Scully is choice pick: coach

– Marc McGowan
VICTORIA Metro coach Rohan Welsh became the latest to endorse Berwick footballer Tom Scully as this year’s number-one AFL draft pick last week.
Welsh, who replaced David Dickson as Metro coach this year after playing 42 AFL games for Carlton, told television program TAC Cup Future Stars that Scully, 18, was the pick of the 2009 crop.
“I’ve been involved in TAC for probably eight years (with the Calder Cannons and Oakleigh Chargers), and this year obviously at Metro level, and I’ve very rarely seen a kid who’s so clean with both feet,” Welsh said.
“He’s aggressive inside, he tries to win the contested footy all the time and it’s just his level head as well – he’s a super kid and was our obvious choice as captain.
“We had our players vote on it and he was the outstanding choice for our captaincy.
“I would (pick him first in the draft) … I think he’s a stand-out player, just with his ability to kick the footy on both feet and his running power is amazing.”
Scully was among Metro’s best in its 16-point first-round loss to Victoria Country before also impressing in his side’s 111-point victory over NSW/ACT in round two on Saturday.
The Dandenong Stingrays midfielder was the only non-draftable player to earn All-Australian honours in his debut at the National Under-18 Championships last year. Scully also shared the Kevin Sheehan Medal for the best Division One player at the National Under-16 Championships in 2007 and is an AIS/AFL Academy graduate.