I wish Jamie Bennell the best of luck for the remainder of his career. It was unfortunate that we couldn't get the best out of him and that he suffered an ACL injury that put him out for the best part of a year

It's also unfortunate he ducks more than he gut runs, or doesn't kick goals or kicks the pill to anyone but a team mate.

That we should've picked Sloane with pick 35 is not worthy of debate.

However, I always liked Bennell. IMO has the potential to be a Danyle Pearce/Burgoyne type.

Has class. Always needed a few years to develop intensity and hardness. If he manages to do so, he will be a very good player.

Would've kept him.

I must say I'm disappointed for my first post (which I swore I'd never make) to be about Jamie Bennell of all things. But I will not be surprised if he becomes a regular contributor at the eagles. Has enough skill and pace, and with confidence his creativity and hardness was there to see. But like a few others he quickly was bereft of confidence due to the fact that he was rotated between forward, back and reserves. And also because he played for Melbourne...

When you're a young player trying to develop your game what hope does that give you? Not too surprising (albeit disappointing) he could only touch the ball 5-10 times a game!

I wish him well at the eagles, I personally wish he'd done enough to be around for the Roos era.

If the Eagles have promoted him to the senior list he has clearly earned it. He was developing ok under Bailey but failed under Neeld's regime. He's not the only one. Has all the skills. Has application. He could easily make it when he matures. Steven Motlop at Geelong was taken in the same year three picks later and had the advantage of a wonderful culture, surrounded by exceptional players, 4 years developing in the VFL and very good coaches. He's really only made it this year. With the same benefits who knows where Bennell might be now and I suspect if Motlop has been at MFC he'd be nowhere and accused of the same things as Bennell is now. I think he will be a fine player but he needs to be 24 years old to succeed in AFL footy not 18.

Neeld made so many mistakes. Petterd, Rivers and Moloney stand out but Bennell could be another.

he will be a very good player.

I saw him do some very special things for the demons.

good pick up by meth coast

Really happy for Jamie. He has some weaknesses, but he has a huge amount of talent and seems to be a hard worker and a nice kid.

I wish him well.

If the Eagles have promoted him to the senior list he has clearly earned it. He was developing ok under Bailey but failed under Neeld's regime. He's not the only one. Has all the skills. Has application. He could easily make it when he matures. Steven Motlop at Geelong was taken in the same year three picks later and had the advantage of a wonderful culture, surrounded by exceptional players, 4 years developing in the VFL and very good coaches. He's really only made it this year. With the same benefits who knows where Bennell might be now and I suspect if Motlop has been at MFC he'd be nowhere and accused of the same things as Bennell is now. I think he will be a fine player but he needs to be 24 years old to succeed in AFL footy not 18.

Neeld made so many mistakes. Petterd, Rivers and Moloney stand out but Bennell could be another.

Rubbish.

Many of the players you mention failed to blossom under either Bailey or Neeld.

Bennell spent three seasons under Bailey and ¾ of a season under Neeld and was going nowhere.

Cale Morton started off well in his first year and a half and was burned off by Bailey. He was going backwards when Bailey exited.

Both coaches were below what's acceptable and there's no evidence to support your thesis that the players suddenly went downhill when Neeld arrived.

I note that "bruise-free" football and 186 happened under Bailey's watch unless we're now singing from the revisionist football history book.

Bennell could be All Australian by 2016. The bloke reeks of talent and the MFC have cocked up yet another...

If the Eagles have promoted him to the senior list he has clearly earned it. He was developing ok under Bailey but failed under Neeld's regime. He's not the only one. Has all the skills. Has application. He could easily make it when he matures. Steven Motlop at Geelong was taken in the same year three picks later and had the advantage of a wonderful culture, surrounded by exceptional players, 4 years developing in the VFL and very good coaches. He's really only made it this year. With the same benefits who knows where Bennell might be now and I suspect if Motlop has been at MFC he'd be nowhere and accused of the same things as Bennell is now. I think he will be a fine player but he needs to be 24 years old to succeed in AFL footy not 18.

Neeld made so many mistakes. Petterd, Rivers and Moloney stand out but Bennell could be another.

Always thought Bennell would make it. Talent and pace, which we don't have a lot of. His weakness for me was a very low possession count most games. He just didn't get his hands on it often enough.

If the Eagles have promoted him to the senior list he has clearly earned it. He was developing ok under Bailey but failed under Neeld's regime. He's not the only one. Has all the skills. Has application. He could easily make it when he matures. Steven Motlop at Geelong was taken in the same year three picks later and had the advantage of a wonderful culture, surrounded by exceptional players, 4 years developing in the VFL and very good coaches. He's really only made it this year. With the same benefits who knows where Bennell might be now and I suspect if Motlop has been at MFC he'd be nowhere and accused of the same things as Bennell is now. I think he will be a fine player but he needs to be 24 years old to succeed in AFL footy not 18.

Neeld made so many mistakes. Petterd, Rivers and Moloney stand out but Bennell could be another.

I had to pinch myself reading this trying to recall how many Demons actually improved as footballers under Bailey in the four years from 2008 - 2011.

If Bailey did any better in those four years than Neeld did in his 1½ then it's a line ball at best.

As for Bennell, he had ample opportunity at Melbourne under both Bailey and Neeld and never came up to the mark.

If anything he was played out of position by Bailey after showing some promise as a running small defender. I suspect he might have developed better had he been allowed to settle into one position.

Bennell could be All Australian by 2016. The bloke reeks of talent and the MFC have cocked up yet another...

Would have won the Brownlow by now if only we did the right thing after 186 by giving Bails a 5 year contract extension.

I wish Jamie Bennell the best of luck for the remainder of his career. It was unfortunate that we couldn't get the best out of him and that he suffered an ACL injury that put him out for the best part of a year.

However, he would have to go down as one of our many recruiting disasters from that era and in particular, that draft. We took him at 35 ahead of Matthew Broadbent (38), Steven Motlop (39), Mitch Robinson (40) and Rory Sloane (44). Then we took Neville Jetta at 51 ahead of Michael Walters (53).

And that was after taking Sam Blease and James Strauss ahead of Luke Shuey and either David Zaharakis or Dan Hanneberry earlier in the draft.

I know its easy to say the above in retrospect and other clubs missed out as well but I suspect that better recruiting people could have exercised better judgement. Imagine how much stronger our midfield would be today if the correct recruiting decisions were made back then?

This isn't going to sound too flash but I do feel some comfort in the knowledge that Bennell and Cale Morton are on the Weagles' main list.

You are quite right, hindsight is all so easy - how many others, including Adelaide, overlooked Sloane, and Hanneberry and the Needleophobe?

Good clubs teach ticker. The leaders do it and the rest learn. This sounds racist but I'll say it regardless, if Bennell played more time with Whelan and less with Davey he might have made it at MFC.

Why do you think that what you said is racist? One player who happens to be indigenous has shown more ticker than another player who also happens to be indigenous. Not a speck of racism there, IMO.