Fantastic! Let’s hope they get him up and going 

1 hour ago, DeeSpencer said:

Would love to know why now and not closer to the deadline. The idea of taking pressure of his rehab just doesn't make sense to me. If the emotional toll of being without a contract was going to snap his calves then how's he meant to deal with playing week to week?

I know we have the Nietschke spot free as well but I'm a little nervous we'll find out we've lost another player to a long term injury or some other bad news now.

Mahoney: “In terms of Harley, he’s done everything we’ve asked him to do, on and off the field."

 

One assumes he will wear #17 as that is the lowest jumper number available.

It would be very nice if he rewarded the team and supporters with this decision to make him a legitimate MFC identity. Good luck, young man.

1 hour ago, DeeSpencer said:

Would love to know why now and not closer to the deadline. The idea of taking pressure of his rehab just doesn't make sense to me. If the emotional toll of being without a contract was going to snap his calves then how's he meant to deal with playing week to week?

I know we have the Nietschke spot free as well but I'm a little nervous we'll find out we've lost another player to a long term injury or some other bad news now.

Might have something to do with paying his own bills?  Until he is contracted, he is doing this for free. 

The club really has nothing to lose.  It is only a rookie spot for 1 year....and it appears there is no-one else that we have seriously looked at, or they would have been at training. 

He will only cost us minimal $$'s and if it doesn't work out or we find someone else to fill the Neitschke gap, then there is always the mid-season draft....

1 hour ago, Cheesy D. Pun said:

I think it tells you that it wasn't his calves they were testing but his attitude. He's throwing everything at this chance and that's what they wanted to see before taking the leap.

Agree and I think he would have been under the microscope the whole time during the training camp, on and off the field. I think signing him now sends a great message to him that he is doing all the right things and that we are invested in him and trust that he will play for us.

Best of luck to him, could end up being one of the best gets for the club, but if he doesn't end up playing many (or any) games then ultimately what have we lost?

Edited February 4, 20205 yr by Pates

16 minutes ago, george_on_the_outer said:

Might have something to do with paying his own bills?  Until he is contracted, he is doing this for free. 

The club really has nothing to lose.  It is only a rookie spot for 1 year....and it appears there is no-one else that we have seriously looked at, or they would have been at training. 

He will only cost us minimal $$'s and if it doesn't work out or we find someone else to fill the Neitschke gap, then there is always the mid-season draft....

Doubt he was doing it for free, I'm pretty sure there's an allowance to pay train on players for the time they are training.

I'm hardly upset we've signed him, I just would've waited until closer to the deadline.

If he does 2 calves in 2 months then the odds of him ever playing might drift from slim to very slim! At some stage the (rough guess) 2% chance of finding a good player who just went undrafted has to outweigh the chance Bennell gets it together.

But at least they've taken the time to get a grasp of his attitude and of his body. Hopefully both he and the club get lucky.

Username officially updated.

Welcome to the MFC Harley.

A lot of possible upside to this decision and very little downside even if he does not play a game.  

Good decision IMV.

Brad Hardy is looking pretty silly now...always...

21 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

Doubt he was doing it for free, I'm pretty sure there's an allowance to pay train on players for the time they are training.

I'm hardly upset we've signed him, I just would've waited until closer to the deadline.

If he does 2 calves in 2 months then the odds of him ever playing might drift from slim to very slim! At some stage the (rough guess) 2% chance of finding a good player who just went undrafted has to outweigh the chance Bennell gets it together.

But at least they've taken the time to get a grasp of his attitude and of his body. Hopefully both he and the club get lucky.

Im not trying to be an ahole here but Im not sure the allowance covers flying the family over from Perth, renting a house/car, supporting his partner and baby. 

As I said just take it in and think about how much joy this little step might have given him, close family and friends. He had it all at his fingertips, he was dropped into an incredibly s h it culture (the AFL created and should take responsibility for), lead astray/didn’t take his career seriously and then has been cursed by injury.

It’s costing the Dees “nothing” (compared to a Clarke or Lumumba or Rohdan etc) and you’re worrying about closer to the deadline? Not sure any other player we may have looked at for this rookie spot would have the same “upside”/feel good factor even if it doesn’t work out on the field.

9 minutes ago, rjay said:

Brad Hardy is looking pretty silly now...always...

Port are fuming! ?

41 minutes ago, Pates said:

Best of luck to him, could end up being one of the best gets for the club, but if he doesn't end up playing many (or any) games then ultimately what have we lost?

Actually I think we're already in the plus column, there has been an enormous amount of media attention and with it comes sponsor exposure. I think it has been positive for the players as well, whether he plays a game for us or not. If he has set the right examples then even if he doesn't make it back there are lessons for all. I'm a big believer in goodwill and you reap what you sow. The Club ethos is supported and grown by this.

Don't be mistaken, there were plenty of other Clubs who would have liked this opportunity and Bennell chose us. I hope to see both parties rewarded further.

1 minute ago, dworship said:

Don't be mistaken, there were plenty of other Clubs who would have liked this opportunity and Bennell chose us. I hope to see both parties rewarded further.

Absolutely, Geelong in particular were very keen to get him while he also met with Sydney, these are clubs that you would easily have in the category of desireable or destination clubs, but we won out with getting him to the Dees.

It would be a sensational good news story for us if he gets out onto the MCG and I can imagine there would not only be extra media attention but probably an increase in crowd. If he manages to kick his first goal in front of the Demons faithful I reckon there'll be an almighty cheer!

But as you said the good news it has already generated is a positive for the club.

55 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

Doubt he was doing it for free, I'm pretty sure there's an allowance to pay train on players for the time they are training.

I'm hardly upset we've signed him, I just would've waited until closer to the deadline.

If he does 2 calves in 2 months then the odds of him ever playing might drift from slim to very slim! At some stage the (rough guess) 2% chance of finding a good player who just went undrafted has to outweigh the chance Bennell gets it together.

But at least they've taken the time to get a grasp of his attitude and of his body. Hopefully both he and the club get lucky.

Why? Why put him under more pressure, I'm sure he's under enough already. This will ease his mind and allow him to concentrate on his football and not have to worry every day if he'll have a job in a few weeks.

Would you like to live under that pressure?

In my view, whether he plays or not, its good news  fantastic exposure in the media,    Excellent News   Go Dees Go Harley 2020

Welcome Harley!

If he can get his body right, he could be an absolute dynamo for us in the second half of the year.

3 hours ago, Whispering_Jack said:

 

Gee, every player just looks so much better in a MFC guernsey.

Really glad we signed him up.  Great to hear from Josh Mahoney  how positive his attitude has been and how much the players have embraced him.

Will be so stoked if Harley can get back to playing regular football.  Even if he doesn't make it back to his absolute best, he could still be a very valuable player for us on and off the feild.  Although he is a player that looks somewhat like he plays a lot on instinct, I imagine he could give some good tips and hopefully teach a few tricks to some of our small crumbing forwards.  I think just having him around the place will help those guys just feed off each other - if he has the positive attitude reported, then that kind of enthusiasm is contagious.

Go Harley, Go Demons.

3 hours ago, Moonshadow said:

So he has a rookie spot.

What are the rules around rookies? Can they play at any time or do they take the spot of a player on the senior list?

I was trying to find some info. Anyone got a link? TIA

Do a google search by copying and pasting "AFL Rules effective 9 May 2019.pdf" Click on the top result, should download immediately.

Then read section 26.

But to answer the question; A player needs to be placed on the "Long Term Injury List" and then a Rookie can be nominated for the Primary list. A long term injury is 6 weeks or more.

As  far as I'm aware KK and Nietschke are still listed on the Primary list. So there is currently the potential for 2 rookies to be promoted. Strategically that won't be done till a Rookie is needed or one is smashing down the door.

This is great news.  No matter the outcome, the club has finally shown that they are willing to take a risk on some elite talent.  If we're lucky and patient we may have our own Shaun Burgoyne out of this. 

Welcome aboard Harley, continue striving and don't die wondering.

Third chances don't come often

3 hours ago, Cards13 said:

Im not trying to be an ahole here but Im not sure the allowance covers flying the family over from Perth, renting a house/car, supporting his partner and baby. 

As I said just take it in and think about how much joy this little step might have given him, close family and friends. He had it all at his fingertips, he was dropped into an incredibly s h it culture (the AFL created and should take responsibility for), lead astray/didn’t take his career seriously and then has been cursed by injury.

It’s costing the Dees “nothing” (compared to a Clarke or Lumumba or Rohdan etc) and you’re worrying about closer to the deadline? Not sure any other player we may have looked at for this rookie spot would have the same “upside”/feel good factor even if it doesn’t work out on the field.

If he doesn't have some money saved up from 9 years on AFL lists then he's in big trouble. The CBA says it's a minimum $1000 per week for uncontracted players, which should cover expenses.

Richmond found 2 players with the feel good factor in the preseason and midseason periods in Stack and Pickett.

800 players nominate for the draft each year, being conservative maybe only 400 of them are viable in terms of playing in the right leagues/junior system/showing at least some talent.. Only 100 or so get picked up. There's plenty of diamonds in the remaining 300 viable options.

Bennell's played 2 games in 4 years. If he were to do a 2nd calf injury in the next 4 weeks that's surely when you pull the plug. We won't have the option now.

 

I absolutely love this story, but must admit that MFCSS already has me nervous about Harley's first game in red and blue.

This is a great news story. There’s little to no downside risk in this, and it seems he’s positively and actively contributing to team culture and morale, and that he’s been embraced by the entire player group. In short, it’s an absolute no brainer.

Geez I hope he makes it.