31 just a number, says Barassi

By Paul Pickering
SOME comforting words from AFL legend Ron Barassi echoed in Tom Scully’s ears as he ran onto the MCG for his debut on Saturday.
Barassi, who presented Scully with his famous number 31 jumper before Melbourne’s round one clash with Hawthorn, clearly sensed some tension in the Demons’ boom recruit.
“He told me, ‘Don’t worry about who’s worn it before, just make it your number and your own legacy’,” the Berwick teenager recalled on Monday.
“It was a special moment.”
Scully, recruited with the first pick in last year’s AFL draft, described it as “a massive honour” to wear Barassi’s number in his much-anticipated introduction to senior footy.
“He’s one of the biggest names in footy, let alone the Melbourne Football Club, so it’s very special to me,” he said.
If the former Vic Metro and Dandenong Stingrays captain was overawed by the occasion, it didn’t show. He went out and collected 20 possessions and was among the few highlights in his side’s 56-point defeat.
Fortunately, Scully was able to separate his joy at realising a boyhood dream from the disappointment of a Demon loss.
“It wasn’t a good result, because we’ve been building as a team and we wanted to come out in round one and prove a point; that we have been improving.
“But it was my first game, so I’m always going to remember it as a special day.
“I suppose it was a reasonable debut, but ultimately you have to look at your impact on the game and how you helped your team.”
Scully said a first-up hit-out against the likes of 2008 premiership stars Sam Mitchell and Luke Hodge would prove invaluable to an inexperienced Melbourne midfield, which included fellow first-gamers Jack Trengove and James Strauss.
“Having played in the four NAB Cup games gave me a taste of what it was all about, but (the intensity) stepped up again from that,” he said.
“(Mitchell and Hodge) are A-grade midfielders and stars of the competition, so to play against them and see how they go about it is a great learning experience. And I’m going to continue to embrace the challenge of playing on good players.”
The dual under-18 All-Australian also expressed his relief at having his eagerly awaited debut behind him, saying he was looking forward to getting “back to business” as the Demons prepare for Saturday’s clash with Collingwood.
Scully’s former Stingrays and Narre Warren junior teammate Ryan Bastinac also made his debut on the weekend, compiling 23 possessions in North Melbourne’s loss to Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium.
Meanwhile, Pakenham-raised 22-year-old Alex Silvagni capped a more unorthodox footy journey when he stepped out for Fremantle at Subiaco Oval on Sunday.
Silvagni, who was recruited from the Casey Scorpions after being overlooked in the 2006 national and pre-season drafts, made an immediate impact in the Dockers win over Adelaide.
The versatile defender had 14 possessions in an impressive debut, and even snuck down the ground to kick a goal.
Silvagni – a second cousin of Carlton great Stephen – was elevated from Fremantle’s rookie list as reward for a promising pre-season campaign.