WELCOME TO THE MELBOURNE FOOTBALL CLUB - HARLEY BENNELL

[Go the Biff 3,135]

6 hours ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

Fair points Red, getting him out of Perth would also be a good start. 

I should have done the multi quote thing.

Pretty sure I recall reading that Bennell's mum didn't want him returning to Perth when it became apparent he was out of GCS. I think she feared the impact of him renewing some of his associations

[Moonshadow 16,232]

2 minutes ago, Go the Biff said:

I should have done the multi quote thing.

Pretty sure I recall reading that Bennell's mum didn't want him returning to Perth when it became apparent he was out of GCS. I think she feared the impact of him renewing some of his associations

Sure you aren't confusing him with Jesse Hogan?!!

[Go the Biff 3,135]

1 minute ago, Moonshadow said:

Sure you aren't confusing him with Jesse Hogan?!!

Absolutely. This was well before Hogan shot through

[Redleg 37,654]

1 hour ago, RalphiusMaximus said:

Nope.  He's a free agent.  We don't need to use a pick on him.  The only thing he costs us is one spot on our list and whatever salary we agree to.  Given we have two Wagners on our list, we obviously don't value list spots too highly. 

I meant that, I said use last pick, when I should have said, just take a spot on the list.

[Binmans PA 26,210]

I hope we go after Bennell, but as others have said, I doubt we will.

[dazzledavey36 48,837]

At the start I didn't want him.

But now I do. I want us to be bold with our recruiting and start to take risks on the Harley Bennells and Marlion Picketts of the world.

[RalphiusMaximus 5,993]

2 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

At the start I didn't want him.

But now I do. I want us to be bold with our recruiting and start to take risks on the Harley Bennells and Marlion Picketts of the world.

Exactly.  It kills me every year to see other clubs take a risk on highly talented players and getting great rewards while we play it safe and get good clubmen with great character who will do a solid job on the field but never set the game alight or win a match off their own boot.  We need to find a way to get some serious elite talent into the club and he's a free hit that could turn into just that. 

[Binmans PA 26,210]

If, and I know it's a big 'if', but, if we took the punt on Bennell and he got back to his early career form, he is exactly the sort of player we are lacking from our midfield. X factor, speed, ball use and goal kicking. Would immediately improve our side when on the park.

[Frustrated Demon 233]

Thumbs up from me. We are way to conservative which may be why we haven’t had success for a decent period. Time for a change up. If he can get on the park he is super elite. Used to love watching him play.

[Moonshadow 16,232]

It will be very interesting to see if the operations to fix the calf nerve issues make him slower. Speed and delivery were his main strengths IMO. 

Super talent if fit... If

I'd offer 1 year base with incentives for 2.

Keen to see which other clubs are interested and what they might offer.

[Lucifers Hero 37,090]

Sydney are reportedly interested. Harley Bennell

Having been de-listed from Freo he is a Free Agent and can nominate a club to join. 

We already have 2/3 players with chronic injuries:  KK, AvB and maybe J. Smith.  Just can't see us potentially adding another to that list especially if we get Elliott.  That is a lot of players and money to potentially spend a lot time in rehab.

Edited October 2, 2019 by Lucifer's Hero

[Demon3 2,541]

in the end Joel Smith might be our biggest recruit for the year if he can get on the park. quick, agile, nice mark and kick. 

[deebug 1,754]

We should give him a chance,we need to improve, and not picking players because they have had past issues is holding us back.

So yes please☺️

[Forest Demon 4,681]

I don't really care about player behaviour anymore (within reason of course), but if his body isn't up to it, then I wouldn't bother.

[Redleg 37,654]

39 minutes ago, Forest Demon said:

I don't really care about player behaviour anymore (within reason of course), but if his body isn't up to it, then I wouldn't bother.

That is the $64.00 question.

[McQueen 17,864]

I imagine a lot of clubs are very interested but even more cautious on the ‘supposed’ identification of a potential root cause to his calve issues. 

Bet they’re wanting to see a fair bit more evidence of the remedy before going all in. 

[buck_nekkid 5,493]

4 minutes ago, McQueen said:

I imagine a lot of clubs are very interested but even more cautious on the ‘supposed’ identification of a potential root cause to his calve issues. 

Bet they’re wanting to see a fair bit more evidence of the remedy before going all in. 

Yep.  Invite him to train with the rookie list or supplemental addition list as a carrot.  If he shows enough - better than others we could get - then sign him up!

[Diamond_Jim 11,810]

3 hours ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

Sydney are reportedly interested. Harley Bennell

Having been de-listed from Freo he is a Free Agent and can nominate a club to join. 

We already have 2/3 players with chronic injuries:  KK, AvB and maybe J. Smith.  Just can't see us potentially adding another to that list especially if we get Elliott.  That is a lot of players and money to potentially spend a lot time in rehab.

That Smith was offered and accepted a one year deal was interesting in this regard. The cynic in me suggests that the injury level is still "unclear."

I had thought we signed KK on a one year deal but someone posted in recent weeks that it was in fact a three year deal.

The cumulative risk factor of adding Bennell plus possibly Jamie Elliot is not sensible list management.

Pity because most of us are at the stage that we would take any risk to get this club going somewhere.

[Binmans PA 26,210]

6 hours ago, Demon3 said:

in the end Joel Smith might be our biggest recruit for the year if he can get on the park. quick, agile, nice mark and kick. 

Ordinary decision maker and average kick. Frost 2.0.

[Demon3 2,541]

1 hour ago, A F said:

Ordinary decision maker and average kick. Frost 2.0.

He has only played 11 games.. but feel free to make that snap judgemnet. .. Frost has player over 90,  i think Smith will improve and playing up forward will be a big asset

[Binmans PA 26,210]

58 minutes ago, Demon3 said:

He has only played 11 games.. but feel free to make that snap judgemnet. .. Frost has player over 90,  i think Smith will improve and playing up forward will be a big asset

We have different opinions. I wouldn't say it's a snap judgement.

I was sceptical in his first game or two and nothing I've seen in the following 10 or so has changed my thinking.

He's a good athlete with some exciting characteristics, but that's not enough.

[Wiseblood 24,636]

5 minutes ago, A F said:

We have different opinions. I wouldn't say it's a snap judgement.

I was sceptical in his first game or two and nothing I've seen in the following 10 or so has changed my thinking.

He's a good athlete with some exciting characteristics, but that's not enough.

He is good depth on not much money.  He can play both forward and back and, if he gets fit again, can easily slot in where we need him and do a job.  Just the player we need.

[Binmans PA 26,210]

40 minutes ago, Wiseblood said:

He is good depth on not much money.  He can play both forward and back and, if he gets fit again, can easily slot in where we need him and do a job.  Just the player we need.

Yep, probably. I view him as depth in a similar way to how I see/saw Frost. He's a fringe player but can fill a role if we're injury-ravaged. 

I could never understand the hype surrounding him coming into 2017 and I've been waiting to see anything in the games he's played in and I've never seen it.

Hope he can take a step up in 2020.

[Wiseblood 24,636]

1 minute ago, A F said:

Yep, probably. I view him as depth in a similar way to how I see/saw Frost. He's a fringe player but can fill a role if we're injury-ravaged. 

I could never understand the hype surrounding him coming into 2017 and I've been waiting to see anything in the games he's played in and I've never seen it.

Hope he can take a step up in 2020.

I think we were all taken in a little at his game in the pre-season where he kicked a few goals.  I must admit I was, and I was also excited to see how much he could improve in 2019.  Obviously we never got to see that.

But I agree with your first sentence - he is handy depth who can fill gaps where required, or come in for someone out of form.  He isn't a great user of the footy, much like Frost, but he is big enough and quick enough to run with a third tall or give us a different option inside 50.

[Demonland 65,364]

Settle down guys. No need to get personal.