DON'T LOOK BACK by Whispering Jack

While the attention of much of the football world is on the AFL final series, Melbourne supporters have been preoccupied with other matters.

The Tom Scully saga is finally and thankfully over. The predictable outcome will leave a bitter taste in the mouth for many but it can also herald new opportunities for the club. There will be compensation of sorts (although most of us believe it to be hopelessly inadequate) and there is money to lure players from elsewhere and reward those who have remained truthful and loyal.

Amid conflicting statements from all quarters over several months, the lingering truth from this unsavoury episode is found in the prescient words of MFC legend and club chairman Jim Stynes as reported in The Australian newspaper as far back as 28 March 2011 - Recruits forced to lie, Stynes says.

Stynes said the league should never have allowed Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney to sign players from existing clubs a year in advance of their inaugural AFL seasons.

"The way these two teams have got to build has just caused a lot of deception in the game," Stynes told a function at the MCG yesterday. "To date, players were able to go about their business and if things weren't working out, then they were able to go to other clubs.

"But I just think the AFL should never have allowed teams to recruit a year before they actually played.

"What it's doing is it's causing players basically to lie -- to lie to their families, their friends, their mates."

I think Jimmy knew then exactly what was going on.

To compound things, the AFL's rules relating to compensation to clubs for players lost in this unseemly charade are hopelessly tainted.

The unfairness of it all not only leaves a bad taste but it also shakes what little faith is left in the integrity of that for which the six teams remaining in the finals race are striving.

This game was once a sport in which the national ethic of egalitarianism and a "fair go" for all was paramount.

Not any more!

While the AFL, through its new franchise rules has perpetuated the farcical atmosphere of greed that now pervades the game, this issue is one with which all lovers of the game need to deal. For the Demons there are other battles to fight for the time being.

The Scully saga wasn't the worst thing to happen to the Melbourne Football Club this year (although it played a role in what became a shambles of a season). Things happened both on and off the field about which none of us can be proud.

There is much healing required at the club; a need to clean house both on and of the field, to appoint a new coach and his assistants and to recruit and trade wisely to continue the process of building the team in such a way as to ensure future success. When it comes, I trust that the success we achieve will stem from the fruits of hard labour and therefore something for all of us to truly appreciate rather than from blood money as is the case with the AFL's new franchises.

We must not look back. We move on.

Well said.

I bet its a relief for our loyal players.

So basically as a club and as supporters we have nothing to learn by harboring a traitor

In our midst. There's absolutely nothing to be learned let's all carry on maintaining the status quo.

He should of been confronted and made to play in the reserves for the year let alone be nursed through a

Knee injury.

We were absolutely out of our weight division on this one.

So basically as a club and as supporters we have nothing to learn by harboring a traitor

In our midst. There's absolutely nothing to be learned let's all carry on maintaining the status quo.

He should of been confronted and made to play in the reserves for the year let alone be nursed through a

Knee injury.

We were absolutely out of our weight division on this one.

agree, he was gone before the season started be interesting to see what Garry Lyon says tonight on FC, he was lied to like everybody else but I suppose he will have to be diplomatic. His teamates must be feeling a bit stupid because from what they were saying all year was he was going to stay.

The Age: Tom Scully to GWS

Sad day but writings been on the wall for 6 months.

Well said.

I bet its a relief for our loyal players.

It's big $. As they say, money talks.....[censored] walks. I don't blame Scully. Right place right time.

But there's only one outcome that will make this a positive for the MFC...........

Jaeger O'Meara

The MFC needs to go f*&@ing hard on the AFL to make sure this happens!!!

Agree with everything you have said WJ.

There are IMO bigger problems to fix at the MFC.

I think everyone should consider that in todays world a player's loyality is only as long as the contract.

Lots of MFC members on here want to trade existing players with contracts

so why should the players worry when their contracts are up.

Onward and upward.

Go Dees

PS remember we now have a lot more money left to use on recruiting

So basically as a club and as supporters we have nothing to learn by harboring a traitor

In our midst. There's absolutely nothing to be learned let's all carry on maintaining the status quo.

He should of been confronted and made to play in the reserves for the year let alone be nursed through a

Knee injury.

We were absolutely out of our weight division on this one.

Of course we learn our lessons but what do we gain by venting about him?

He's now just another player at another club and his importance to me is on the same level as an amoeba.

old dee - I hear you on the recruiting $$$. Lets go after that experience we need.

old dee - I hear you on the recruiting $$$. Lets go after that experience we need.

There is always an up side.

But not a skinny kid we have those in spades!

Ok, so I recall words of action if he is to go - what can now be done to ensure we receive the best compensation?

i just hope he looked Jimmy in the eye and told him he was leaving.

i also hope luke tapscott shirtfronts him into 1947

then i will move on

agree, he was gone before the season started be interesting to see what Garry Lyon says tonight on FC, he was lied to like everybody else but I suppose he will have to be diplomatic. His teamates must be feeling a bit stupid because from what they were saying all year was he was going to stay.

For starters, it is now apparent that they were never his "teammates" just a bunch of blokes he had to play with. Second, they have nothing to feel stupid for. Where is the stupidity in having integrity and belief in the word of "one of your own". It is not their fault that T$ has no morals. I hold the boys in higher regard now by the way they have handled this, not lesser.

Scully is still best mates with Sammy Blease, and if the GWS don't use up all of their allocations for out of contracted players they are allowed to approach players next season. Blease is out of contract next season, this worries me a little.

If your best mate is public enemy #1, this can't be a comfortable environment for you to work/play in. Just some food for thought.

We can move on from Scully, but will his ties with his best mate come back and haunt us next season? Losing Scully is one thing, but losing Scully and Blease in consecutive years would be soul destroying.

We have to use today as a POSITIVE. By that i mean, the MELBOURNE FOOTBALL CLUB just got Tough & nasty on all levels, on & off the field.

You can be sure most of our opposition are quietly laughing amongst themselves now, We have to get better at everything we do from this day forward.

Oh & i hope Tom sends our physio Therapy Department a nice wad of $$$ for all the work they put in for him, He can afford it.B)

Scully is still best mates with Sammy Blease, and if the GWS don't use up all of their allocations for out of contracted players they are allowed to approach players next season. Blease is out of contract next season, this worries me a little.

If your best mate is public enemy #1, this can't be a comfortable environment for you to work/play in. Just some food for thought.

We can move on from Scully, but will his ties with his best mate come back and haunt us next season? Losing Scully is one thing, but losing Scully and Blease in consecutive years would be soul destroying.

For some people, vicious disappointment doesn't quite cut it.

DON'T LOOK BACK by Whispering Jack

....

We must not look back. We move on.

Much of the good sense will be lost on those who should be considering it most.

Its done. Its dusted. So lets work on the compensation.

Scully is still best mates with Sammy Blease, and if the GWS don't use up all of their allocations for out of contracted players they are allowed to approach players next season. Blease is out of contract next season, this worries me a little.

If your best mate is public enemy #1, this can't be a comfortable environment for you to work/play in. Just some food for thought.

We can move on from Scully, but will his ties with his best mate come back and haunt us next season? Losing Scully is one thing, but losing Scully and Blease in consecutive years would be soul destroying.

Wrong.

They can't get at an another Melbourne player unless there's a trade or the AFL changes the rules. It's one player per club.

So basically as a club and as supporters we have nothing to learn by harboring a traitor

In our midst. There's absolutely nothing to be learned let's all carry on maintaining the status quo.

He should of been confronted and made to play in the reserves for the year let alone be nursed through a

Knee injury.

We were absolutely out of our weight division on this one.

the only teams that would have held onto him would have been Collingwood and maybe Carlton, all others would have lost him as well, he will probably retire by 25 with degenerative knee problems but maybe he was putting that on a bit as well, who knows with pathological liars

Kreuzer and Cotchin are best mates.

I haven't seen either the Tigers or the Blues have any trouble keeping those players.

Can we please not lament the fact that other clubs get to keep their stars... this has nothing to do with being weak the afl were playing the field on a [censored] handicap and our young man treasures money above anything else.

I'm living with it already, but if I hear any [censored] about how this wouldn't happen to another club I'll slap you! It is unsubstantiated [censored].

Moving on. Get adequate compo or riot. He is getting paid the most and was the number 1 draft pic so we will be rewarded.

I am just glad this is over!!

And I am genuinely shocked and bewildered that Tom chose money over premiership success.. that was a surprise to me!!

For starters, it is now apparent that they were never his "teammates" just a bunch of blokes he had to play with. Second, they have nothing to feel stupid for. Where is the stupidity in having integrity and belief in the word of "one of your own". It is not their fault that T$ has no morals. I hold the boys in higher regard now by the way they have handled this, not lesser.

Well said. The rest of the team actually come out of this in even higher regard. Their statements of loyalty to Scully, despite the disruptive influence his intention to leave them has been all year, is greatly admirable. Starting with Trengove, I feel very proud of them all. They have displayed integrity like you say, and loyalty to MFC. Just quickly sign Blease, we don't want another year like what has, thankfully, just finished.

Much of the good sense will be lost on those who should be considering it most.

Its done. Its dusted. So lets work on the compensation.

You need a sold sign on your avatar.

Wrong.

They can't get at an another Melbourne player unless there's a trade or the AFL changes the rules. It's one player per club.

Couldn't they take whoever they like in the PSD?

Burn in rich man's hell $cully.

We must not look back. We move on.

Good call WJ.

Having seen his club sack his first captain and his first coach , Tom was never going to turn his back on several million dollars out of a sense of loyalty. I'm prepared to take him at his word - that he has only just now made his final decision. Anything to help put it behind us

A new coaching team , some salary cap space .. and a couple of early draft picks in the offing: All Good - Positive exciting stuff ahead.. Go Dees