who cares about Tom we all new he would go !!!!!!!!

lets worry about somehing that is even BIGGER

who the hell your coach will be

Well, thank our lucky stars that when the MFC tossed a coin to decide whether Scully or Trengove would be nominated as #1, it came up Scully #1.

I expect GWS would have tried to poach #1 regardless of the player's performance just for the publicity. (In fact it seems they did -I think we get to keep the better player.)

Just a pity we didn't take Martin & Trengove! I was always concerned $ulky would squib it.

Now we have to get another strong bodied Mid! One with 'Inte-grit-dee'...

I was always concerned $ulky would squib it.

Even Nostradamus will blush at that claim.

First Ju$$ now $cully......Never Again

How were we violated with Judd??

He was never coming to MEL. He struck a deal with Carlton well before he came onto the market.

Four years ago we could not match Carlton on any financial or non financial basis.

How were we violated with Judd??

He was never coming to MEL. He struck a deal with Carlton well before he came onto the market.

Four years ago we could not match Carlton on any financial or non financial basis.

You are persistent with your Sully avatar, aren't you. What point are you trying to prove because I'm sure I speak for a lot of us when I say I don't really want to see his face right now.

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

+1.

Spot on - the guys is a damn good liar clearly. So who knows how much of his injury this year was real? I am not so sure.

And secondly...

How do you keep kids interested in AFL or any professional sport for that matter when they see these shenanigans going on? What example does it set in life and do you really think AFL will not suffer from a longer term bleed as kids grow up and get disillusioned with the sport they love?

From my perspective, it gets harder each year to keep the enthusiasm up when you keep getting kicked in the teeth. So I would imagine when you are impressionable and not as 'rusted on' it would be even harder. Some real longer term issues I believe. I know other sports it is even more extreme but I don't like where then game is heading and I can see why some people prefer going to watch their amateur teams play.

It gets harder to invest the money, time and most importantly enthusiam, even when you are a rusted on old man supporter like me....

How were we violated with Judd??

He was never coming to MEL. He struck a deal with Carlton well before he came onto the market.

Four years ago we could not match Carlton on any financial or non financial basis.

RR I know we don't often agree but you are right on this one.

You will probably tell me to get stuffed but can you please change your avatar?

GWS CEO Dale Holmes:

"We pass on our thoughts to the Melbourne Football Club."

They can get stuffed. Last thing we need is their sympathy. I will hate them until the day they fold. Which with the list they're putting together may happen sooner than later. Hopefully they'll win six wooden spoons in a row.

First, I didnt think gws would sign whats his name. I didnt think they would be that stupid, just another now very rich slight body with suspect knees. How dumb, but their tough luck if his leftie gives out.

I still find it funny that people on this site believed the MFC could and should use the system[ tank] to get him and then [censored] when another nearly club uses the rules to steal him. KARMA I suppose, we were always in trouble giving whats his name no 31 as a well known no 31 also took the money and ran. Spooky really as whats his name also only played 31 games.

Dont think I would go easy on whats his name, I would go harder on him and his memory than has been mentioned on this site. First I would remove any and all images of him on all posters, team photos any mention of him at all. He would be as if he never existed. All references of him would be excersized from our club, childish? Yes but so what, send him a message [even if late] get stuffed.

SO ENDETH THE LESSON

Hopefully they'll win six wooden spoons in a row.

That would be the reality left to their own devices. Unfortunately the AFL won't allow it to happen and they will continue to bend the rules however they need to keep them from embarrassing themselves and the AFL.

That would be the reality left to their own devices. Unfortunately the AFL won't allow it to happen and they will continue to bend the rules however they need to keep them from embarrassing themselves and the AFL.

Oh, so we'll have Melbourne versus GWS and the men in green?

Wouldn't be surprised

Scully was a paid employee of the club. Best we milked all we could out of him whilst he was with us.

GWS are spending a lot of money on 'Potential': He could be the next Judd, or he may not. I would be concerned that his knee injury will make him a liability - and at those prices!

I agree we should MOVE ON. Tom is a rich ex-player. We have to get behind the team and focus on the future, which I hope enjoys a series of premierships that Scully couldn't buy with his 6 million. Lets get great compensation and start the next phase.

Im just glad it is all over. The king is dead, long live the king.

Here's some footage of a REAL Melbourne footballer. 100% bona fide.

God he was good !!

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.

Trengove is (currently) twice the player and has 100x more character. (I also think at the end of their careers he will be the more decorated player)

But I agree with the vein of this thread, as devastating as this whole saga has been I'm glad it's done and we can move on. Of course if GWS come to the G against next year I hope the reception is nothing short of rabid, but it's time to turn the focus back to making for we get the best result for the club.

Agree with the positive sentiments in this thread too. I suspect with hindsight we'll realise what a great favour $cully has done us all.

As exciting as his potential was, is he worth $2M in 2012? Twice what Judd gets? 400 grand more than Gary Ablett? A skinny kid with a degenerative knee who kicked 6 goals in 2 seasons for MFC?

On our side, with hindsight was he the charcter we wanted to build MFC around? Someone since China who has been a disruptive influence for a whole forgettable year, who refused to show loyalty to those playing around him. Without him, we can aggressively trade with cash in hand and compensatory draft picks.

On GWS side, they've done $6 mill of what is not an unlimited bucket, not on an experienced, tough, big-bodied champion to build a team around. The $cully deal may well be looked back on as committing GWS to long years in the wilderness, and expose the AFL's greed and deceit as not the way forward for the future health of our game.

I am looking forward to 2012, and the announcement of our new coach and some new recruits like never before. But most of all, to a totally mentally strong and united playing group who deserve our passion and full support!

Has everyone seen this? It is hysterical:

(Youtube)

Has everyone seen this? It is hysterical:

(Youtube)

That was brilliant. True words- well apart from the tanking. We didn't tank, we tried different positions etc etc, ask the fat Greek boy about that one.

I know it's not his fault, but he really did use us as his cum rag, didn't he?!

Apologies if this has been linked elsewhere. The White Maggot nails it again.

The White Maggot - Tom Scully Signing

I am told Scully has already played his best footy!

Hope this turns out to be true.

This little turd turned his back on us. We should never forget this fact. He is now firmly in enemy territory and will be treated with venom, as he should.

His knee will force his retirement within 5 years....probably sooner, so I am told.

If he wasn't commited to the MFC, then I for one am glad he has departed.

He has shown his true loyalty and I hope the expectations weigh heavily upon his shoulders.

Good riddance to anyone who does a rat job on us!

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.

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.

I do not believe the VFL was ever egalitarian,there was no "fair go" for all and without certain inceptions by the AFL there would be more dead carcasses at the side of the road -other than Fitzroy.

I am very annoyed about Scullys departure though cannot say it is unfair or not in the spirit.All is fair as all must be considered,as Fremantle have shown and Essendon showed last year .Any club that cannot see more than 2 years ahead is derelict. This is a die hard, take no prisoners political world much worse than Federal politics etc as there are no morals to follow,no gallop polls just a firm belief that your ethos will win a flag .As no matter how you get there all will be forgiven by your members.

Gary Lyon was never right for the job.How do i know?Because he had it before and bungled it.this is a man who has made a career out of fence sitting,not getting in the paddock and lopping off cattle heads.

He has chosen Mark Neeld for coach,a current assistant with a very similar resume to the coach we just let go. I cannot blame the playing group for being petulant next year for as a supporter i feel the same way.

i love all this traitor stuff people are saying about Scully and all the rest. He lied, yeah he did. But it was smart too, but selfish. By lieing, he was able to have afl games going into nex season, and not be dropped to the 2's...of course hes going to lie! Obviously money was a factor. The only reason hes paid/offered that much ( and im sure he knows hes not worth it ..yet) is so gws made him untouchable. Plain and simple. But, stay loyal to Melbourne? another 5 years of re-building again? the 5 before that will make it 10 years of rebuilding, failing and rebuilding again. Thats a whole career for no reward. Seems like a good profesional option for Scully to move. What does Melbourne have to offer him? come on really?

i love all this traitor stuff people are saying about Scully and all the rest. He lied, yeah he did. But it was smart too, but selfish. By lieing, he was able to have afl games going into nex season, and not be dropped to the 2's...of course hes going to lie! Obviously money was a factor. The only reason hes paid/offered that much ( and im sure he knows hes not worth it ..yet) is so gws made him untouchable. Plain and simple. But, stay loyal to Melbourne? another 5 years of re-building again? the 5 before that will make it 10 years of rebuilding, failing and rebuilding again. Thats a whole career for no reward. Seems like a good profesional option for Scully to move. What does Melbourne have to offer him? come on really?

I'm cut that I wasted 20 seconds of my life reading your dribble. Drop off mate

I'm cut that I wasted 20 seconds of my life reading your dribble. Drop off mate

good reply mate, top one. you also wasted more time replying to it. So i thought you could have something more productive to write than that! I love my football club, but your obviously saying the next 3 years at least, has a positive outlook. Afl now is a business as much as its a game, so Scully went. I am looking forward to seeing what comes through the ranks from the draft picks out of this. But at the same time, (now with Neeld signed) lets see if the right decisions are being made for a rough few years.

Interesting comments from Sheedy in this article.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/dockers-hit-out-at-critics-20110916-1ke40.html

Describing Fremantle's dumping of Harvey as ''pretty average'', Sheedy said ''We have got to be better than this. We need to look at our ethics now. Mark Harvey is a great person.''

Sheedy would not repeat the emotive language he used in an ABC radio interview earlier yesterday when he said: ''Mark loved coaching Fremantle. This is like coming out of a war zone and being shot by one of your own.

''I really hope Fremantle doesn't become like one of those Melbourne clubs that gets that desperate to win a premiership that they tear the heart and soul out of the club.''

Interesting that he would mention ethics after taking part in the greatest farce and longest running lie in the AFL.

Interesting comments from Sheedy in this article.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/dockers-hit-out-at-critics-20110916-1ke40.html

Describing Fremantle's dumping of Harvey as ''pretty average'', Sheedy said ''We have got to be better than this. We need to look at our ethics now. Mark Harvey is a great person.''

Sheedy would not repeat the emotive language he used in an ABC radio interview earlier yesterday when he said: ''Mark loved coaching Fremantle. This is like coming out of a war zone and being shot by one of your own.

''I really hope Fremantle doesn't become like one of those Melbourne clubs that gets that desperate to win a premiership that they tear the heart and soul out of the club.''

Interesting that he would mention ethics after taking part in the greatest farce and longest running lie in the AFL.

Spot on. And you can add to that the drivel coming out of Demetriou's mouth about the Freo coaching saga. From The Australian:

"It is understandable that people are questioning the value of contracts and commitments and so forth," Demetriou said on Melbourne radio.

"People are entitled to ask questions about issues of commitment and integrity. It is reasonable for people to ask, if coaches are asking players to commit and to play a certain way and asking them to sign up to certain values . . . you can understand. I'm using a generalisation here, not talking about anyone specifically -- but if all of a sudden they don't behave in the way that we're asking them to behave, it sort of reeks of hypocrisy and people see through that."

The man pointing the finger at Freo's behaviour is the same one who oversees a system that tears at player's loyalty by providing for obsecene amounts of incentive to be disloyal, lie to their clubs, teammates and fans and do backflips on pledges of loyalty themselves.

Edit: credit to Nascent who unbeknown to me raised this earlier in another thread.