old55

You're comparing the wrong things ... If he waits till the end of the season & selects GWS ... all media hell will still break loose. If he selects GWS now ... twice as much media hell will break loose. I agree it will be a media [censored]-storm when he does decide at the end of the season, either way. But it will be twice as bad if he decides NOW to go to GWS and announces it. There'll be feral MFC supporters picketing training, demanding he's played in Casey 2s and booing him in the process. That will derail our season much worse than if we wait patiently.

If he looks at it now and decides to take the GWS offer, because he is an honest man he will have to announce it and all hell will break loose.

You failed to address the key point in my argument - your whole argument pre-supposes that he's going to sign with MFC. What if he decides to go to GWS - a very real possibility IMO - he has to announce it at the start of 2011 season or during it - and that just leads to massive gnashing of teeth and a massive problem for the club. The practical outcome is exaclty the same if he leaves the decision until the end of the season. He's playing GWS from 2012 either way BTW I think it's a real possibility he'll sign with MFC too and the club appears to be doing everything to promote this outcome (unlike Thompson with Ablett). Those supporters who continue to believe in him are also promoting this outcome. Then there are others who have given up.

Oh come on - there would be demands that he played every match for Casey 2s and "supporters" would boo him. It would put the club in an invidious position - a position we have potentially been spared by Tom making a wise choice about when to consider his decision. From all this I get that Tom has foresight, is very tough and steadfast and is well-advised. MFC have also worked fantastically alongside him. Some despair, I don't.

Tom Scully is going to sign with MFC or with GWS. There's a question about timing. If he makes a decision sometime before the end of the 2011 season and that decision happens to be that he's staying at MFC we'll all rejoice, however if it happens to be that he's going to GWS he will be crucified by the feral elements who exist in our supporter base - as quite clearly seen in this thread. Or alternatively he could make that decision and lie. He and his management foresaw this problem and he's done none of these things. He's put off making a decison until the end of the year. The only damage caused by this is to the weak-minded who can't handle the pressure of having to wait - not surprisingly they're the same ones who'd be at the head of the crucifiction mob. Tom Scully can stand the pressure - that's what make him who he is.

Well how about what the participants have said ... 1. Blucher said MFC tabled a formal offer. 2. Blucher said he went to GWS for a formal competing offer because he'd be negligent if he didn't. 3. GWS supplied a competing offer. 4. Tom said he doesn't need to know about it until the end of the year like he has always said - he's a man of his word and he has a strong will - e.g. never drinking alcohol. Tom and his management are smart - they realise that it's entirely possible that Tom will accept the GWS offer but that it's entirely untenable if he does that before the end of the season so they aren't looking at it until then. 5. Blucher confirmed he told Tim Harrington what the GWS offer is. 6. MFC told Mike Sheahan that 2 offers had come on the table because it supports what Tom has been saying all along. 7. Schwab confirmed this in his conversation with Schwarz and co. Tom is not lying - offers have just been tabled. 8. Sheahan went to Blucher and said I know that there's a formal offer from MFC and from GWS now - what have you got to say? Return to point 1. or alternatively they're all lying - Blucher, Scully, Schwab.

B-I-N-G-O! I see you found the mirror, now all you need to do is recognise your own reflection. It's not that hard to understand.

Schwarz is quite clearly implying Scully lied at his press conference. If you put any credence in this information you are too.

GWS can take Thomas for NOTHING as an uncontracted player if he is willing to go there. Why would they trade pick 1 to Collingwood for him when they don't need to? They'll use pick 1 on Coniglio or Patton and take Thomas and Scully as uncontracted players if they can. I think your Buckley comparison is accurate and I think your reasoning that someone like Tom would want to play in an environment like Collingwood is possible, but even if this was true there is no believable way he can get there.

Buy blanks when Scully signs.

"Gone" was the word you agreed with, not "will go ... when the big coin [that would] eventually be thrust under his nose". And no I wouldn't say that about "Events since then" at all. Indeed you do have your view - it's that Tom lied.

So according to you Tom was lying when he said at his presser: OR Because according to you he engaged in contract talks in the following 6 weeks and committed to GWS.

I'm asking you what happened between 4 March when Scully said he hasn't signed and 14 April when you said he has? It's a simple question.

You stated your belief that "Scully was gone" on 14 April about 6 weeks after he stated that he hasn't signed with GWS and won't sign a contract until the end of the season. What happened between 4 March and 14 April?

Interesting view here ... Tom Scully Press conference 4 March http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/i-havent-spoken-to-gws-melbourne-star-tom-scully/story-e6frf9jf-1226015805893 Apparently "A crapload has gone down" between 4 March and 14 April?

Yes but eventually "We always get our man ..."

You said you believe he has agreed to go to GWS, which he categorically denied in his press conference. That's calling him a liar.

You've got a major problem understanding outcomes and consequences. If Tom goes to GWS RPFC will be guilty of believing an MFC player and supporting the club. If Tom signs with MFC you will be guilty of calling him a liar and doubting the club. The stakes are high - but only for you and your like-minded colleagues.

Really? And if he decides to go you'll be at the head of the queue saying that it's a completely understandable decision?

Good post.

Good post. I think Jamar - Gawn have just about the perfect age difference for transition. We've got them out of contract in alternating years so that's handy. I expect that we can sign Max for 2 years to end of 2013. Mark will have just turned 29 and will be an unrestricted FA target at the end of 2012 - that's when it starts to get interesting. There's Spencil in the mix too - he has been developing nicely up to his knee injury.

got a mirror?

Ironically this is where GWS and GC work to our advantage - there's no way a quality player can get to Richmond via the draft past GWS and GC who can easily match any contract stipulation. That means there'd have to be a trade and it would have to be heavily weighted in our favour. I'm not for one second suggesting we trade Max Gawn - we should retain him and we have some protection to do so.

The top 25% "match the offer" restriction only applies to the 8-9 year players - that's the "restriction". 10+ are true Free Agents. It wont be as bad as now because 8-9 yr players outside the top 25% wont cause as much angst and 10+ players rarely leave unless it's for a final flag opportunity they've been denied.

Quelle surprise! Might want to make that your sig.