Demonic Ascent

I'm confident the club will move on and all will end well but I reckon we've just lost a great kid. The way he spoke during his press conference made me realise why they see him as a possible captain.

Having said that, I look forward to the GWS/Melbourne clash next year.

[censored] him, I hope he wrecks his knee and never plays again.

Mike Sheahan already trying to downplay the compensation we should get saying we shouldn't get the same as Geelong did for Ablett because Ablett was a proven star of the game. Sheahan saying we should get a first-rounder and maybe a second or third rounder as well.

[censored] that. The club needs to get on the front foot with this one and let it be known we won't take anythign except two first rounders. Based on the AFL's own calculations for compo we deserve the highest level. A #1 pick two years ago who has been offered a $6M/6 years front-loaded contract and will be the highest paid player in the comp next year. Regardless of what he has or hasn't shown based on these two factors we should be getting 2 first rounders and anyone who even mentions anything less needs to be shot down by the club.

We can't let this permeate through the circle-jerk media, everyone knows Sheahan and the like are mouthpieces for the AFL so if he is coming out with this you know there is an agenda there. Nip it in the bud now before it is repeated on On The Couch, One Week at a Time, Footy Classified (though hopefully Garry will get on to it tonight), AFL Insider, AFL 360, Sheahan's column tomorrow, Wilson's column tomorrow, etc etc. Once stories like this grow legs they get repeated ad nauseum and condition the public to the reality they want to create. Fact is we deserve two first rounders and if there was any fairness to this we would be given another #1 priority pick in compo. Of course there isn't so at the very least it should be two first rounders.

on carolines wilsons twitter, apparently schwabb hung up when the dog called.

Maybe he wanted to ask Schwab "why doesn't anyone belive me?"

Regardless of how I feel about Scully for defecting, my deeper anguish is that we have wasted a number 1 draft pick. They are so precious and we've lost ours for a pick 17 and maybe another pick.

Forget about Scully's suspect knee and whether or not he will be a star, that pick should have delivered us a Nick Reiwoldt/Hodge/Goddard/Deledio/Murphy. I'm just shattered that through no fault of our own (MFC just couldn't go $ for $ with GW$), the pick has been wasted.

I'm sure our compensation pick will get us a good player, but they won't be like the players mentioned above.

Gutted.

Yep but on the bright side we have Trengove and Watts with us for the next decade and hopefully they can deliver us the elusive flag. Getting it will be all the sweeter knowing the obstacles we have had to overcome.

Hey Bezelbub ... did you hear, he was just going up for a look around

Yeah just goin' to have a look around...

EDIT: I can understand RR's response, after most of the regulars on here have bagged him all year for saying what he though and what turned out to be correct. However I also agree we need solidarity at this point and not fracturing of the supporter base over this mercenary who has made the club look foolish all year. Some payback is expected but if I were RR I would put a lid on it after all none of us are pleased at what has gone down, even those of us who may have seen it coming all year.

Just hope America De Cali doesn't remember his password or we may be subjected to pages and pages of ostrich bums (or is this RR's other username?)

I keep thinking of Schwab's comments that $cully kept asking him "why doesn't anyone believe me?" How about because you're a two-faced lying [censored] with no integrity or respect.

I was confident he'd stay but uncomfortable with the thought that he'd be getting paid close to twice what Trenners and the like would be getting.

It must free up some money next year when we'll have a few top players coming out of contract.

All that aside, I truly hope that all Demon supporters are above 'booing' Tom when we play GWS.

If we were as professional as a club such as the Pies, both on-field and off-field, I doubt he would have left. If the truth be known, we're probably as close to a flag as GWS is.

[censored] off. Not only will I boo him every time he gets the ball against us for the rest of his career, I'll take some monopoly money to throw his way next year as well.

Anyone who says they will not sign up for membership next year based on this mercenaries decision should have a think about showing some solidarity for the club. Not only has this made me want to renew as soon as possible, but I also want to take out an additional membership to try and get us over the 40K mark. This is not the club's fault this is $cully's fault. Let's hope he shows more balls next year than he has over his short career so far and fronts up against us at the 'G.

And can you be sure Scully didn't wait until the end of the season to decide?

Some people just don't think.

Yeah I bet you believe he was just going up to have a look yesterday as well? Do you seriously think the decision was only made in the last 24 hours? If so I've got a bridge for sale.

Round 1 next year Swans Vs GWS

Round 2 would like to see the Dees Vs GWS at the G.

Bring it on.

Nah the AFL will protect him and we will be playing them up there the first game just like Geelong/Gold Coast. If we are lucky we will get to play them here some time late in the season say Round 16 onwards.

So anyone else still believe this mercenary is a kid with integrity and good character? The little [censored] has lied to our faces all year culminating in his "just going up to have a look around" comments yesterday. I can see now why Sheedy rates him so highly he is a man after his own heart.

Anyone remember the original failed Fevola trade to Brisbane?

Daniel Bradshaw and Michael Rischitelli were both in melbourne being shown around the VISY Park facilities.

2 days later they decided they didn't want to be a part of the trade and another deal had to be arranged.

I am not sold until I hear an official announcement that Scully is gone.

Different circumstances, they were being put up for trade by the club and didn't want to go.

EDIT: Beat me to it.

I can't logically argue any of these points when you have such a narrow-minded view.

They'd be wasted words.

Best of luck to you.

No you can't logically argue them because truth is undeniable. Best of luck to you if you're happy being shafted by someone who grins in your face the whole time but I've got a bit more pride than that.

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Its a bit harsh on Scully mate! I would question his character if the money is the underlying factor, but its the system thats allowed this to take part not Scully. Give MFC & other clubs who have/will lose players the same level playing field to compete. Lets not forget that they have extra room in the CAP to pay more. My question his who created this?? My next question to you is would you not consider a job offer paying 200-300 k more a year?? I dont agree with the whats happening & the MFC are getting shafted again! But dont take it on the kid, should we have a crack at Judd, he took the money, Ablett, sure they achieved flags etc

We have the same cap as Carlton, Richmond & Collingwood. What is the difference between Thomas, Swan, Martin, Kreuzer or Murphy deciding to stay? They were all playing under the same rules as MFC & Scully. Unfortunately for us those players have shown what character and integrity mean while our prized number 1 recruit has only shown that he really puts the pro in professionalism if you get my drift... B)

The AFL banned them. suprise, suprise....

They weren't "banned" per se, only more strictly enforced. There was still plenty of wriggle room for brown paper bags over the table.

I don't get it.

He said from the start he'd wait to the end of the season to make a decision.

He is now taking a week from the end of the season to do that, as he said he would.

I think for a kid in his position being offered what he has, its perfectly reasonable.

If it were my son I'd want him to take his time and make the most informed decision.

He hasn't deviated from what he said he'd do, either.

I think there's still a very good chance he could decideto stay.

What this whole process reeks of to me, is professionalism.

On the outside, nobody is looking at MFC as a mockery - that's a perception put on the club by it's own insecure supporters.

The reflection is on GWS and the player alone.

You've got to be joking surely? If the kid wanted to stay at the Demons do you really think he would need to go up north to check out the GWS facilities? He knows what their offer is, if he was going to stay he would be sitting down with the MFC and working out the particulars on his next contract.

If this was a similar situation but involving say Adelaide or West Coast instead of the new franchises would you still maintain the belief he was only "making up his mind" if he went over there to "check out their facilities after a year of solid speculation on his future.

Face it, the kid is just a mercenary who is whoring himself out for the bigger paycheck. If he had half the integrity and character everyone has been spouting about him since draft day he would have signed earlier in the season or at least begun negotiations with the MFC.

My only query is why didn't we offer him a solid third party deal? Do you think Carlton or Collingwood would have let this happen? Do you think Murphy and Thomas signed on for the amount on their official contracts? Do you really believe Hurley is any chance to disappear up there this time next year?

I've been prepared to wait and take Scully at his word all year but this "travelling up to check out the facilities with mum and dad" is the nail in the coffin and an absolute slap in the face to the founding club of the game and those who decided to bless him with our most famous number.

Anyone blaming this on Demetriou, Sheedy, Allen, the MFC or any other party is delusional and missing the point. The only one to blame in this situation is Scully who has shown himself to be nothing but a money-hungry grub. Say what you will about the likes of Judd or even Barassi but at least they had already given great service to their clubs in the form of premierships and in the case of Judd at least made sure that his club was given sufficient compensation for leaving. All Scully will leave is a massive hole in the salary cap.

Rules the Hawks out of 2012 too if he needs a reco.

It's a pretty simple decision for the kid to make. You can either commit to the oldest football club in the world showing loyalty and integrity and earn a healthy sum on the way. Or you can [censored] yourself out for a few hundred thousand extra dollars in the short term but probably not much difference long term.

So does the kid have integrity as we're so often told? Or is he a money-grubbing [censored]?

Hopefully we find out tomorrow so the club and supporters can move on.

I still think he'll stay.

So you've changed your tune since last Friday?

Its posts like this that the term TL;DR was invented for.

Hunter S Thompson was spot on!

Yeah about a lot of things B)

Go and live their mate, please. I believe the dollar is good as well.

Nah not even interested in traveling there but the country does have some redeeming qualities, NFL being one, southern blues being another.

I'm sure if Tom feels let down, it's about something the majority of our ignorant supporters are not privy too.

Condemning the kid, based on a vague rumour of a complaint, for the complaint having no basis despite no inside info, defies any logic.

I shouldn't be surprised at this point though.

I'm coming to the sad realisation that the majority of our supporters just aren't that intelligent.

I hope it's a case of the vocal minority and I've misread the play.

Yeah they're not that intelligent; or maybe they're just fed up with the same [censored] year in year out and refuse to buy the company line any more about development and the flag always being 4-5 years away. You can act as arrogant as you want but if Scully comes out and leaves for GWS in the next week or so then the supporters who have refused to by into his crap since March will have been vindicated..

Of course you won't think so because even when you cop a slap in the face you'll still turn the other cheek for some more. Your argument will be that even though he is leaving he only made that choice after the last game and didn't once contemplate the offers on the table throughout the season.

The vitriol towards Morton is unwarranted and ignorant.

Rubbish. I don't know how many times this year his weak "efforts" have led to me yelling "Cale Morton get [censored]" but it's been a regular occurrence. I don't care that he's wafer thin but until he finds a heart I don't want to know about him.

Genuine question - how would making them full time help? What would they fill their weeks with when they're not umpiring? I imagine their time commitment is in the order of 10 hours a week (just guessing), bumping that up to 40 seems like a huge jump.

Off the top of my head, they could dedicate that time to reviewing tapes, being coached on decisions, further training, education of the rules and perhaps even the evolution of the rules, education on "the spirit of the game" and the evolution of the game, even maybe attending training sessions with clubs on a rotating basis.

Fact is, if you treat them like amateurs they will behave like amateurs. If you treat them like professionals they will behave like professionals. Look at professional umpires/referees in in other sports (NBA, NFL, soccer etc) - yes there are obviously times where the fans will disagree with a decision but nowhere near as much as in the AFL. How often do you leave a game these days where both sets of fans agree that the umpiring was rubbish for both teams. It's gotten so bad that it is just a given now that the umpires are rubbish and the interpretation of certain rules changes from year-to-year, week-to-week and even contest-to-contest. There are things which make umpiring aussie rules difficult however there are also some things which make it easy. Umpiring in the spirit of the game, not paying "technical" free kicks, only paying what you can see etc The spirit of the game is for it to be a free-flowing contested sport. Not every time there is a contest should the umpire be looking for a free kick they should only pay a free if there is a blatant free i.e. push in the back, holding the man, too high, trip etc

Bottom line is in a professional sport making so much coin the umpires should be professional in this day and age. In addition to anything else written above you would think it might actually help attract some more competent people to the job as well, maybe even some with football experience who weren't quite good enough to make the top grade but who could still get paid handsomely to participate at the highest level.

Either that or they could work on their bounces and throw-ins all day. B)