Whispering_Jack

That's OK. If Scully goes, we should be happy to take a priority pick plus one at the end of round one which seems to me to be reasonable compensation if a 20 year old is being paid $5m over 4 years.

No problem with the fact that the terms were agreed to by all clubs. According to a newspaper report from last week, those same rules include the possibility of the AFL ruling that an anomalous situation applied and the compensation should suit the situation. In this case, if you lose a 19/20 year old priority selection then you should at least get one back.

I have no idea as to what goes on in Scully's mind and I won't be conceding that he's gone until he's gone. I do have a problem with the acceptance of the fact that, in the event that he goes, the compensation would be no better than that given to Ablett which is a commonly held position among many people. There is a suitcase load of difference between Ablett and Scully. In the first instance you have a champion player obtained under the father/son rule who had already given nine years of service, won premierships and a Brownlow and was approaching 27 years of age. What did he have left of his career? Five or six years at most? In Scully's case, it's a priority draft selection who will have given two years of service at year's end - a player not yet anywhere near his peak and with 10 to 12 years service ahead of him as a potential marquee player. If we lose Scully and don't try to make out a case to the AFL for an anomalous situation on the basis of the above, it will be a sad day for the club and for the sport.

Agree that he's not having a crack. It was an amicable divorce and it worked out well for Buckley so good luck to him.

I think he might have replaced Brent Moloney - a late omission due to injury.

Slightly different story with the Herald Sun MELBOURNE INJURIES: Colin Garland (foot) test Mark Jamar (knee) test Luke Tapscott (hamstring) test Rohan Bail (knee) 2 weeks Michael Newton (foot) 2-4 weeks Jack Fitzpatrick (ankle) 4 weeks Aaron Davey (knee) 5 weeks Jack Grimes (foot) season Jake Spencer (knee) season ON THE BLOCK: Jamie Bennell got limited game time as sub. ON THE CUSP: Sam Blease, Matthew Bate JON ANDERSON'S FORECAST: Blease, who the club has always had expectations of, is getting closer.

Jake King has been given an extra day to decide whether to appeal his suspension so theoretically he might still play this week.

The Fairfax media organisation is very much a sinking ship these days. Credibility poor. Unbalanced biased reporting of issues and, at times, obsessively so. Share price plummeting along with circulation figures and its work force. There's no better way to highlight this than by giving a megaphone to a self-indulgent has been who has nothing better to do with himself than to kick his old football club when it's down over an event that happened under a past administration and ignoring the good work being done by the Women of Melbourne and the club's continuing support for cancer awareness. Some of the many glaring errors in the human headline's little diatribe have already been pointed out above but this letter, published in today's Age cuts deeply into that noxious little piece:- I think that just about says it all.

Apparently, he had more touches than any other player in the Vic Metro team although a couple of West Aussies including Coniglio had one or two more. I don't want to upset any of our posters by putting too much of a spin on his performance (after all, I was 3,400 km away) but you'd have to say on the evidence that it was better than ordinary!

Jack Watts is coming of age today.

Yes.

Jordan Gysberts is out and Dan Nicholson is in. Jamie Bennell is the sub.

There were several attempts in the game's early days to spread the game to other nations. Our game was played at various times in South Africa and New Zealand in the early part of the 20th century. At the end of 1963 Melbourne and Geelong toured the United States after the season and played exhibition games in Hawaii and (I think) San Francisco. Then, former umpire Harry Beitzel organised an international tour that involved exhibition hybrid games against Irish and American teams which played Gaelic Football and were the forerunners of the International Rules games we have today. The first tour was c1968 and Ron Barassi was in the squad. In America there was a brawl involving Barassi and a tough Irish-American cop named Brendon Tumulty which gave the touring team lots of publicity. The Aussies were called the "Galahs" - it was a time when a lot of cringeworthy exports were sent out of the country. I think the name "Galahs" and Bazza McKenzie topped the list. When Barassi became coach of Melbourne in 1981 the Irish Experiment was instituted. It's two major successes were Sean Wight and Jimmy Stynes but there were a handful of others who didn't make it. The idea was taken up once or twice until the early 2000s when it was abandoned because of the cost involved. When Jim returned as President two years ago, I thought there was a chance of it being revived but there's been no sign to date that this is going to happen.

Why 8? All the team really needs from Liam Jurrah is a return to the dangerous player he was on Melbourne's forward line late last year and in some games earlier this year. Over the past month, he's been more or less ineffective, giving us one less avenue of attack and opposition teams one less player to worry about. Of course, that just about epitomises our forward set up at present.

Another guest preview this week:- FLEEING THE INFERNO by the Biffinator I was lurking around the Qantas Club at Perth airport, more morose than usual, when I bumped into Neal Daniher. Like me, he was trying to flee the Inferno. With an hour or so until our flights departed, he readily agreed to talk. Cheap wine in hand, we settled down beside a window overlooking the tarmac. “Neale, thanks for your time. I am ever so grateful. Any preview makes me sweat, but when it comes to Fremantle or Port, it’s Desperation Stakes Day. Nor do I want to write about that dumbo Mark Harvey – what a wally. It will only get me into trouble; I am sure to mention that pool . . . . .” He nodded his head. “Biff, I knew you’d rope me in sooner or later. I’ve been reading your previews on the Dees board. Not much of a tipper, are you?” I laughed. Our former coach is a very likeable guy. As always, his character is irreproachable. He radiates a folksy charm. “Neale, we have not spoken for some time. You coached the Dees from 1998 to 2007. There were zero premierships but plenty of good memories. I’ll always recall fondly that famous victory against West Coast in ‘98. We had been butt-plugged the previous two weeks. No-one gave us a chance: Hell was more likely to turn Methodist. Our boys – and boys they were – fought with a ferocity that I have rarely seen in the Dees over the years. Yes, it was a mere Home and Away victory, but to my mind at least, it was a stupendous achievement – like Midway. What a pity it has not been replicated over the years.” “Thanks Biff.” Neale replied gravely. “Yes, the guys were switched on that day. Mark Bradly still dines out on that match.” “I am also forever grateful that you beat the Cheats at Princes Park in their final match at that shithole in 2005. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord!” Neale laughed. “Yes, that was neat. I always hated that dump myself.” I fell silent. The other side of the ledger beckoned. “Neale, we are witnessing a four year train-smash under Dean Bailey. The performances against Collingwood and the Cheats were redolent of 2008: the Rocky Horror Show. To be fair to Dean, he inherited a dud hand, whatever one might say about his own baseline skills. In making this statement, attention naturally turns to your good self and your deputy sheriff: the infamous Craig Cameron.” As if bunkering down in his foxhole, Neale nodded his head slowly. “Your greatest failure Neale – and I say this respectfully – was not the 2000 Grand Final; after all, it was the race for the Silver Medal, and we were lucky not to cop an ‘88-style thumping. No, to my mind, the slump that occurred at the end of 2004 was far more damning. That year was very winnable: Port was hardly a great team and Brisbane was on the wane. Mid-season, we had the momentum of a freight train. The likes of Hawthorn and the Cheats were obliterated. Johnny Beckworth declared that we were the most talented side to wear the Red and Blue since 1964. And then Scotty Thompson was injured; the Lions mauled us in Brisbane by ten goals and thereafter, we pretty much just rolled over and took it up the clacker.” The cracks in Neale’s face deepened. He looked out the window towards the sun-burnt hills on the horizon. “Well, what do you expect me to say, Biff? Of course it was a disappointing result. I was gutted. To sit top of the ladder at Round 18 was permission to dream.” “Moreover,” I added grimly, “what with the passage of years, it is clear that succession-planning was minimal during your time at the club – and we are paying the price now. David Neitz was a stalwart of the club but his days were always numbered – FFS he started in 1993 and fourteen years later, from what I can tell, we were still operating on the assumption that he was a permanent fixture in the goal square. Granted, Silverback Gorillas of his mettle do not grow on trees - but where in the hell was the contingency planning ?” Neale kept his mouth shut, but not for one second did I mistake his silence for acquiescence. “More widely, there was no deepset urgency to turn over the list in, say, 2005, when it was clear that we weren’t good enough with the likes of Robbo, Yze, Jeff White, Nick Holland, Simon Godfrey, Luke Williams, Nicholson and the others. We blithely waltzed into 2006, won a minor final and failed to ask ourselves the hard questions. Behold where we are today ! Exhibit Number 1: a handbrake. Exhibit Number 2: two spoons. Exhibit Number 3: Dean Bailey’s coaching record. It was the Perfect Storm – and yet so foreseeable.” Again, I gave Neale a chance to return fire but for the moment he kept his gunpowder dry. “To my mind, Neale, there are two perennial challenges at the Melbourne Football Club: the first is culture; the second is cattle. Let’s start with the latter first. We would be lucky to have a single player in the Top 50 on current form. There are no superstars on our list – and that has been the case for some time. Even so, such a weakness can be offset by senior cadres. When I look back on our recruitment in the early 2000s, a certain verse from Jeremiah comes to mind: ‘the harvest is past; the summer is ended and we are not saved.’ Luke Molan; Steve Armstrong; Aaron Rogers; Gary Moorcroft, Nick White and the famous Isaac Weetra – to name a few. Even the decision to take TJ over Brad Ottens was a **** up; if it’s a choice between a good big guy and a shorter alternative, always take the big guy: even I know that. And culture – don’t start me on culture. Remember the first match of 2007. We were up against the Saints. Me, I have never been cockier going into a match. When Brick – sorry Brock - Mclean ripped his Achilles, you could see the rest of the team deflate like a balloon. I have never felt more cheated.” I spluttered to an end. Neale sat up straight at that point. It was time for a rebuttal. “I am happy to shoulder my fair share of the responsibility,” he replied manfully. “But you must remember that I didn’t operate in a vacuum. Szondy, for instance, was President during my time. Gardner was there as well. Few Melbourne supporters would remember them with fondness. I had to deal with them on a daily basis. Craig Cameron oversaw recruitment on a shoestring budget. I deferred to his expertise. And we were still cooped up at the Junction. They’re all facts. But there is a deeper consideration.” As I watched on, terminal-bound, a Qantas jet taxied up to the runway. Oh, to take wing out of Perth. “Biff, how did the Handbaggers become Geelong in 2007? Can you tell me? Why did it happen? Overnight they went from boiled lollies to chocolates. I don’t know. Ultimately, it is a mystery. You can rant and scream at players – I did. You can plead with them – I did. You can make them watch inspirational videos – they were a dime a dozen in my day. You can flog them on the training track – I did that as well. But there is a difference between knowing the path, and walking it like Geelong has done since 2007. I don’t have any ready answers for you Biff. The space between a footballer’s ears is Terra Incognita. Think of all the effort, hard work and sweat that’s been invested in the Dees since 1964 – and by better people than me - and you know what: it’s all been to no vivid end. Even if Sheedy had taken the reins at Melbourne, we’d still be having this conversation.” He paused. “How does that song by Bruce Springsteen go? That’s it: you can’t have a fire without a spark.. We – yes, we – have had some champion players since 64 – but not one out and out world-beater. That's no coincidence. Until a Messiah dons the Red and the Blue and galvanises the team, the Dees will default to half-arse efforts, punctuated by the occasional gutsy win.” That was the Word. I sank back further into my chair. The wine offered no solace. “So the Dees are up against Fremantle this week,” I said weakly. “What are your thoughts please, Neale?” He grinned. “They’re just as nutty as the Dees. The MCG is their bogey-ground. But they have two stars whereas the Dees – well, we’re no better provisioned than Mother Hubbard’s cupboard!” Our respective flights were boarding. We shook hands. There was a wry grin on his face. “Biff, I will leave you with one of my favourite lines. It is from Captain Bligh – the guy on the Bounty: ‘the Floggings will continue until Morale improves.’ You know what that means!" Freo by 30 points, I thought to myself. And Pavlich to kick six. Biffinator from BIGFOOTY

FLEEING THE INFERNO by the Biffinator I was lurking around the Qantas Club at Perth airport, more morose than usual, when I bumped into Neal Daniher. Like me, he was trying to flee the Inferno. With an hour or so until our flights departed, he readily agreed to talk. Cheap wine in hand, we settled down beside a window overlooking the tarmac. “Neale, thanks for your time. I am ever so grateful. Any preview makes me sweat, but when it comes to Fremantle or Port, it’s Desperation Stakes Day. Nor do I want to write about that dumbo Mark Harvey – what a wally. It will only get me into trouble; I am sure to mention that pool . . . . .” He nodded his head. “Biff, I knew you’d rope me in sooner or later. I’ve been reading your previews on the Dees board. Not much of a tipper, are you?” I laughed. Our former coach is a very likeable guy. As always, his character is irreproachable. He radiates a folksy charm. “Neale, we have not spoken for some time. You coached the Dees from 1998 to 2007. There were zero premierships but plenty of good memories. I’ll always recall fondly that famous victory against West Coast in ‘98. We had been butt-plugged the previous two weeks. No-one gave us a chance: Hell was more likely to turn Methodist. Our boys – and boys they were – fought with a ferocity that I have rarely seen in the Dees over the years. Yes, it was a mere Home and Away victory, but to my mind at least, it was a stupendous achievement – like Midway. What a pity it has not been replicated over the years.” “Thanks Biff.” Neale replied gravely. “Yes, the guys were switched on that day. Mark Bradly still dines out on that match.” “I am also forever grateful that you beat the Cheats at Princes Park in their final match at that shithole in 2005. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord!” Neale laughed. “Yes, that was neat. I always hated that dump myself.” I fell silent. The other side of the ledger beckoned. “Neale, we are witnessing a four year train-smash under Dean Bailey. The performances against Collingwood and the Cheats were redolent of 2008: the Rocky Horror Show. To be fair to Dean, he inherited a dud hand, whatever one might say about his own baseline skills. In making this statement, attention naturally turns to your good self and your deputy sheriff: the infamous Craig Cameron.” As if bunkering down in his foxhole, Neale nodded his head slowly. “Your greatest failure Neale – and I say this respectfully – was not the 2000 Grand Final; after all, it was the race for the Silver Medal, and we were lucky not to cop an ‘88-style thumping. No, to my mind, the slump that occurred at the end of 2004 was far more damning. That year was very winnable: Port was hardly a great team and Brisbane was on the wane. Mid-season, we had the momentum of a freight train. The likes of Hawthorn and the Cheats were obliterated. Johnny Beckworth declared that we were the most talented side to wear the Red and Blue since 1964. And then Scotty Thompson was injured; the Lions mauled us in Brisbane by ten goals and thereafter, we pretty much just rolled over and took it up the clacker.” The cracks in Neale’s face deepened. He looked out the window towards the sun-burnt hills on the horizon. “Well, what do you expect me to say, Biff? Of course it was a disappointing result. I was gutted. To sit top of the ladder at Round 18 was permission to dream.” “Moreover,” I added grimly, “what with the passage of years, it is clear that succession-planning was minimal during your time at the club – and we are paying the price now. David Neitz was a stalwart of the club but his days were always numbered – FFS he started in 1993 and fourteen years later, from what I can tell, we were still operating on the assumption that he was a permanent fixture in the goal square. Granted, Silverback Gorillas of his mettle do not grow on trees - but where in the hell was the contingency planning ?” Neale kept his mouth shut, but not for one second did I mistake his silence for acquiescence. “More widely, there was no deepset urgency to turn over the list in, say, 2005, when it was clear that we weren’t good enough with the likes of Robbo, Yze, Jeff White, Nick Holland, Simon Godfrey, Luke Williams, Nicholson and the others. We blithely waltzed into 2006, won a minor final and failed to ask ourselves the hard questions. Behold where we are today ! Exhibit Number 1: a handbrake. Exhibit Number 2: two spoons. Exhibit Number 3: Dean Bailey’s coaching record. It was the Perfect Storm – and yet so foreseeable.” Again, I gave Neale a chance to return fire but for the moment he kept his gunpowder dry. “To my mind, Neale, there are two perennial challenges at the Melbourne Football Club: the first is culture; the second is cattle. Let’s start with the latter first. We would be lucky to have a single player in the Top 50 on current form. There are no superstars on our list – and that has been the case for some time. Even so, such a weakness can be offset by senior cadres. When I look back on our recruitment in the early 2000s, a certain verse from Jeremiah comes to mind: ‘the harvest is past; the summer is ended and we are not saved.’ Luke Molan; Steve Armstrong; Aaron Rogers; Gary Moorcroft, Nick White and the famous Isaac Weetra – to name a few. Even the decision to take TJ over Brad Ottens was a **** up; if it’s a choice between a good big guy and a shorter alternative, always take the big guy: even I know that. And culture – don’t start me on culture. Remember the first match of 2007. We were up against the Saints. Me, I have never been cockier going into a match. When Brick – sorry Brock - Mclean ripped his Achilles, you could see the rest of the team deflate like a balloon. I have never felt more cheated.” I spluttered to an end. Neale sat up straight at that point. It was time for a rebuttal. “I am happy to shoulder my fair share of the responsibility,” he replied manfully. “But you must remember that I didn’t operate in a vacuum. Szondy, for instance, was President during my time. Gardner was there as well. Few Melbourne supporters would remember them with fondness. I had to deal with them on a daily basis. Craig Cameron oversaw recruitment on a shoestring budget. I deferred to his expertise. And we were still cooped up at the Junction. They’re all facts. But there is a deeper consideration.” As I watched on, terminal-bound, a Qantas jet taxied up to the runway. Oh, to take wing out of Perth. “Biff, how did the Handbaggers become Geelong in 2007? Can you tell me? Why did it happen? Overnight they went from boiled lollies to chocolates. I don’t know. Ultimately, it is a mystery. You can rant and scream at players – I did. You can plead with them – I did. You can make them watch inspirational videos – they were a dime a dozen in my day. You can flog them on the training track – I did that as well. But there is a difference between knowing the path, and walking it like Geelong has done since 2007. I don’t have any ready answers for you Biff. The space between a footballer’s ears is Terra Incognita. Think of all the effort, hard work and sweat that’s been invested in the Dees since 1964 – and by better people than me - and you know what: it’s all been to no vivid end. Even if Sheedy had taken the reins at Melbourne, we’d still be having this conversation.” He paused. “How does that song by Bruce Springsteen go? That’s it: you can’t have a fire without a spark.. We – yes, we – have had some champion players since 64 – but not one out and out world-beater. That's no coincidence. Until a Messiah dons the Red and the Blue and galvanises the team, the Dees will default to half-arse efforts, punctuated by the occasional gutsy win.” That was the Word. I sank back further into my chair. The wine offered no solace. “So the Dees are up against Fremantle this week,” I said weakly. “What are your thoughts please, Neale?” He grinned. “They’re just as nutty as the Dees. The MCG is their bogey-ground. But they have two stars whereas the Dees – well, we’re no better provisioned than Mother Hubbard’s cupboard!” Our respective flights were boarding. We shook hands. There was a wry grin on his face. “Biff, I will leave you with one of my favourite lines. It is from Captain Bligh – the guy on the Bounty: ‘the Floggings will continue until Morale improves.’ You know what that means!" Freo by 30 points, I thought to myself. And Pavlich to kick six. Biffinator from BIGFOOTY

The simplicity of the sport and the fact that hard work alone and not money could once deliver success. The suburban grounds, the curtain raisers, World of Sport on a Sunday morning, the determined look on Ron Barassi's face as he crashed through a pack ...

I think that Tom Scully will remain a Demon for quite some time to come but by the same token, if he does decide to leave, then the rules do not have to be changed to give Melbourne adequate compensation if what Jake Niall says in yesterday's article is correct i.e. "... In addition, the expert panel of AFL talent identification manager Kevin Sheehan and game analysis manager Andrew McKay has the power to override the formula and change the outcome if there is what the AFL called 'an anomalous result'" -DEES COULD GET ABLETTLIKE COMPO FOR SCULLY On this basis, Melbourne would have a reasonable argument on commercial terms that, given Scully's age, his performances to date, his potential, his remuneration, the club's investment made over two years and the substantial goodwill (in the business and personal sense), an anomalous result would occur if the compensation consisted of anything less than a priority first selection (at any draft including 2011) plus another first round selection. Anything less and, in my view, the compensation would be insufficient. This would be based on the fact that Scully was a priority selection in the first place and there has been substantial input into him over the two years since his selection. A commercial court or tribunal would, I believe, be receptive of such an argument. The AFL should do so as well. Cameron Schwab is a smart operator. If the rule as expressed by Niall is correct then Schwab knows this and that he would be able to put a strong argument for compensation along the lines I set out above if it ever becomes necessary (and I hope it will not).

THE FINAL TEAMS MELBOURNE Backs James Strauss James Frawley Joel MacDonald Half backs Nathan Jones Jared Rivers Jack Trengove Centreline Tom Scully Ricky Petterd Jeremy Howe Half forwards Colin Sylvia Jack Watts Cale Morton Forwards Liam Jurrah Max Gawn Brad Green Followers Stefan Martin Brent Moloney Jordie McKenzie Interchange Jamie Bennell Clint Bartram Colin Garland Jordan Gysberts Emergencies Lynden Dunn Michael Evans Daniel Nicholson In Colin Garland Ricky Petterd Out Neville Jetta (hand) Michael Evans FREMANTLE Backs Antoni Grover Luke McPharlin Greg Broughton Half backs Garrick Ibbotson Michael Johnson Paul Duffield Centreline Jesse Crichton Matthew Pavlich Nathan Fyfe Half forwards Tendai Mzungu Kepler Bradly Ryan Crowley Forwards Stephen Hill Christopher Mayne Clancee Pearce Followers Jonathon Griffin Nick Lower Matthew de Boer Interchange Michael Barlow Benjamin Bucovaz Zachary Clarke Clayton Hinkley Emergencies Josh Mellington Rhys Palmer Jay Van Berlo In Michael Barlow Benjamin Bucovaz Out Hayden Ballentyne (hamstring) David Mundy (foot)

Not so sure about that jayceebee31. Once you take out the four players who will start on the interchange for Melbourne on Sunday and a possible emergency as well, the numbers (of AFL listed players) are down on this year's average. I thought the midfield struggled a bit last week especially after half time so I would be a bit concerned about how they go on Sunday.

This is the one from the afl.com.au site. Colin Garland seems to have made a miraculous recovery. Could be due to all that volcanic dust in the air. Rohan Bail (knee) - 2-3 weeks Aaron Davey (knee) - 5 weeks Jack Fitzpatrick (ankle) - 4-6 weeks Jack Grimes (foot) - season Mark Jamar (knee) - test Neville Jetta (hand) - 2 weeks Kelvin Lawrence (quad) - 2-3 weeks Michael Newton (foot) - 4 weeks Jake Spencer (knee) - season Luke Tapscott (hamstring) - test

I mark Collingwood a lot harder.

Kudos to the MFC for presenting My Friend The Chocolate Cake. Sensational rendition of It's a Grand Old Flag!

Work 4 me.

Late change: Bartram in & Nicholson out. Evans to wear the green vest.