AFL champions Tim Watson and Kane Cornes slam Hawks’ proposed for Giant Tom Scully

A PAIR of AFL champions are up in arms at the bargain basement price Hawthorn is expecting to pay for Giants’ wingman Tom Scully and they have called on the AFL to get involved.

Is Tom Scully worth more than a third-round pick? Picture: Phil Hillyard

AFL champions Tim Watson and Kane Cornes are furious at the bargain basement price Hawthorn expect to pay for GWS Giants wingman Tom Scully.

Cornes has called on the AFL to get involved if the Hawks land Scully with their third-round selection, pick 53.

Scully has joined wantaway Giants Dylan Shiel, Rory Lobb and new Carlton recruit Will Setterfield in what is becoming a mass exodus from the fledgling club.

He played just one game this year due to a serious ankle injury.

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Is Tom Scully worth more than a third-round pick? Picture: Phil Hillyard

But with Shiel expected to cost Essendon two first-round picks questions are being asked about how the 27 year old number one draft pick who was in the All Australian squad can go to a Hawks team which finished fourth.

“I know he’s had ankle (problems) but Tom Scully is an elite midfielder of the competition,” Cornes said on Trade Radio.

“The AFL just can’t allow him to walk for pick 53 to one of the strongest clubs in the competition. There must be some restrictions, it has to be a first-round draft pick, surely. The AFL must step in.”

Watson agreed on SEN radio, declaring: “This has sent everybody into meltdown right throughout the football world.

“Thinking they can get Tom Scully for a pick around that mark.”

GWS list manager Jason McCartney said despite the club’s tightening salary cap Scully may yet stay in western Sydney.

“He’s a bit undecided at the moment,” he said.

Scully suffered a serious ankle injury in March and has not played since. Picture: Getty Images

“There may be an opportunity (for Scully) to come back to Melbourne, and we’ve had some chats with the Hawthorn footy club around that, but there’s a fair bit to play out. He is very happy if he stays and serves (out) his contract with the Giants. There’s a bit of a conversation to go on between myself and Mark Kleiman, Tom’s manager, and we’ll work through that. We’ll also work through what the opportunities will look like of Tom fulfilling his contract with us, which he would be happy to do.”

McCartney dismissed suggestions the Giants would still pay some of Scully’s salary — he is contracted to GWS until the end of 2021 — if he went to another club because of their salary cap constraints.

“No that won’t happen,” McCartney said.

The Giants are keen to clear space in next year’s salary cap to enable them to retain stars Josh Kelly, Stephen Coniglio, Harry Himmelberg, Jacob Hopper and Adam Tomlinson.

Tom Langdon’s loyalty to Collingwood means Sydney have salary cap space to work with in the last 48 hours of the trade period. With a host of deals in limbo the Swans could still make a big play.

Originally published as AFL champions Tim Watson and Kane Cornes slam Hawks’ proposed for Giant Tom Scully