Tom Scully
Encyclopedia
Thomas "Tom" Scully is an Australian rules football
er, currently contracted to in the Australian Football League
(AFL). He previously played for .
A star midfielder at junior level, Scully was selected by Melbourne with the first overall draft pick of the 2009 AFL Draft
. He played two seasons with Melbourne, before signing a multi-million dollar deal to switch to the newly established Greater Western Sydney Football Club in 2012.
, Scully was first noticed by Dandenong region manager Darren Flanigan when he was 13. Flanigan asserted that Scully was the best talent he had seen come through the Dandenong program in nine years. Scully played his TAC Cup
football for the Dandenong Stingrays
, and school football for Haileybury College. He captained Victorian Metropolitan region in the 2009 AFL National Under 18 Championships
and was named in the Under-18 All Australian team in 2008 and 2009.
. In the draft, the Melbourne Football Club had both the No. 1 and 2 picks available to it, and used the No. 1 pick (a priority draft pick
) to recruit Scully. Scully was presented with the number 31 jersey made famous by club and league legend Ron Barassi
.
Scully's new position in the Demons'
playing list generated much excitement at the club. Fellow Melbourne player Nathan Jones
stated that "[Scully]'s going to bring the best out of me and bring the best out of other players at the footy club, so I really can't wait to see him in action".
. His breakout individual performance of the season came in Round 4 against Richmond
, with 26 disposals for the match including 11 in the third quarter, and he received an AFL Rising Star nomination (and three Brownlow votes) for his Round 7 performance. Scully finished the season by coming second in the AFL Rising Star, behind Sydney's
Daniel Hannebery
. He won the Harold Ball Memorial Trophy, for being Melbourne's Best First Year Player, and finished eighth in the Best and Fairest
.
There was controversy surrounding the signing when it was discovered that Scully's father, Phil Scully, had also been offered a job as a recruiting scout at the Giants, with a six-year term of employment coinciding with the period of Scully's playing contract. The AFL ruled that the appointment was legal, but that it was considered as part of the total agreement used to convince Scully to sign with the Giants; as a result, Phil Scully's wages ($680,000 over six years) will be included inside Greater Western Sydney's salary cap
. Scully has stated publicly that he had no knowledge of the offer to his father prior to signing his own deal. Phil Scully had previously served in a similar role with the Sydney Swans
.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
er, currently contracted to in the Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
(AFL). He previously played for .
A star midfielder at junior level, Scully was selected by Melbourne with the first overall draft pick of the 2009 AFL Draft
2009 AFL Draft
The 2009 AFL Draft consists of four opportunities for player acquisitions during the 2009/10 Australian Football League off-season. These were the Trade Week , the National Draft , the Pre-Season Draft and the Rookie Draft .- Trades :In the lead up to the trade week many high profile players such as...
. He played two seasons with Melbourne, before signing a multi-million dollar deal to switch to the newly established Greater Western Sydney Football Club in 2012.
Junior career
Originally from BerwickBerwick, Victoria
Berwick is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Casey. At the 2006 Census, Berwick had a population of 36,420....
, Scully was first noticed by Dandenong region manager Darren Flanigan when he was 13. Flanigan asserted that Scully was the best talent he had seen come through the Dandenong program in nine years. Scully played his TAC Cup
TAC Cup
The TAC Cup is an under 18 Australian rules football representative competition held in Victoria, Australia. It is based on geographic regions throughout country Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne with each team representing 12 Victorian regions....
football for the Dandenong Stingrays
Dandenong Stingrays
The Dandenong Stingrays are an Australian rules football team in a Victorian under 18s league called the TAC Cup.1992 saw the birth of the ‘Southern Stingrays’ and they were developed under the leadership of Steve Kennedy and Ron Roach with the home base located at the Ben Kavanagh Reserve,...
, and school football for Haileybury College. He captained Victorian Metropolitan region in the 2009 AFL National Under 18 Championships
2009 AFL National Under 18 Championships
The 2009 AFL National Under 18 Championships is the 2009 series of the AFL National Under 18 Championships, a state and territory based Australian rules football competition which showcase the best junior footballers in Australia, primarily with the aim for them to be drafted into the Australian...
and was named in the Under-18 All Australian team in 2008 and 2009.
Recruitment
Throughout 2009, Scully was touted as a potential and likely number one draft pick for the AFL Draft2009 AFL Draft
The 2009 AFL Draft consists of four opportunities for player acquisitions during the 2009/10 Australian Football League off-season. These were the Trade Week , the National Draft , the Pre-Season Draft and the Rookie Draft .- Trades :In the lead up to the trade week many high profile players such as...
. In the draft, the Melbourne Football Club had both the No. 1 and 2 picks available to it, and used the No. 1 pick (a priority draft pick
Priority draft pick
The priority draft pick is a type of draft selection in the Australian Football League's AFL Draft. Priority draft picks are additional draft picks, located at or near the start of the draft, which are given only to the poorest performing teams, to provide additional help for those teams to improve...
) to recruit Scully. Scully was presented with the number 31 jersey made famous by club and league legend Ron Barassi
Ron Barassi
Ronald Dale Barassi, Jr AM is a former Australian rules football player and coach. During a long and decorated career, Barassi has been one of the most important figures in the history of Australian football. His father, Ron Barassi, Sr., was the first Australian footballer killed at Tobruk during...
.
Scully's new position in the Demons'
Melbourne Football Club
The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League , based in Melbourne, Victoria....
playing list generated much excitement at the club. Fellow Melbourne player Nathan Jones
Nathan Jones (Australian rules footballer)
Nathan Jones is an Australian rules footballer playing for the Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League...
stated that "[Scully]'s going to bring the best out of me and bring the best out of other players at the footy club, so I really can't wait to see him in action".
Playing career at Melbourne
Scully made his AFL debut in Round 1, 2010, alongside No. 2 pick Jack TrengoveJack Trengove
Jack Trengove is an Australian rules footballer for the Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League ....
. His breakout individual performance of the season came in Round 4 against Richmond
Richmond Football Club
The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the Australian Football League. Richmond shares healthy rivalries with Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon. After winning five premierships between 1967 and 1980, the club hit the depths in 1990,...
, with 26 disposals for the match including 11 in the third quarter, and he received an AFL Rising Star nomination (and three Brownlow votes) for his Round 7 performance. Scully finished the season by coming second in the AFL Rising Star, behind Sydney's
Sydney Swans
The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
Daniel Hannebery
Daniel Hannebery
Daniel Hannebery is an Australian rules footballer who plays for the Sydney Swans in the Australian Football League ....
. He won the Harold Ball Memorial Trophy, for being Melbourne's Best First Year Player, and finished eighth in the Best and Fairest
Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Medal
The Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Memorial Trophy is awarded to the Melbourne Football Club player judged Best and Fairest for the season.It is named in honor of Keith 'Bluey' Truscott, a former dual premiership player and World War II fighter ace killed in 1943....
.
Recruitment
There was intense speculation throughout the 2011 AFL season that Scully would move to expansion club Greater Western Sydney at the end of the season. Scully's initial two-year contract with Melbourne would end after the 2011 season, allowing the expansion club to sign Scully without need for a trade. It was announced on 12 September 2011 that he would be moving to the play for the Giants on a six-year contract valued at an estimated total value of $6 million.There was controversy surrounding the signing when it was discovered that Scully's father, Phil Scully, had also been offered a job as a recruiting scout at the Giants, with a six-year term of employment coinciding with the period of Scully's playing contract. The AFL ruled that the appointment was legal, but that it was considered as part of the total agreement used to convince Scully to sign with the Giants; as a result, Phil Scully's wages ($680,000 over six years) will be included inside Greater Western Sydney's salary cap
Salary cap
In professional sports, a salary cap is a cartel agreement between teams that places a limit on the amount of money that can be spent on player salaries. The limit exists as a per-player limit or a total limit for the team's roster, or both...
. Scully has stated publicly that he had no knowledge of the offer to his father prior to signing his own deal. Phil Scully had previously served in a similar role with the Sydney Swans
Sydney Swans
The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
.
Statistics
- Statistics are correct as of 30 August 2010 (Round 22, 2010 season2010 AFL season-Premiership season:The draw for the 2010 AFL Premiership Season is not a random selection of matches, but rather is planned by the AFL. It is intended to produce a balanced draw while also providing the fans and television networks with blockbuster games. In a competition with 16 teams and 22...
). Averages are in brackets.
| Season | Team | No. | Games | Disposals | Kicks Kick (football) Kicking is a method used by many types of football, including:* Association football* Australian rules football* International rules football* American football* Canadian football* Gaelic football* Rugby league* Rugby union... |
Handballs Handball (Australian rules football) Handball is a term in the sport of Australian rules football which describes a method of disposing of possession of the football by hand. It is the most frequently used alternative to kicking the ball... |
Marks Mark (Australian football) A mark is a skill in Australian rules football where a player cleanly catches a kicked ball that has travelled more than 15 metres without anyone else touching it or the ball hitting the ground.... |
Tackles Tackle (football move) Most forms of football have a move known as a tackle. The primary purposes of tackling is to disposses an opponent of the ball, to stop the player from gaining ground towards goal or to stop them from carrying out what they intend.... |
Goals | Behinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 2010 AFL season -Premiership season:The draw for the 2010 AFL Premiership Season is not a random selection of matches, but rather is planned by the AFL. It is intended to produce a balanced draw while also providing the fans and television networks with blockbuster games. In a competition with 16 teams and 22... |
Melbourne | 31 | 21 | 452 (21.5) | 197 (9.4) | 255 (12.1) | 80 (3.8) | 81 (3.9) | 5 (0.2) | 3 (0.1) |
| Totals | 21 | 452 (21.5) | 197 (9.4) | 255 (12.1) | 80 (3.8) | 81 (3.9) | 5 (0.2) | 3 (0.1) | ||