now another # 31 has turned his back on the club.

Burn this number.

It has no currency.