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WELCOME TO THE MELBOURNE FOOTBALL CLUB - HARLEY BENNELL

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in Melbourne Demons

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13 hours ago, Demon Disciple said:

Got through the game. That's all that matters (at least for all things HB related)

Yes, if you had of told me yesterday morning that Harley was going to win his first game with us AND get through unscathed I would have been stoked

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    Agree with it being sufficient for Harley to just get through. However, I was a tad disappointed by his contribution and thought he was tentative and casual at times, just not as intense and penetrating as I’ve recently seen at training, and I can’t recall him creating to many/any creative scoring chains as I thought he would.

    Agree, I’m being harsh, he’s been out a long time etc, so alls well.

    Edited by PaulRB

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    40 minutes ago, PaulRB said:

    Agree with it being sufficient for Harley to just get through. However, I was a tad disappointed by his contribution and thought he was tentative and casual at times, just not as intense and penetrating as I’ve recently seen at training, and I can’t recall him creating to many/any creative scoring chains as I thought he would.

    Agree, I’m being harsh, he’s been out a long time etc, so alls well.

    He had 14 touches in 50% of game time, meaning his per tog ratio was amongst the highest on field. 

    He had a couple of touches that showed his silk, one gorgeous handball to advantage really stands out in my mind. 

    It's not only his personal hesitation and uncertainty that is understandable, but the game has changed in 4 years. Speed is differentin competitive matches than during training match sim. 

     

    Anything above minimum acceptable output this year is a bonus while he readjusts.

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    1 hour ago, PaulRB said:

    Agree with it being sufficient for Harley to just get through. However, I was a tad disappointed by his contribution and thought he was tentative and casual at times, just not as intense and penetrating as I’ve recently seen at training, and I can’t recall him creating to many/any creative scoring chains as I thought he would.

    Agree, I’m being harsh, he’s been out a long time etc, so alls well.

    Yes I think this is harsh, ridiculously so.

    The issue I have with Bennell isn't his output. Anyone who expects him to be tearing the game up had unreasonably high expectations.

    The issue I have is that we're playing him knowing he's not fit enough to play much more than 50% of the game. Jackson's barely fitter. And we had Rivers as a first gamer and were planning on having Pickett as a second gamer too.

    We're really going in with 20 or 21 players when Bennell and Jackson's combined fitness isn't the same as a standard AFL player. We're not good enough to be able to do that, IMO.

    Edited by titan_uranus

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    14 minutes ago, titan_uranus said:

    Yes I think this is harsh, ridiculously so.

    The issue I have with Bennell isn't his output. Anyone who expects him to be tearing the game up had unreasonably high expectations.

    The issue I have is that we're playing him knowing he's not fit enough to play much more than 50% of the game. Jackson's barely fitter. And we had Rivers as a first gamer and were planning on having Pickett as a second gamer too.

    We're really going in with 20 or 21 players when Bennell and Jackson's combined fitness isn't the same as a standard AFL player. We're not good enough to be able to do that, IMO.

    so right and so lucky that Rivers had a good game.

    There is scope for risk in selection but we loaded risk upon risk. Was it the only reason for our bad performance... no but it contributed.

    Was the Harley decision correct... line ball

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    1 hour ago, PaulRB said:

    Agree with it being sufficient for Harley to just get through. However, I was a tad disappointed by his contribution and thought he was tentative and casual at times, just not as intense and penetrating as I’ve recently seen at training, and I can’t recall him creating to many/any creative scoring chains as I thought he would.

    Agree, I’m being harsh, he’s been out a long time etc, so alls well.

    I think he reflected the team psyche, when he was on.   'It' became conservative, when we dropped off a tad, and Carlton began to push us.

    Carlton put in more after Qtr time,  and we dropped some intensity after our 7th goal and lead.   That was when we started to waste our disposals going into F50.  And each time they rebounded, finding loose players.

     

    We were under the pump,  because of our approach,  going inside our attack.

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    Didn't look like he got out of first gear, but he was very clean with his disposal and got through the match. Tick!

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    2 minutes ago, Lord Travis said:

    Didn't look like he got out of first gear, but he was very clean with his disposal and got through the match. Tick!

    That's all we should expect from him in game one with us.

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    31 minutes ago, MyFavouriteMartian said:

    That's all we should expect from him in game one with us.

    True, but should we have been giving him a few 'scratch match' games first so we feel confident enough to play him for 70-75% game time, rather than 50%?

    Once his fitness and confidence rises then he could be terrific for us, but I felt as though we got away with bringing him in a little too soon.

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    Would have been fun to see him do a couple of really decisive magical things, but he got through the game fine and maybe it is the best thing for the psychological 'journey' to not be turning up and having a blinder straight away. 

    If anyone should have (and probably does have) their mind on the long road, it is Harley Bennell.

    If plays 10% more game time and is 10% more effective over each of the next three rounds, we'll be laughing.

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    I can imagine it would have been a harrowing time for him, lots of media hype (personally i wouldn't have asked him to do the radio interview with SEN). He will be relieved that the hype will be less this week, and I expect him to relax and play to his strengths, still an absolute bonus having him on the field.

     

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    I get it was his first game back and it was great he got through however, he showed zero defensive skills for mine and was wandering around by himself most of the time.

    Can't get away with that for too long. We already have too many of those kind of players.

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    1 minute ago, jnrmac said:

    I get it was his first game back and it was great he got through however, he showed zero defensive skills for mine and was wandering around by himself most of the time.

    Can't get away with that for too long. We already have too many of those kind of players.

    The game has changed a lot since he last played regular football (4 years ago).Outside players no longer dominate.Have a look at the GWS v Norf game.One of the best set of midfielders since Cousins and co scragged and tackled into irrelevance. Game played mainly along the boundary line. TBH I am starting to despair how you beat such tactics given the fitness of the players and their ability to cover the ground.

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    6 hours ago, Wiseblood said:

    True, but should we have been giving him a few 'scratch match' games first so we feel confident enough to play him for 70-75% game time, rather than 50%?

    Once his fitness and confidence rises then he could be terrific for us, but I felt as though we got away with bringing him in a little too soon.

    With a cutdown season,  and no guarantee it will continue beyond the next few weeks,  we don't have many opportunities to get our info on what we actually have;   so we can continue to build the clubs list in the right areas.

     

    We now know he got thru unscathed, but also how he shaped out there,  what his speed is now like,  and how he blends in with our structures, etc.  We already know what Weide brings when he's inform, and I am certain he is not in any danger...  also we know what Hibbo gives us,  and now we have seen Rivers as well,  together with Tomlin and Langers.

     

    Apart from our roughness,  in 'evenness of form',  we can see where we are.   And what we likely need,  to build,  and especially up against a rising team in the same time bracket as we are.

    In my mind, this is why we selected this way,  as we may only play them once,  before next trade and draft period.

     

    The fact we tired a bit and were a bit patchy,  and we still won the game when being truly hunted... and threatened,  from Carlton,  speaks volumes on our past Era's of form.

    There is some steel in there,  building,  and most of it is in the back-half.  Which is good, build from the back, forward.

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    • 2 weeks later...

    If Harley plays in the Rd6 game against the Dockers at Metricon Stadium, would that be the first time a player has played , his first game in his new colours against his old Club  at his original Draft Club's Home Ground? Thoughts?

    Edited by Bucket list

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    1 hour ago, Bucket list said:

    If Harley plays in the Rd6 game against the Dockers at Metricon Stadium, would that be the first time a player has played , his first game in his new colours against his old Club  at his original Draft Club's Home Ground? Thoughts?

    great useless stat! twitter that one pal...

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    2 hours ago, Bucket list said:

    If Harley plays in the Rd6 game against the Dockers at Metricon Stadium, would that be the first time a player has played , his first game in his new colours against his old Club  at his original Draft Club's Home Ground? Thoughts?

    Love it! we are seriously footy deprived at the moment

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    2 hours ago, Bucket list said:

    If Harley plays in the Rd6 game against the Dockers at Metricon Stadium, would that be the first time a player has played , his first game in his new colours against his old Club  at his original Draft Club's Home Ground? Thoughts?

    blah blah sorry to waste your time can't delete

    Edited by ManDee

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    • Sad 1

    3 hours ago, Bucket list said:

    If Harley plays in the Rd6 game against the Dockers at Metricon Stadium, would that be the first time a player has played , his first game in his new colours against his old Club  at his original Draft Club's Home Ground? Thoughts?

    I suppose there would have to be players that had played for both WCE and Freo or Port and SA and then gone to Victoria and then played at Subiaco or Footy Park ? Prob new stadiums rule out current players

    Edited by John Demonic

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    On 6/14/2020 at 3:41 PM, Diamond_Jim said:

    The game has changed a lot since he last played regular football (4 years ago).Outside players no longer dominate.Have a look at the GWS v Norf game.One of the best set of midfielders since Cousins and co scragged and tackled into irrelevance. Game played mainly along the boundary line. TBH I am starting to despair how you beat such tactics given the fitness of the players and their ability to cover the ground.

    It's not just the players' fitness but also the defensive gameplans which can be pursued because of that fitness. I've come to the view that it might be time to abolish interchange and replace with up to four substitutes. It would require a new level of strategic thinking at both Match Committee and on game day.

    I expect the coaches and probably the players would be against it. But neither group is part of the paying audience which is really the only one who's opinion should matter.

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    7 hours ago, Go the Biff said:

    Harley Bennell reveals the moment he told his partner he thought his AFL career was over

    Absolutely love this. I cannot imagine what it would be like as a professional athlete rehabbing over and over through 25 calf strains. It's a testament to Bennell's resilience and persistence to pursue the game that he loves and glad that he's feeling fresh and settled well in the club.

    Lookingforward to see him build throughout the year and imagine the damage we can do with Bennell and AVB playing half forward,both inspirational with special talents.

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