Whispering_Jack

Any moderator who moves this thread today is a bum. I tweeted:

If our recruiters are to go down the O'Meara track then I trust that whoever is looking after our interests has been to see the player and his family already. This would apply irrespective of how the Scully scenario pans out. We're part of this competition and we should aim for the best quality players along with all other clubs in the competition. With the impending advent of free agency we've got to get used to being in the kitchen and to withstanding its heat.

What makes it "dangerous"? It's the AFL's own idea and the only precedent available of what to do in these circumstances.

You're 100% correct old but the thing is this. The decision to grant Freo the extra pick was not part of the punitive measures against Melbourne. It was designed to ensure that, in the circumstances, the Dockers were properly compensated for the loss of Jeff White. Therefore the precedent of giving two top five selections and a tweak of the second round pick must be exactly what the AFL thought was fair in White's case and, as stated above, should become the benchmark when a club loses a # 1 pick. It's fairly straightforward to me and since it was a adopted by the AFL itself, and the AFL CEO has deemed the White/Scully situations as analagous, then voila - we have the precise measure of what is fair and reasonable compensation straight from the AFL.

I agree. Love your work Mr. Dailey. It was the AFL itself which set a precedent in deciding to compensate Fremantle by giving it pick 5 in addition to the previous deal of pick 2 and an upgrade to an early second round pick for losing Jeff White so that should be the benchmark for the "anomalous situation" created when a club loses a former # 1 pick so early in his career. Now that Demetriou has pointed to this example it's incumbent upon him to ensure that it's followed through so as to adhere to the precedent set by previous administrations.

... and, in line with my earlier comments about free advertising for the club brand and its sponsors, note the colours and Hankook logo in the photograph accompanying Jay Clark's piece. You just can't buy that much exposure!

A Dostoyevsky he ain't but a nobody? You're kidding!

To the contrary, the Melbourne brand has had a suitcase load of free publicity over the past several months over the Scully saga. We're now the most exposed club in the AFL. We're in it every time I pick up a newspaper. This means that the Hankook logo is getting a fair amount of mileage. Kaspersky too. It's worth millions in free publicity even if we're not thrilled about the tenor or the quality of the journalism in question. We're taking over from the Magpies as the AFL's most publicised club. It's fantastic!

I would have added Clint Bartram and Max Gawn this week. Neither played last week so they both should be fresher than whoever they replace. As to who they would replace, I don't know enough about the fitness and energy levels of those who played last week so I won't name names here and now but the club's fitness people would know more than me. I liken it to the situation before we played the Bulldogs. It was the third game in a series of six day breaks. People within the club felt that there were a number of players who played tired and ran out of legs during the game. Jack Hill the blind miner could have worked that one out but why make the excuse after the fact? As it was we brought one player into the team for that game, played him as the sub and he got onto the ground late in the third. There's nothing wrong with that if your focus is purely on development and not on where you're going to finish this year and I'm happy to go along with this if it's the football department's policy.

There's always the possibility that circumstances enable a reassessment of the situation in a fortnight's time but this week's game is definitely the one we should be aiming to win if we're to remain in the fight for the finals. By the time we play Carlton and the Eagles, the task of catching up to the rest if we lose the next two could be beyond us because we will then almost certainly be relying completely on results of other games.

My understanding is that the AFL's position is that it won't be 2 top 10s at all but a mid first rounder and a late first rounder, both of which are claimed to be set in stone. That means if it happened that way and the club wanted to replace their young star who was a # 1 draft pick, it would get around # 15 and # 25 in a highly compromised draft. If it was forced to wait a year or two, those numbers might get a little better but the drafts will remain compromised for a number of years due to the entry of the new franchises with concessional picks being used by clubs up to 2016 (and we know that justice delayed means justice denied). This is manifestly unfair and unreasonable compensation for a # 1 selection and discretion needs to be exercised to cater for the anomalous situation which would be the case if Scully left. Unless the AFL is able to broker a situation that gives the affected club due and proper compensation then it's not acting with fairness or applying the rules of natural justice in its decision making.

Should have been a couple more changes if we want to win. This is going to be close to our last roll of the dice to find a formula to beat a team above us and to find a way of playing finals. If it doesn't work we go back to developing the list for the future.

I've heard Demetriou's comments and I find aspects of them outrageous and unacceptable, particularly insofar as they apply to the Scully situation. I hope the MFC has transcripts of his comments and runs them past its legal team in the event that the matter of compensation for Tom Scully becomes an issue. I've already commented elsewhere how the AFL is conflicted on a number of aspects of the GWS concessions and related issues. Demetriou and the AFL need to be reminded that they are not above the law and if they make decisions that are unlawful or that deny constituent clubs natural justice then sooner or later their deeds, actions and words will be tested within the judicial system.

Here's an article from earlier this year. The Dockers are keen. Freo plan to pounce on Dongara dynamo

Coach Brad Gotch's assessment of the 12 MFC players in the game is up - Round 16 Casey Player Review There's also an interesting report on the VFL site:- Fevola Haul Of 11 Sinks Dolphins The only problem I have with the report is this part - "Youngster" Paul Kennedy made his VFL debut at Sandringham in 1997, the same year as recently retired Nick Sautner and played for four seasons before taking off for overseas where he had a stint playing Gaelic football. He returned just in time to play in the 2005 premiership team with the Zebras and has ended up with the Dolphins. He was probably the oldest player on the ground by a fair way - older than that youngster Fevola!

Incidentally, the three emergencies for tonight were Clint Bartram, Matthew Bate and Max Gawn and, on form at Casey you could mount a good argument for the inclusion of all three next week. I mentioned Joel Mac in the OP and there's also Aaron Davey and Neville Jetta playing their comeback games after injury at Casey so there are plenty of candidates for places.

I made the comment a couple of weeks ago that a lot of thought had to be put into team selection for the Bulldogs game because it was the third consecutive game played after a six day break. I was thinking along the lines of having to make three or four changes to bring in what might hopefully be fresher legs for that game but that didn't happen. We made one change, the "in" started as the sub, and ultimately the Melbourne team looked a tired lot when they played at Etihad. Losing the game meant that their finals prospects were severely dented. Now, I'm still not sure about the advantages of falling into eighth place but I'm a competitive beast when all's said and done (and ever the optimist) and I'd like to see us make a genuine play for the finals anyway. The next four weeks are daunting but the only one I might be prepared to concede is Geelong at Skilled Stadium. Actually, I'll settle for a draw in that one. If we get any of Hawthorn, Carlton or West Coast on a bad day, we could win if we're at our best. Win one of those three and it might keep us in the race depending on the results of other games. We just need to lift a couple of notches and you never know! I understand that the plan this week was for all three emergencies to stay with the team in Darwin rather than fly back to Melbourne at the earliest possible time to join the Scorpions for their game on Sunday. This means there will automatically be three fresh bodies for consideration against the Hawks; and you can add Joel Macdonald coming back from injury as well as those in line for promotion from the VFL. I know that players need to be left out to fill the spaces but there were a few tired bodies in Darwin and some changes are not only warranted IMO but should be be made.

That's a strange one seeing that he's so fit although, on the other hand, it could be to ensure that he's fresh for next week v Hawthorn.

Stayed for another 10-15 minutes and Jack was getting better as the game went on. Oakleigh had reduced the lead a little by the time I left but the Rays looked the goods. Just before I left, Jack took a great grab and centered it to FF for a nice mark and goal to the Chargers. I believe this was his first game for Oakleigh and given he's a year younger than most, I'm happy.

Half time and the Stingrays dominance continues although Oakleigh did much better in the second quarter. Jack Viney is getting plenty of touches now and more importantly, he's getting a lot of the hard ball. He's playing midfield and resting in the forward pocket. His field kicking is good but he has missed two relatively easy shots at goal. In the first quarter, Jack was interchanged for a fair amount of time and took a while to get settled. He's given away a couple of frees but that's not too much of a worry because he's been penalised going hard for the ball. The Stingrays are simply much bigger and stronger and their key position players have been marking well. Coach Graeme Yeats has them well drilled and his team is putting the Chargers under a fair bit of pressure. In that context, Jacks game to date is fairly good. The Oakleigh coach is another ex-Demon Greg Doyle who from memory wore # 26, more lately belonging to John Meesen and Robbie Campbell. Media Watch: Reporter Jon Anderson from the HUN is here but not Todd Viney (that I can see anyway). No doubt he's in the top end. Score: Dandenong Stingrays 7.4.46 to Oakleigh Chargers 2.6.18. I'll hang around for the first 15 minutes of the third and then I'm off to pick up my grandson to watch a game of Amateur C grade footy which, for the footy purist is the best footy to watch these days.

It's quarter time at Warrawee Park, Oakleigh and the visiting Dandenong Stingrays are giving the Oakleigh Chargers a bit of a mauling 5.2.32 to 0.0.0. Needless to say nobody in the Oakleigh team, including Jack Viney, is having much of an impact.

Pick 1 (2009) + 2 year's education and input = Pick 1 (2011) plus late first round pick. It's an anomalous situation that requires an independent panel's consideration and not that of a conflicted assessment from an AFL official.

And thanks for forgetting to pass on the tip.

This constitutes a new start to discussion on the issue of whether Tom stays or goes. Please keep it civil and respect our code of conduct. Those who know me, know full well that I'm not generally in favour of censorship but my patience has been severely tested by some of the things I read on the previous Tom Scully thread. So much so that I did a News of the World on that thread and am starting a new one. These are the rules:

Dear all, Like Fan, I haven't read this thread in its entirety buy I find it offensive and contrary to the core values of this site that a player's character is being impugned by people posting here. So much so that I've taken the decision on myself to lock this thread. Another thread can be started for those who wish to discuss the continuing saga of where Tom Scully will play next year but slurs on his character (or that of any other player for that matter) will not be tolerated. I repeat what Fan has stated previously:- Anyone commenting on that aspect of this issue in this or any other thread will have their posts deleted and if they do it twice they will be banned.