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WELCOME TO THE MELBOURNE FOOTBALL CLUB - HARLEY BENNELL

Featured Replies

12 hours ago, The Jackson 6 said:

Donโ€™t get me wrong, Iโ€™m excited to see him play but heโ€™s not Chris Judd.

You're right Jacko . . . he's not an eye gauger or a chicken winger.ย 

ย 
2 hours ago, Lord Travis said:

His final against St Kilda in 2006 wasnโ€™t his best, but yesย Travis was probably the best big game Demon player in my lifetime. He always stood up in finals and the big matches. Heโ€™s very underrated on these forums from what Iโ€™ve read. Yes, he couldโ€™ve had a better career, but it was still a good one where he lead the league for kicks, inside 50s and score assists for years on end. He was class.

Back on Bennell, heโ€™s supremely talented and itโ€™s exciting we might be seeing him in a red and blue so soon! He played part midfield and part forward in the practice match. Do we expect the same at AFL level or do we need to be cautious with midfield time?

As someone said earlier, perhaps it's the other way around and his sense around stoppages and his delivery skills into the forward line might be the best use of what will be managed/ limited game time. Avoiding some of the high acceleration/ decelerationย  stuff a forward does could be a good thing.ย 

ย 
3 hours ago, Cyclops said:

Harley is on 9 news tonight. He has been so newsworthy that he is now asking for appearance fees.

My humble opinion is that he js a cert for Saturday

Welcome ?, we like one-eyed supporters around here. Was Bennell actually interviewed or did they just speak about him?ย 
ย 

Edit: All good, just clicked on Dazzleโ€™s link he posted and saw the segment.ย 

Edited by Ethan Tremblay


Wowsers.

I accidentally opened up this thread on Page 1.

Some verrrry interesting posts from some you folks!

ย 

13 minutes ago, Mel Bourne said:

Wowsers.

I accidentally opened up this thread on Page 1.

Some verrrry interesting posts from some you folks!

ย 

Most of the comments are justifiable given his off-field antics at the time. Itโ€™s well documented that he had โ€˜issuesโ€™ with bikies at that time amongst other problems. Best thing he did was get out of Perth, heโ€™s done extremely well and so has the club.ย 

Edited by Ethan Tremblay

5 minutes ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

Most of the comments are justifiable given his off-field antics at the time.ย 

ย 

Understandable, sure. But if he ends up becomingย on of our star players, then their justification is somewhat nullified.

Anyway, what his success (and to get this far I'd call it a success of some notable degree) tells us is that there are people at the club who are way ahead of us when it comes to assessing a player's potential to make positive changes and put the work in. This is obviously a very good thing, and perhaps gives us a reason to put some trust in the people making the decisions next time a contentious player is flagged.

ย 

Can I just point out that he hasn't played for three seasons.ย  Don't get the expectations too high.ย  IF he plays, I'll be happy to see him get through uninjured.ย  Anything beyond that will just be a bonus.ย 

Thereโ€™ll definitely a few having to eat some humble pie should he get a decent amount of games into him. Coronavirus could end up being the best thing to happen for him, itโ€™s allowed him to continue his rehab work with zero pressure to get on the field.ย 

Over to you Burgess!


3 minutes ago, RalphiusMaximus said:

Can I just point out that he hasn't played for three seasons.ย  Don't get the expectations too high.ย  IF he plays, I'll be happy to see him get through uninjured.ย  Anything beyond that will just be a bonus.ย 

Agreed, no doubt the plan wouldโ€™ve been title the game time slow at VFL to get his pace for the game back up to scratch. Iโ€™d be inclined to ply him predominantly as a forward for much of his early time. Add anotherย exciting element to our forward line with Kozzie, while it will give him a chance to get a feel for the pace of the game.ย 

Just now, Pates said:

Thereโ€™ll definitely a few having to eat some humble pie should he get a decent amount of games into him. Coronavirus could end up being the best thing to happen for him, itโ€™s allowed him to continue his rehab work with zero pressure to get on the field.ย 

Over to you Burgess!

His long layoff from the game may have a positive outcome too.ย  Alastair Lynch said that his longevity in the game was a result of being forced to take time off due to his CFS early in his career.ย  If he really does come right we could see Bennell do a Burgoyne and keep going into his mid-30s.ย 

perhaps the shorter quarters will help too -ย Still intense but if shorter duration/ less chance to get injured?

Edited by #11-TonyAnderson
Added word

8 hours ago, Mel Bourne said:

Wowsers.

I accidentally opened up this thread on Page 1.

Some verrrry interesting posts from some you folks!

ย 

I know right. How many posters said he wouldn't play until halfway through the season! Clowns. Round 2 looking likely.

9 hours ago, RalphiusMaximus said:

His long layoff from the game may have a positive outcome too.ย  Alastair Lynch said that his longevity in the game was a result of being forced to take time off due to his CFS early in his career.ย  If he really does come right we could see Bennell do a Burgoyne and keep going into his mid-30s.ย 

He probably will become a premiership legend, into his mid 30s at Hawthorn.

Edited by John Demonic


9 hours ago, Mel Bourne said:

Anyway, what his success (and to get this far I'd call it a success of some notable degree) tells us is that there are people at the club who are way ahead of us when it comes to assessing a player's potential to make positive changes and put the work in. This is obviously a very good thing, and perhaps gives us a reason to put some trust in the people making the decisions next time a contentious player is flagged.

That can't be right, surely not.

And the Bennell scenario is the reason Joe Daniher will be at Melbourne next year.

Joe Daniher is finished. If he wasn't, he would still not go to another inner Melbourne club. Thirdly you cant deal with Essendon.

4 minutes ago, Damo said:

Joe Daniher is finished. If he wasn't, he would still not go to another inner Melbourne club. Thirdly you cant deal with Essendon.

No need to deal, heโ€™sย an RFA end of this season.ย 

Edited by Ethan Tremblay

2 hours ago, FireInTheBennelly said:

I know right. How many posters said he wouldn't play until halfway through the season! Clowns. Round 2 looking likely.

More referring to โ€œdudโ€, โ€œspudโ€, โ€œpoisonโ€, โ€œrichard craniumโ€ etc to (74 pages later) โ€œfinally an elite player! Yay for our new hero!โ€ ย Itโ€™s a wild ride.ย 
ย 

I hope the โ€œdrugs r badโ€ people I was engaging with a few months back are a little more enlightened by the whole thing.ย 


10 hours ago, RalphiusMaximus said:

Can I just point out that he hasn't played for three seasons.ย  Don't get the expectations too high.ย  IF he plays, I'll be happy to see him get through uninjured.ย  Anything beyond that will just be a bonus.ย 

Mind you, his teammates and opponents haven't played for 12 weeks so that will help balance things out a little.

ย 
On 6/8/2020 at 7:39 AM, Ron Burgundy said:

Serious question - have we ever had a player like Harley Bennell on our list?

ย 

Yes, Sir Robert Alan Flower

On 6/7/2020 at 7:52 PM, binman said:

The last goal sums up why he is so dangerous. Marks it goal side of the wing (nice kick to him by the by), runs to 60, has one thought in mind, and effortlessly slots it.

Love how straight his kicks are too.ย 

just a casual non-prefered Left hand bounce of the ball at the tail end of the run down the wing. He makes the game look slow around him.


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