He comes out of contract at the end of a rare season when a new club, Greater Western Sydney, is entering the competition with a bucket of money to spend on uncontracted players.
Scully is a logical target - he is young, a gun player, articulate and impressive - without being slick - in his public presentation.
At today's media conference there was a nice quiver in his voice as he spoke, hands perched in the pockets of his black jeans while looking each questioner in the eye and delivering a concise, direct response.
There is a confidence about Scully but it's not arrogance. He is respectful of his position in the game and noted that Chris Judd or Gary Ablett might deserve the money being spoken of, not him: "I'm a 19-year-old guy in my second year of footy," he said.
The facts are right, but he is not naïve. He is a new generation player aware that he has enormous talent and a limited amount of time to maximise both his income and his football ambition.
His management would be derelict to not examine what GWS might be able to offer to their client. And he's happy to leave discussions to them.
So the pressure will be on Scully all year with the confluence of circumstances: young gun out of contract and a new cashed up club on the prowl.
The situation is rare yet Scully is a rare player.
He is capable of absorbing the pressure - he is a hard worker and a non-drinker, but one who makes no judgment on others who do. He finished second in last year's NAB Rising Star Award, eighth in the Melbourne best and fairest and played 21 of a possible 22 games.
"I'm focused and driven,” he said.
“There are going to be players from all other clubs who come under this speculation.
“There is not much you can do about it. I'll keep saying I'm just playing footy and let the club and my management deal with that and have confidence they will do that in due course."
When asked how anyone could resist the lure of the big dollars potentially on offer his response was simple and mature. "It goes back to your values," he said.
Through his words today we can affirm he values honesty and trust and he values the support the Melbourne Football Club and in particular his coach and mentor Dean Bailey have given him.
He said he will inform the club if he is approached by another club and he respects the supporters enough to front the media today to put his side of the story.
"I've got nothing to hide," Scully said.
He is emphatic that neither he nor his management team nor his family has been approached by GWS.
Melbourne is acting in a mature manner too. It is leaving Scully in no doubt it wants him but it is respecting his wish to make a decision later rather than now.
"I don't feel any pressure from the club at all," he said.
Melbourne is supporting the player through the ongoing speculation but is not overreacting.
As in any season the club is negotiating a contract with around 16 players through the year. The quicker such negotiations are finalised the better, but good clubs work with what is reality rather than what they would love that reality to be. If they have to wait they will wait.
It's a signal attitudes are changing. Clubs understand players can perform at their best while making a decision to move to another club. Gary Ablett showed this last season, as did Michael Rischitelli, Jarrod Harbrow and Campbell Brown - all high quality performers with their original club before joining the Gold Coast at season's end.
Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse said a fortnight ago he would only approach a Magpie player who was the subject of GWS speculation to hear his intentions if it was affecting the team, otherwise it was business as usual.
Scully seems to be a man much more focused on team success, his mates and enjoying the life of an elite sportsperson then about what he is earning, or might well earn from 2012. He is happy and excited about the future of Melbourne Football Club and he will not let speculation affect his commitment to the team in 2011.
Today was an important step towards everyone understanding that. Unaware of where the frenzy of speculation came from but aware that it was out there, the club showed maturity in putting the player to the media, and Scully did not let down his club or his teammates.
GWS would want to have an impressive offer in its hand to budge him. "I love my club and love all my teammates and want to be part of the future going ahead at the Melbourne Football Club," he said.
Scully is a professional person at a professional football club - a player equipped for the modern age.
That is the one thing that is certain.
What is less certain is whether he will stay a Demon, but after today, I think he will.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL and its clubs
