SO THE RETURN of former Demons and now Greater Western Sydney pair Tom Scully and James McDonald has come and gone.

And the reception was not surprising.

Scully copped plenty from the Melbourne faithful and McDonald was respectfully acknowledged by the same tribe. The circumstances of their well-documented departures resulted in polarising receptions from passionate club supporters.

Several supporters didn’t leave anyone wondering what they thought of Scully, via banners around the crowd.

McDonald, the former Melbourne skipper and dual best and fairest winner, was applauded when he first touched the ball.

It was an interesting sight to see. It’s a rare moment that a No.1 draft pick leaves on his volition after two years and a former skipper departs before his time is up in the game. For that to happen, the incumbents must face their - pardon the pun - demons, aka their former teammates. 

Before the opening bounce, Scully and co-captain Jack Grimes were niggling and bumping each other in the centre square. And, just seconds into the match, Scully received his first of many boos for the day.

It was all part of the theatre, as coach Mark Neeld explained post-match. And it was a theme Grimes concurred with.

“[Scully] was copping a bit from the crowd, which was always going to happen,” he told melbournefc.com.au.

“I spoke to him after the game and we’ll stay friends - he’s a great bloke and we’re sorry to have seen him go, but we wish him all the best for the future up there and hope he goes well.

“Out there, he might’ve copped a bit, but that’s footy - he was just part of the opposition and it was all in good fun.”

Grimes said it was strange seeing the duo in opposition colours.

“It is a little bit weird, but you don’t think about it too much while you’re out there,” he said.

“It’s only after, when you talk to them, that it’s a bit weird seeing them in a different jumper.

“You wish them all the best and hope they do well, but it’s really great to see Junior go on and playing some good footy too, so I hope he can keep going on with that.”

For Nathan Jones, who was somewhat of a training buddy/mentor with Scully, he was delighted with the response the Melbourne supporters gave his former teammate. 

“Sculls was always going to get that reception. It was interesting by the Melbourne supporters - it was great actually,” he said.

“It showed their real true passion for the footy club and they came out in their numbers, which was good.

“Playing against Junior, there was a little bit of banter going on and he’s such a respected player around here for what he achieved. He’s so highly regarded, and it was just good to see him out there again.

“He’s leading the way for GWS, and that’ll continue to improve.”

GWS coach Kevin Sheedy made the point that, over time, Tom Scully will be remembered as a Giant and not a Demon. He cited former Swan Anthony Rocca as an example. Rocca, of course, is best remembered as outstanding Collingwood servant.

Not surprisingly, Neeld was a realist when he spoke about the Scully issue post-match.

He said players and coaches had been moving clubs since the game had started. And it will continue to be that way.

It’s just that the way Scully and McDonald finished at Melbourne - and reemerged at a new club - was not the norm.

But it was a fascinating sub-plot to the game and perhaps even a forerunner to what could eventuate given free agency will kick in at the season’s end.

And while every club stands to win and lose from free agency, the likelihood is that greater name/integral players will be on the move.

And yesterday could’ve been a taste.