Bailey backs Scully return

By Sam Edmund

MELBOURNE coach Dean Bailey insists Demons fans will still see the best of Tom Scully this year. The midfielder this week had his return from a knee injury delayed until at least Round 10 as the club takes a conservative approach to his rehabilitation."It's disappointing, but it is a very uncommon injury that Tom has got," Bailey said. "We've been very conservative with the outlook. Everything that can be done is being done to make sure his treatment is first-class. "It's a frustrating time for the young man, but all indications are he's walking around all right so we've got a positive hat on about it." Bailey was confident that once Scully returned he would quickly pick up where he left off.

Punishment doesn’t always fit the crime

By Patrick Carlyon

MELBOURNE chief executive Cameron Schwab said he was "shocked" by Brent Moloney getting drunk this week. Schwab, in decades as an AFL club administrator, must have laboured throughout in ear muffs and a blindfold.

Port Adelaide football operations manager Peter Rohde invited a similar conclusion. He declared that Hamish Hartlett had let down supporters for having a "quiet" drink with mates. Fortunately, there was hope for Hartlett, who had "learnt from this experience". The obvious lesson? Don't get caught next time. Rohde and Schwab were playing to script, of course. They were expected to mouth disappointed sentiments, followed by sanctions. Other club officials do the same. Such blather quells sponsors and fans.

The Age

By Michael Courts

AFTER a controversial week off the field, Melbourne's Brent Moloney will play in his side's first clash against Gold Coast on Sunday. Melbourne coach Dean Bailey said Moloney, who was stripped of the club's vice-captaincy after a drunken night out last Sunday, had been hit hard by the demotion, but praised his attitude since. ''What he held incredibly dear to his heart was getting into the leadership group because he worked really hard to be vice-captain. That's a severe penalty to take away from him, something that he treasures enormously, so that was a big loss," Bailey said.

Clubs strike it rich on early calls

By Emma Quayle

THE same Greater Western Sydney draft concessions that forced Melbourne and Essendon to make early calls on Jack Viney and Joe Daniher, fearing they may lose them to another club, may now work to the clubs' advantage.The Demons and Bombers could officially secure the highly rated father-son pair at the end of this season - saving their first-round choices at the 2012 draft - by trading picks and/or players to GWS in exchange for the right to list them as 17-year-olds. Collingwood could pursue a similar deal to snare James Stewart, 17, the son of former player Craig, a year before he is also eligible for the 2012 draft. As part of their concessions, the Giants can trade a total of four outside-the-draft selections - which must be used on 17-year-olds - to rival clubs at the end of this year and next. The reason for Melbourne, Essendon and Collingwood to seek such a deal is that all three players are considered likely to demand first-round selections at the 2012 draft.

Scully to find best after injury: Bailey

By Courtney Walsh

MELBOURNE coach Dean Bailey is confident star youngster Tom Scully will find his best form despite a knee problem that will force him to miss the first half of the season. Scully, who is in the sights of Greater Western Sydney despite denying he had been approached in the pre-season, was initially expected back this month. But the soreness from bone stress in his patella has prevented last season's Rising Star runner-up from beginning weight-bearing exercises. "It is very disappointing," Bailey said. "It is a very uncommon injury that Tom has got so we have been very conservative with the outlook with him. "Everything that can be done is being done to ensure his treatment is first class. It is a frustrating time for the young man, but all the indications are that he is walking around pretty well, so we have our positive hat on about it."