This quote still surprises me:

Recruiter 2: "If I was forced to take one of Scully or Trengove, I would have taken Trengove based on his performance for Sturt in the 2009 SANFL Preliminary final against Glenelg."

How can one single game have such an influence over a decision? I'm not an AFL recruiter but that seems almost negligent. Anyone can have a rare day out.

I'd say it's because the two were so closely rated that it was quite hard to split them.

When comparing two such evenly ranked players, you've then got to look for a killer blow that holds one above the other. If you'd seen the prelim, you may understand the recruiter's quote. Trengove was immense in that game - against men.

If memory serves me correct mfc said at the time that they couldn't separate them re no1/no2

It was line ball and in the end more of a flip the coin type of decision

So whether scully or trengove was no1 is really rather a moot point and not really worth making an issue over

I always favoured Trenners of the 2 & in truth I couldn't see the over the top excitement about scully, other than he was manic at footy... I thought I must have been wrong & missing something, so just went along quietly with all, but promoting the youth push...

the players I really liked were Gary Rohan, after Trenners,,, wasn't sold on Morabito, really liked Butcher, Martin & Cunnington.

the others I hadn't seen, or didn't know much about, or didn't like.

I'd say it's because the two were so closely rated that it was quite hard to split them.

When comparing two such evenly ranked players, you've then got to look for a killer blow that holds one above the other. If you'd seen the prelim, you may understand the recruiter's quote. Trengove was immense in that game - against men.

trengove was fantastic in many games & also played quite a few games in SA against the senior teams..

He'll be a great player for us, Trenners.

We are an easy target for the press to hit ATM

Too true.

If Trengove wasn't the slowest player in history (in every aspect) he would be very good.

Slowest player in history?

In every aspect?

C'mon Clint, if you had your time again in this instant^, you wouldn't have posted that. That is ridiculous and any other adjective I can think of.

Maybe it's the devil's advocate in me, but I'd like to revisit T Sully in 2-3 yrs and see if he's not trying to be traded to the Toiges. He was supposed to be super keen to go there before we got the no1 pick thanks to Jordie McMahon. In 2-3yrs he'll have gotten the bulk of his $millions from GWS and perhaps be keen to play his prime years at Tigerland, as he originally wanted. Isn't his family big tiger fans, not that it means all that much?

EVERY other club in the competition would be thrilled to have Trengove on their list.

Some of the criticism of him here is plainly stupid.

He's gone, we have our compo players, I don't care less about him.

This quote still surprises me:

Recruiter 2: "If I was forced to take one of Scully or Trengove, I would have taken Trengove based on his performance for Sturt in the 2009 SANFL Preliminary final against Glenelg."

How can one single game have such an influence over a decision? I'm not an AFL recruiter but that seems almost negligent. Anyone can have a rare day out.

Is that the game Barry P. didn't bother watching?

Problem is that the truth hurts

Fair enough. However, it's Interesting how that muppett King says he'll "cut him some slack". He would go 180 degrees the opposite way if Scully were still at Melbourne and be tearing shreds off him and us with the difference being Scully wouldn't be on obscene amounts of cash. Therefore saying he has more pressure now is absolute fluff! He hasn't had half the scrutiny and criticism Jack watts has had in the last 2 years. Scully absconded to Sydney and he's out of sight out of mind. King reckons he'll improve when GWS does. My god, what a dumbass! What player doesn't look better or perform better in a winning side? The fact is that Scully should be in front of his fellow midfielders and leading from the front not playing catch up, waiting for the team to improve.

I'll cop criticism of Melbourne's player development but there is no arguing that our selections have been poor and Scully is exhibit 'A'. removed from Melbourne's environment he is still just an above average footballer.

Slowest player in history?

In every aspect?

C'mon Clint, if you had your time again in this instant^, you wouldn't have posted that. That is ridiculous and any other adjective I can think of.

Yes, I am being over-the-top but I can't think of a midfielder currently playing who is as slow as he is in every aspect.

Even McLean is faster than Trengove over 20 metres these days.

The sooner the AFL increase the drafting age the better.

Not sure I agree with this (but maybe it's because I don't understand). It's a free market and clubs don't have to pick 17 year olds. I suspect the AFL would need to encourage development leagues (TAC Cup) to extend their age limits to say 20 if it did go up.

More time in the system surely helps. Perhaps it not about recruitment age but tempering expectations for young players until they are 4-5 seasons in?

Am I missing something Clint? What's the theory behind raising the age limit mate?

This article is an insult to Kwame Brown. And yes, while I lament seeing Dustin Martin succeeding at Richmond, Judas and Trengove were the safe picks, so I'm fine with picking both of them. It's the drastic reaches that turn into busts (Cook, Gysberts) that hurt me the most.

Classic Ralphy, quick google search 'the greatest busts in US sport'.

I'd say Kwame's situation almost mirrors Watts to this stage, not $cully.

The stat I like to trot out once in a while -

Tom Scully leads the AFL for clangers.

And it's not like he gets near it a whole lot.

Prendergast is on record as saying he didn't even speak to anyone other than Trengove and Scully.

I hope we have cleaned the place out of all Prendergast's recruiting staff and anyone who worked with him, or had a role in hiring him. Out of interest, how does the "list manager" Harrigton still have a job?

The saddest thing is that the 09 draft probably hasn't decimated the club as much as the 2008 draft has. You could have thrown darts at the top 35 names and come up with a better result than Watts, Blease, Strauss and Bennell.

The article has a number of recruiters slamming our non development. This is the crux of our problems and not one person in the MFC has explained to members why this is so. Not one person in the MFC is prepared to take responsibility for not developing our players.

There are many people currently on the club payroll and many previously who are paid good money for absolutely zero return on field over the last 6 years.

ZERO RETURN folks, that's what your membership money is going to.......ZERO RETURN.

Prendergast is on record as saying he didn't even speak to anyone other than Trengove and Scully.

I hope we have cleaned the place out of all Prendergast's recruiting staff and anyone who worked with him, or had a role in hiring him. Out of interest, how does the "list manager" Harrigton still have a job?

The saddest thing is that the 09 draft probably hasn't decimated the club as much as the 2008 draft has. You could have thrown darts at the top 35 names and come up with a better result than Watts, Blease, Strauss and Bennell.

Where is this incompetent fool now...[censored]!

Didnt Barry go to carlton?

Didnt Barry go to carlton?

Yes you are right. It's funny that the media never mentions his name when it comes to poor recruiting.

Not sure I agree with this (but maybe it's because I don't understand). It's a free market and clubs don't have to pick 17 year olds. I suspect the AFL would need to encourage development leagues (TAC Cup) to extend their age limits to say 20 if it did go up.

More time in the system surely helps. Perhaps it not about recruitment age but tempering expectations for young players until they are 4-5 seasons in.

We used to have a development league: the thirds (or under 19's) plus the seconds.

Players could get a thorough schooling through that system and be fully integrated into the club without needing to be pushed up too soon.

Maybe we do need our own VFL team where development and not necessarily winning is of major importance.

The best thing about Scully going to GWS is that we managed to get a second chance at top draft picks after it looked like Scully may fall short of expectations. (Personally, I started to worry about Scully when he was tagged out of a practice match against Brisbane in the 2011 pre-season.) We need to thank the Melbourne hierarchy for their smart dealing as they managed to keep driving up Scully's asking price by convincing all and sundry that Scully was worth a bundle.

The worst thing is that by trying to keep Scully (I'm not sure how hard Melbourne tried to keep him) we started freeing up salary cap space in late 2010, so we jettisoned Junior McDonald, who is Demon royalty.

Scully must have read this morning paper, he has had blinder of a first quarter against the Dons.

2 goals, 8 touches and 3 tackles early in 2nd quarter. Think we did very well out of Scully leaving, but he, in my opinion, will end up a very good player. Good to see GWS smashing the Bombers so far!

I find it interesting that the "recruiters" who have contributed are unnamed, without even an indication of where they work. I somehow doubt that they are high on credibility, otherwise they would have been making a big deal out of the credentials of their sources.

I find it interesting that the "recruiters" who have contributed are unnamed, without even an indication of where they work. I somehow doubt that they are high on credibility, otherwise they would have been making a big deal out of the credentials of their sources.

I dont think you have to have credibility as a recruiter to identify shyte player development at the MFC.