Scully

[Hannabal]

Your argument is pure fan romanticism. I'm sure that their are thousands of Geelong supporters who think less of GAJ, but I bet that none of his ex-teammates do.

As for "playing for jumper" and "pashion (sic) for the club, GAJ and Rischitelli had outstanding seasons even though they'd already committed to play for GC17. I would argue that AFL players have a passion for the game, and would play with that passion regardless of the colour of the jumper (Chris Judd). Why, because they are professionals.

And try selling your argument to the dozens of players whose name is thrown up as trade bait every year. Campbell Brown is a classic case of a player who had a passion for the club, yet was royally shafted. Clubs only trot out the loyalty argument when it suits them.

I can assure you that it's not fan "romanticism", as in the main I view footballers as cattle, except the exceedingly good ones.

Loyalty is to a degree a two-way street, but the greater good of the club comes before any individual, so I've no problems with the Campbell Brown's of this world being thrown up as trade bait. Does that sell it to them ? To bad if it doesn't.

Whilst I'm surprised he moved I can understand Ablett's decision as he'd given years of service, won flags and a Brownlow.

Of course players that intend on leaving can still play well. Never said that they couldn't, or wouldn't. That's not the passion (not sure why the brainfade) I'm talking about.

My Brother played for Hawthorn for 3 years and has often said that a player's teammates are everything to them. It's a unique bond and one of the reasons that good players rarely move. Fringe players have always left for opportunities, but it's hard to shift those cemented in their side. Which is why players of great teams have taken pay cuts to stay together - continued success and their teammates. Clearly the dollars on offer have challenged the status quo for some. But for Scully to leave purely for dollars at the age of 20 after just two years at a club with a great future would show a major flaw in his character.

And, unlike you, I won't land the blame at the feet of the club, moreso the AFL and the individual.

 

[Willo_]

Except with Gaz it was as much personal as business. When your own coach won't talk to you, I'd say you take the best deal elsewhere.

Sorry to intrude guys... with gaz they reckon he made his mind up in novemeber, when him and bomber where still on good terms...

personally I hope he stays with you guys, I love how you are developing a great young team and playing attacking footy, not that defensive crap so many teams are doing..

From a personal experience as following a club that looses a gun to one of these new 'franchises' the whole experience left a very bitter taste in my mouth, all the talk and the way it was all handled was just crap I think and I wouldn't want anyone else to have their club have to face it... Unfortunately its the nature of the beast and money talks... we will be subjected to a lot of rumours all year and lets hope for you guys he signs on the dotted line soon..

all the best for 2011

 

[dee64]

But for Scully to leave purely for dollars at the age of 20 after just two years at a club with a great future would show a major flaw in his character.

And, unlike you, I won't land the blame at the feet of the club, moreso the AFL and the individual.

I agree with your 1st point about a 20yo leaving purely for dollars, which is why I'd be surprised if he left. But I question your 2nd point about being a club with a great future.

Don't get me wrong. I think we've got a highly talented list, but the club's sales pitch of being "a club with a great future" hasn't been able to attract one player to the club during Bailey's tenure. (Judd, Warnock, Prismall, Ball, Burgoyne). And we've seen McLean and Bruce walk out on the club. In addition, an assistant coach who had recently re-signed (Wellman), also walked out on the club.

If the club doesn't improve significantly on our win/loss record this year, the club's sales pitch of being "a club with a great future", carries little weight when it comes to contract negotiations.

 

[Spirit of 39]

If the club doesn't improve significantly on our win/loss record this year, the club's sales pitch of being "a club with a great future", carries little weight when it comes to contract negotiations.[/quote]

Spot on. And as Jim said at the AGM, there is now pressure on the players to perform and an expectation of performance has now been placed on the group, for the first time in a long time.

Can someone please tell me. GWS has been rumoured to have offered Tom $850,000 a year. With the way our list management has structured payments and contracts to our players in the last 3 years, will our offer really be that far below the GWS offer? Particularly if Tom has an outstanding year.

Would he really go and live in a God-forsaken shit whole like that and play in a team with little hope of success for years for an extra $300,000?

 

[deeman12]

Or he could do his knee and miss the season and fall off GWS' radar.

Still very early to be speculating on his future.

 

[Demon 16]

Bailey weighs in

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/tom-scully-sees-future-now/story-e6frf9jf-1225999851531

I seem to remember him saying something similar about Cam Bruce.

Anyway I think some guys will place more emphasis on the 'passion' and 'çomradery' than others. It will also depend on the individuals own experience and relationships within the clubs environment.

One silver lining for me is that if Scully waits until late in the year to make his decision, its an extra season for his Melbourne FC life and relationships to develop and strengthen.

 

[Hannabal]

I agree with your 1st point about a 20yo leaving purely for dollars, which is why I'd be surprised if he left. But I question your 2nd point about being a club with a great future.

Don't get me wrong. I think we've got a highly talented list, but the club's sales pitch of being "a club with a great future" hasn't been able to attract one player to the club during Bailey's tenure. (Judd, Warnock, Prismall, Ball, Burgoyne). And we've seen McLean and Bruce walk out on the club. In addition, an assistant coach who had recently re-signed (Wellman), also walked out on the club.

If the club doesn't improve significantly on our win/loss record this year, the club's sales pitch of being "a club with a great future", carries little weight when it comes to contract negotiations.

One really has to treat seasons and player movement in isolation. It's easy to try and paint a picture when you wrap it up all as one.

For example, when Melbourne tried to lure Judd we trained at the Junction Oval and didn't have a $500,000 external job we could offer him. Ball wanted a chance to play in a premiership rather than go to a club rebuilding. He'd done that before and didn't want to do it again. I know his manager Paul Connors (looks after Watts) and he has great admiration for Melbourne and our future. Burgoyne had great relations with Clarkson and other ex-Port people at Hawthorn, as well as the desire for immediate success. There are reasons for all of these decisions and it's shallow thinking that lumps them all together.

It wasn't long ago that Carlton supporters lamented that no-one wanted to go to them, i.e Nick Stevens, who begrudgingly ended up there.

Bruce walked because he wasn't secure. I'm happy (important ) and it won't hurt us. He was also considered a little too political internally, so there wasn't tonnes of angst over his departure.

Don't take the easy road in your analysis. Sometimes one has to separate and look deeper.

 

[dee64]

I seem to remember him saying something similar about Cam Bruce.

Anyway I think some guys will place more emphasis on the 'passion' and 'çomradery' than others. It will also depend on the individuals own experience and relationships within the clubs environment.

One silver lining for me is that if Scully waits until late in the year to make his decision, its an extra season for his Melbourne FC life and relationships to develop and strengthen.

The problem is, he may have already committed to GWS.

 

[The OBSTacle]

The problem is, he may have already committed to GWS.

He can only commit "in principle".

Either way, the fact that the kid is prepared to hold out is not a good sign for Melbourne whether he stays or goes.

I certainly hope he stays as I am an avid opponent of the plundering of traditional clubs for some plastic pay TV entity.

The whole thing sucks, including the pathetic compensation package.

 

[The OBSTacle]

Can someone please tell me. GWS has been rumoured to have offered Tom $850,000 a year. With the way our list management has structured payments and contracts to our players in the last 3 years, will our offer really be that far below the GWS offer? Particularly if Tom has an outstanding year.

Would he really go and live in a God-forsaken shit whole like that and play in a team with little hope of success for years for an extra $300,000?

Melbourne would be nuts to pay a 20 year old kid that sort of money. I hope for the sake of the club that Melbourne make a decent, fair and principled offer and don't budge from that position.

No single player is worth the risk of the compromisation of club culture. Especially amongst a very young and talented playing group.

 

[Demon 16]

The problem is, he may have already committed to GWS.

He cannot sign a binding contract yet, so I would be surprised if he bothered to commit in principal (although it has been suggested that Gary Ablett did).

Does anyone know what compensation we could expect in such an instance?

 

[Wolfmother2]

The problem is, he may have already committed to GWS.

He hasn't, he hasn't discussed his contract for next year with anyone including MFC or GWS, his management may have been contacted as MFC has been pushing them for twelve months to resign.

I asked him about the contract and he laughed at the figures as he hasn't spoken to anyone about the contract.

He will be at MFC next year unless the contract is too good to refuse ie double his wage.

 

[Wolfmother2]

He cannot sign a binding contract yet, so I would be surprised if he bothered to commit in principal (although it has been suggested that Gary Ablett did).

Does anyone know what compensation we could expect in such an instance?

Unless the AFL change the rules again like they did for Ablett, we would get a first round pick after the teams that didn't play finals ie ninth and a pick directly after our first round selection. These can be used in five years but we need to elect the selection before the season starts rather than if you finish 15th deciding to use the pick and had 2 and 3.

This is assuming he will be placed in the top bracket like ablett and I'm sure he will be

 

[chinggis77]

GWS are playing the same game as GC. Put out huge offers to a lot of uncontracted stars at the start of the year in the knowlegde that almost all of them will resign - but will do so at much higher salaries, thereby putting a squeeze on all AFL club salary caps and making it much more likely that other players from that team will leave for cash.

Nothing worse than being someone like Sylvia who may go on to AA this year, and seeing a young wippersnapper come in and double your salary.

GWS intention is to squeeze the salary caps of all clubs which will inevitably force some players to take the $$ on offer at GWS. So you guys shouldn't be worried about Scully - its going to be the one's who are forgotten about and left with only a few peanuts in their pocket at the end of the day.

 

[stickman11]

My advice, stop worrying, enjoy your football, roar loudly and enjoy watching the like of Scully, Jurrah, Trengove, Grimes. Petterd and everyone else win us games.

 

[Flyswatter]

My advice, stop worrying, enjoy your football, roar loudly and enjoy watching the like of Scully, Jurrah, Trengove, Grimes. Petterd and everyone else win us games.

sound advice

 

[Biffinator]

My advice, stop worrying, enjoy your football, roar loudly and enjoy watching the like of Scully, Jurrah, Trengove, Grimes. Petterd and everyone else win us games.

Agreed, and this adminstration has yet to put a foot wrong.

I always thought that retaining Frawley was going to be a major campaign, and behold, he signed for four years. Scwab and CC deserve our trust.

Ablett and Brown both went to GC17 after some turmoil at their respective clubs, and who can blame them? There has been nothing like that at Melbourne.

We have gone out of our way to embed Scully. We gave him THE Magic Number. He adorned the new jumper. Sadly, from what I hear his father is not overly well.

And Western Sydney is a hole. I can imagine the attractions, so to speak, of the Gold Coast, but not Western Sydney. Other than West Horsham, is there a worse place to live in Australia?

I am not a betting man, but I am betting that he will stay, and we will all be surprised by the length of the contract.

 

[billyboutsis]

He hasn't, he hasn't discussed his contract for next year with anyone including MFC or GWS, his management may have been contacted as MFC has been pushing them for twelve months to resign.

I asked him about the contract and he laughed at the figures as he hasn't spoken to anyone about the contract.

He will be at MFC next year unless the contract is too good to refuse ie double his wage.

No offense mate but what makes you think he is going to give in depth info about what is really going on to a random?

 

[Wolfmother2]

No offense mate but what makes you think he is going to give in depth info about what is really going on to a random?

None taken, I sponsor Tom so have had dinner and coffee with him a couple of times and discussed with him this exact stuff all last year when it wasn't really an issue. If he was going I wouldn't expect him to be telling me but I think he would of been alot cagey when I mentioned the numbers rather than just laughing at it.

Personally I think he will stay and it would take a god almighty offer to move him

 

[GarnerSmash]

Same thing happend with Ziebell. He waited until half way thorugh the last year of his first contract to sign in order to increase his value to the club. All reports point to Scully being a quality young man with strong family links, so I cannot see him turning his back on the club or leaving his family to go to GWS. Storm in a tea cup.

 

[jack the ripper]

smart post, storm in a teacup, iv been reading this crap on d,land for days,i think alot of people are bagging his integrity,hes a quality young demon, who will be with us for years.

 

[ThePuppetMaster]

i agree, when i first heard the news i was angry, then i began to think about it rationally... he is a great young lad by reports and if he does go, it will be the fault of the club, not his

 

[Gazza_11]

As far as I can see the culture we've developed at our club is far more involving, homely and exciting for the players than any of the other mobs.

 

[Demon 16]

Ablett and Brown both went to GC17 after some turmoil at their respective clubs, and who can blame them? There has been nothing like that at Melbourne.

We have gone out of our way to embed Scully. We gave him THE Magic Number. He adorned the new jumper. Sadly, from what I hear his father is not overly well.

Abletts turmoil was brought about because Thompson suspected he had already agreed to go to GC.

Also I didnt know Scully's father was unwell. Wonder if its something that would draw him closer to home? - I dont mean that to sound callous btw.

 

[Kooter]

And Western Sydney is a hole. I can imagine the attractions, so to speak, of the Gold Coast, but not Western Sydney. Other than West Horsham, is there a worse place to live in Australia?

I'd say Gippsland or Melbourne itself for that matter