Tom Scully looks on during a Melbourne Demons training session at AAMI Park. Slattery Images
On Monday, the AFL’s worst kept secret was made official when Melbourne’s Tom Scully officially joined the league’s newest franchise Greater Western Sydney Giants on a bumper six-year contract worth approximately $6 million. That’s not bad for a 20-year-old who’s played 31 games of senior AFL footy.
In fact, it’s fairly absurd considering the youngster will be the AFL’s highest earning player in 2012, ahead of the competition’s superstar Gary Ablett Jnr from Gold Coast.
What’s also absurd is among that top echelon of earners is the likes of code-hoppers Karmichael Hunt and Israel Folau.
Expansion has brought about some strange times in the AFL.
Of course, as the point has been made, considering those figures, who can blame Scully for jumping at the opportunity. The issue isn’t in his decision but the way he’s handled it, apparently leading on his former club.
Whichever way you see it, it’s left a bitter taste for the Demons, with the club chief executive Cameron Schwab stating: “We’re talking about a player who was taken as a priority draft selection, who’s obviously being paid an extraordinary amount of money.
“Probably I’d say 30 or 40 per cent more than any other player’s ever been paid in 2012.” Wowsers!
The reality is there was no way Melbourne could match that offer, let alone get anywhere near it, for a guy who has only completed two seasons of AFL footy.
It is somewhat a different story for established AFL stars such as Collingwood’s Dale Thomas, Dane Swan and Scott Pendlebury who all re-signed with their club in 2011 amidst reported GWS interest.
However, what must be acknowledged is this kind of scenario isn’t here to stay. It’s a rare event, simply related to the AFL’s expansion efforts which has enabled the two new clubs to throw big contracts around.
Unfortunately for Melbourne they’ve been on the wrong end of it in this instance, like Geelong were 12 months ago, but they’ll get their compensation with a first-round selection and a mid-first round pick.
So what do we do about this situation?
Well there’s not alot to be done. As fellow The Roar columnist Michael DiFabrizio outlined in his column earlier in the week, everyone’s a winner in the Scully situation.
Okay, it is a ridiculous situation seeing an unproven 20-year-old receive such a contract.
And, yeh, it’s not a good look for the AFL’s highest earners list to have a two-year player up top alongside two code-hoppers but that’s the temporary effect of expansion.
Once Gold Coast and GWS’s youngsters begin to prove themselves they’ll earn better contracts and the new clubs’ vast salary cap space will gradually evaporate by the time Scully and co’s current deals expire.
For now, though, it is clearly an unusual situation but the AFL has decided this odd perception is a necessary trade-off for the good of its expansion effort and the success of the league’s two new franchises.
For the AFL’s sake, let’s hope those clubs get their recruitment right.
Alitis
Guest
The AFL is not a competition its a business. The concessions given to GWS and Gold Coast remind me of businesses giving out free samples to market their product. It is the direction the NRL is also taking with the new "independent commission" taking over in November.
gurudoright
Guest
I can not believe how little outrage there is from AFL followers over the concessions new teams get. I guess equality isn't a word used much at AFL House. I would be flithy if I followed a team like the Western Bulldogs, they haven't won a flag in almost a lifetime but the AFL will give every concession under the sun to the 2 new teams. Where is the loyality to teams like WB, St.Kilda and Melbourne who struggle every year and play by the rules? This bit of favouritism play by the AFL would not be tolerated if the same thing occurred in the NRL. I don't want to turn this into a code war piece but when new teams enter the NRL like the Titans did in 2006 they had to play by the same rules as everyone else. The same salary cap as the other 15 clubs, the same amount of players etc. It was up to them to succeed and recruit decent players for both 1st grade and U20s Toyota Cup. As I said, I'm not trying to start a code war but I genuine feel sorry for supporters of traditional clubs that see these new clubs get every chance by the AFL to succeed, yet the AFL won't lift a finger to help the struggling clubs who helped build up the AFL's brand
sheek
Guest
Hi Ben, In the Dalai Lama's Instructions On Life, this is what he said at Instruction #11: "Live a good, honourable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll be able to enjoy it a second time". This is terrific advice. Any successful society is underpinned by integrity. Once too many people lose sight of doing the right thing, by themselves & others, then that society will begin to decay. The Dalai Lama also says in Instruction #3: "Follow the 3 Rs - respect for self; respect for others; and responsibility for all your actions". Good advice in today's society where the prevailing view seems to be everyone else being at fault except for the individual concerned! Perhaps the Melbourne Demons deserve what has happened to them, perhaps not. Not being a hard-core AFL fan, I can't say I'm all over the issues of the game. However, I would make the observation that it is incumbent on the AFL to set the high standard of integrity of behaviour, & to expect the clubs to follow that high standard.
TomC
Guest
Well, lets just hope we don't have to go through it again in ten years time should the AFL decide they'd quite like a couple of teams in New Zealand.