nutbean

We, on the site , watch from afar. We have little to no insight into the inner machinations of Baileys coaching.

We see the end result - we see the 100 minutes a week.

The people making the decisions - or having input - see the end result but also see training - see the coach working with players - see how they respond - have detailed feedback from the coach behind closed doors that ( i would hope) is not sugar coated as it must be for the media.

BTR - I am with you - I just dont know - but I agree that people better credentialled than us on this site and the media will make a decision that I will live with - and i am positive they are better informed than we are.

working backwards from injury is so bad and just the wrong system.

Spear tackle - outlaw. Sling tackle - part of the game

What would have happened if Jordies flying tackle did both of Martins knees ? how would that be assessed ? negligent ?

Scully's comment that his teammates have full "trust" in him hasn't left me. When you're an AFL footballer your teammates mean everything to you. It was a very salient remark.

He may go, although I don't believe he will, but I'm certain that he hasn't agreed to anything when it comes to another club. I also trust him when he says he hasn't spoken to GWS. And I don't know why this surprises so many. He's obviously aware they're interested, so he doesn't need to discuss anything with them until the appropriate time, which will be at the end of the year.

So new and yet so wise

You are probably right that it is equal for all clubs, but if Tom leaves then the cost to start up GWS start up will be at Melbourne's expense.

How did Richmond manage to sign Martin so soon and avoid all this!?!?

Since this whole issue is full of rumour and innuendo without substance I will add to it. It has been circulating that Martin will be on 700-800K per year at Richmond ! Wow if it is true

Needs to get involved more.

If you are stopper/tagger and do your job properly then you can afford to have Bennell's numbers. If you are in the team to be a run and carry line breaker you have got to get the ball more. It means you are not working hard enough to be the link in the chain.

The umpires have been horrific the whole year.

My pet hate is guessing and they seem to do this with alarming frequency - especially with the diving on the ball and not getting it out. The amount of times the umpires are on the wrong side of the bodies to make this decision is appalling.

If you dont know umpire - DONT GUESS

There is growing speculation that i am sick of this issue railroading Melbourne's season:

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/ward-to-keep-spot-no-matter-what/story-e6frf9io-1226086864559

So Tom Scully is the reason why we are playing like we are ? Pleassse !

It makes for good soap opera in the media and hysteria on supporter sites but do you think that the team plays like it does because of the Scully situation ?

Railroading ? not !

The interpretation needs to be reviewed and quick.

I understand coming down hard on a spear tackle - lifting the player up and driving his head into the turf.

However - we have come down hard on bump at head high level - the rationale is that you have the choice of tackling or bumping - therefore if you bump the head you are in trouble. I can semi live with that.

But we now we are saying we should tackle not bump but only a tackle a certain way - something that is done in a split second.

The worst aspect of how tackles are being adjudicated is that we are now working backwards from how badly injured someone is - how about when you attempt a smother across someones knees and cause injury ? What about the duty of care to Brown of Richmond as Waite laid his boot fair in the back going for a hanger - didnt have to do that - when you start judging aspects of the game illegal because of injury caused even the action of the player is not illegal then we are forgetting that footy is a contact sport.

it was the complete lack of effort that made my stomach clench

we were putrid

im all for it for him to stay there for the rest of the year or split his time and have a longer steady preseason for next year, undoubted talent just need to put it together

Super talented but you cant expect high level output with no preseasons, no continuity and the family problems that has fallen on him.

I too hope he takes the balance of the year off and hopefully gets over his troubles and wants to come back fit and firing.

dinner down degreaves street and to the game ...ho !

Still heavily involved down there though.

On the board or a consultant I believe

He has ?!

Ha. I didn't know that one. Thanks for keeping me up to speed.

Was at the weary dunlop lunch last week

- new coach - damien hill - was an assistant i think

- beale and oconnor both signed and coming ( a one year deal for each)

- somerville and another forward whose name escapes me has retired

AFL has had its fair share of salary cap issues...

But I agree that League fans wish to see the Storm die, and they just don't 'get it' when it comes to growing their sport in Australia.

Union will punish them when the Force get their act together and when McQueen works his magic, and the AFL won't even see them in the rear view...

pssst - McQueen has stepped down as rebels coach

Wasn't Ablett coming off a 5 year deal? Or am I completely off the planet today!

Dont know what he came off but is reportedly on a five year deal at GC.

Im sorry but I just dont believe Tom Scully anymore when he says no one form GWS has appraoched his management.

Why ?

I am not naive to take it word for word that there have been no approaches from GWS. I am choosing to believe that the only discussion with GWS so far is that there will be no discussions until seasons end.

So when Velocity and Scully say there have been no discussions or offers I for one believe what they say.

Certainly when it comes to offers - there have been so many different "offers" bandied about that I truly dont believe an offer has been made.

I'm afraid that Tom Scully will hold up a premiership cup in an orange jumper. I'm afraid that Melbourne will get close to a premiership but be lacking that one true midfield star to get us over the line. I'm afraid that offering $7M to a 20 year old is taking away my chance to watch a Tom dominate in a Melbourne jumper for the next 12 years. And I'm afraid that all of this is possible because the AFL is quiet happy to have the heart ripped out of a 150 year old club with truly die hard supporters to gain a few extra band wagon supports in a city that doesn't give a sh*t!!

I turned on my nightlight and all I was afraid of went away - its just all the nightmares you are having by things that go bump in the night - lots of baddd people making up rumours and stories - we all may wake up tomorrow ( at the end of the season) and your fears are realised but it might also be a bright sunny day.

Im going to sleep well tonight ( given that we will pummel the doggies) and leave what will be to what will be

I'm indifferent to the expansion.

I'm hostile at the execution

need a daily fix - cheap as all get up

Over the next 3 years they have an extra $1m in their cap, but they also have 10 extra players, it scales down from there over 5 years from memory

GWS would cripple themselves if they would offer that much to Scully over that period of time, they wouldn't be able to offer their young guns big dollars when they start to get to their peak, I don't believe it for a second, also if they are now offering that then all the other [censored] rumours have just been proven to be false.

This +1

The model is so flawed - over 80% of their list will be locked into to fixed draftee contracts - 2012 -2014. Big trouble once these drafted players finish year two and their salaries go to open market forces.

two things that amuse

- signing any player for 6 years - absolute insanity. Sheedy said two weeks ago that they havent signed any player yet because who would want to risk signing a player that could injured before the seasons out - yet they are going to offer a 6 year deal.

- DB stating the offer as $7M over 6 years - this really makes me believe that no offer has been put to him at all. This must be the 10th different deal that "reliable sources know has been put to Tom Scully". Go back through the papers - 3 years, 4 years, 5 years and now six and dollars ranging from $700K to $1.4M. Yes - a firm offer indeed.

I've gone from ulcers to giggling

He will be a star no doubt, but I dont see the logic from GWS. He is effectively a draftee, of which they will have plenty of (and good ones).

I have no idea whether he will stay or go - but I am taking everything said by the people actually involved in the process at face value. What I 100% agree with you about is I am baffled by GWS being prepared to throw large sums of money at such young players. From a structural player payments point of view going forward - (in 2 years all their draftees have to be paid at negotiated market value) its completely destablizing. Whilst I am not suggesting that the older the player the more they should get paid - but players of quality get paid more coming into their prime not well before they have reached it. I suspect this approach of wanting to overpay 20 and 21 years will blow up in their faces ( and also cause a lot of grief for clubs trying to retain these kids)

Reasonable question. I would say his job is to report on some news, like actually provide something of value rather than stoke the same fire. Step A: find something out. Step B: Get some proof.

This whole thing is so painful, precisely for this reason. Baseless rumours from nameless people. This whole saga is being carried out like school in july - no class!

If he has signed something and knows his intentions (which he surely does), then he should tell the club and pack his locker. Although, if he has then the press conference was self preservation.

All that we do know, is that someone is lying. Hope it's not Tom (I have faith btw).

sorry to pick you up on this but you finish with "I have faith" but question above that he surely must know his intentions.

Gary Ablett said he changed his mind over half a dozen times and that was when there was already a firm offer on the table, and he had accomplished footballing glory at the Cats. Taking TS at face value ( and I DO have faith), he hasnt received an offer and has to choose down the track between huge dollars and moving on before providing reasonable service to his original club against staying at club that is 4-5 years advanced on the club that will be courting him and a club that has such a bright future according to the scribes. I suggest that he surely doesnt know his intentions - I believe ( with no insight or knowledge whatsoever) that his preference would be to stay but the question remains at to the size of the gap or the difference in the detail of the two offers.

I knew I would get asked that question... this is Kevin Bacon.

Ahhh !! Got it !