WELCOME TO THE MELBOURNE FOOTBALL CLUB - HARLEY BENNELL

[Whispering_Jack 31,144]

Sorry if I’m derailing this discussion but does anyone know how Harley’s tracking?

[Moonshadow 17,678]

17 minutes ago, Whispering_Jack said:

Sorry if I’m derailing this discussion but does anyone know how Harley’s tracking?

Yes, but will Harley improve our inside 50 connection?

?

[58er 6,816]

29 minutes ago, Whispering_Jack said:

Sorry if I’m derailing this discussion but does anyone know how Harley’s tracking?

According to Ross Lyon who is still in touch about once a week he is going well.

Ross on Footy Classified (wed night) said he is most positive and is very grateful to Melb for giving Harley a lifeline.

PS will improve our forward line as he has unique skills in getting the ball and kicking it accurately.

I know this is an incorrect location but Zi would've quite happy for Ross to coach The Dees In 2021 if Goody cannot solve their forward line issues this season.
He has a record of a game plan which was getting more aggressive each year he coached.

PS He won't have many staff to deal with as all Clubs will delete some in the future. 

[Rodney (Balls) Grinter 10,974]

On 4/9/2020 at 11:02 PM, Rodney (Balls) Grinter said:

Read into this what you will:

"Goodwin said one positive to take from the enforced hiatus was that Aaron vandenBerg, Nathan Jones, Christian Salem, Harrison Petty, Mitch Hannan and Harley Bennell would all be fit to return from injury when the AFL action resumes."

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-2020-return-to-training-date-may-4-afl-clubs-return-season-shutdown-when-will-the-afl-season-resume/news-story/797bbe056823eef8f212bdb0631e2656

@Whispering_Jack

[Whispering_Jack 31,144]

This is promising - 

Harley Bennell ‘a really good chance’ to be fit to play for Demons once AFL returns

 

[Pates 9,678]

6 minutes ago, Whispering_Jack said:

This is promising - 

Harley Bennell ‘a really good chance’ to be fit to play for Demons once AFL returns

 

That is massive if he's able to stay fit. Should they go ahead with the carnival style season where it's more regular games I think we will have to accept he can't keep up with that and may need to miss the mid-week games. I imagine the fact that there hasn't been any footy has made him temper his rehab a bit to make sure he doesn't rush anything, it could end up being the best thing for him (and hopefully us!).

[Nelo 813]

I don’t want to get too excited just yet as it often leads to disappointment. If he does get going he is the one type of player we need more than most. We don’t have too many naturally skillful players in our side like him. 

[WA Demon Boy 966]

Finally some good news

We need him fit - he's so unique in our team 

[Damo 3,437]

May the 4th for 1st game says Goody!

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-2020-live-blog-coronavirus-news-afl-return-date-simon-goodwin-comments-back-at-training-may-4/news-story/257da9671006cfe7b6e729ab21739658?fbclid=IwAR2jHTFMipOCtmwIG5QczThuFa9DHjcM7s09IWHNFZshOUVslgm_tPvtj3Q

Edited April 21, 2020 by Damo

[Red and Blue realist 2,058]

14 minutes ago, Damo said:

May the 4th for 1st game says Goody!

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-2020-live-blog-coronavirus-news-afl-return-date-simon-goodwin-comments-back-at-training-may-4/news-story/257da9671006cfe7b6e729ab21739658?fbclid=IwAR2jHTFMipOCtmwIG5QczThuFa9DHjcM7s09IWHNFZshOUVslgm_tPvtj3Q

I think he was talking about a return to training then, not games. Games still won't happen until June (at the earliest). 

[spirit of norm smith 16,617]

HB would be a huge addition. He doesn’t need to play every game. He would be an impact player.  Play him across half forward. Hard to match up for defenders. 

[Moonshadow 17,678]

6 minutes ago, spirit of norm smith said:

HB would be a huge addition. He doesn’t need to play every game. He would be an impact player.  Play him across half forward. Hard to match up for defenders. 

Agree. Even if he plays 60% game time every second match. That would be a BIG bonus for us in this sad write off of a season.

[Pates 9,678]

6 hours ago, Moonshadow said:

Agree. Even if he plays 60% game time every second match. That would be a BIG bonus for us in this sad write off of a season.

If they were to bring in the "super sub" again, would an option perhaps be to have him play say the game mostly the full game (with game time monitored) and then if there was a short turnaround/midweek game he be a super sub off the bench. I'd even say if we lost someone in the first minute that we use him extremely sparingly and unleash him at key points in the match.

[Its Time for Another 4,303]

There’s some talk of having extended benches if they do the carnival format. This would be perfect for him. 

[rjay 25,307]

8 hours ago, Damo said:

May the 4th for 1st game says Goody!

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-2020-live-blog-coronavirus-news-afl-return-date-simon-goodwin-comments-back-at-training-may-4/news-story/257da9671006cfe7b6e729ab21739658?fbclid=IwAR2jHTFMipOCtmwIG5QczThuFa9DHjcM7s09IWHNFZshOUVslgm_tPvtj3Q

Dangerfield also refuted suggestions May 4 is the date players are set to return to training.

“A lot of it is going to be government driven around rules on isolation,” he said.

“May 4 isn’t a date that was ever formally put to us as a PA and I suppose the situation we’re in is we’re waiting for an update from the AFL on where it’ll all stand but they are still gathering information.

 

[Demonland 73,495]

 

[Wrecker45 3,378]

3 hours ago, Demonland said:

 

I’m more sceptical about his sons brownlow. 

[loges 6,767]

Tim Watson just stating the obvious.

[58er 6,816]

On 4/21/2020 at 10:47 AM, Red and Blue realist said:

I think he was talking about a return to training then, not games. Games still won't happen until June (at the earliest). 

Agree 

[Demons1858 1,789]

No player is truly on the edge of a return until they have done match practice or played vfl. can't see him holding up under those conditions to be honest but will be rapt if he does. his hiring is starting to feel more like a PR exercise than anything else

Edited April 27, 2020 by Demons1858

[Pates 9,678]

15 hours ago, Demons1858 said:

No player is truly on the edge of a return until they have done match practice or played vfl. can't see him holding up under those conditions to be honest but will be rapt if he does. his hiring is starting to feel more like a PR exercise than anything else

What's led you to that statement? We haven't even seen what the fitness staff have managed to do with him and as a PR exercise it would be a stupidly expensive one to do. I would say the club got him in thinking he's probably at best a 50/50 chance to return to footy with meaning, given his incredible talent it's a gamble that's worth taking. 

The one thing I agree with you on is that he's not going to be considered until he gets through a practice match scenario.

[KingDingAling 3,758]

On 4/28/2020 at 1:47 AM, Demons1858 said:

No player is truly on the edge of a return until they have done match practice or played vfl. can't see him holding up under those conditions to be honest but will be rapt if he does. his hiring is starting to feel more like a PR exercise than anything else

Probably not, but risk well worth taking in this case. Outside of being a rare athlete when up and running, Bennell would have better skills on his left foot than most our players had on their preferred. There is a reason why this cat is being given his full nine lives. Nothing lost if this experiment fails. Its one of my most supportive moves the club has made. 

[Roger Mellie 4,173]

On 4/28/2020 at 1:47 AM, Demons1858 said:

No player is truly on the edge of a return until they have done match practice or played vfl. can't see him holding up under those conditions to be honest but will be rapt if he does. his hiring is starting to feel more like a PR exercise than anything else

Lol. With Harley Bennell's reputation (in term of injury and off-field behaviour), he's hardly anyone's idea of a PR exercise!

[Its Time for Another 4,303]

18 hours ago, Pates said:

The one thing I agree with you on is that he's not going to be considered until he gets through a practice match scenario.

There won't be any practice matches. Probably other than intraclub. But if they have the extended benches that are being talked about it wouldn't surprise me if they took the risk if he's fully fit in every other way. They could bring him on for short bursts. Like 7 minutes a quarter and it would be a win. Get dragged as soon as he kicks the required couple of goals a quarter.

[Demons1858 1,789]

On 4/28/2020 at 5:35 PM, Pates said:

What's led you to that statement? We haven't even seen what the fitness staff have managed to do with him and as a PR exercise it would be a stupidly expensive one to do. I would say the club got him in thinking he's probably at best a 50/50 chance to return to footy with meaning, given his incredible talent it's a gamble that's worth taking. 

The one thing I agree with you on is that he's not going to be considered until he gets through a practice match scenario.

Not expensive at all, he is on minimum wage. I don't expect him to last once the lists are culled.