WELCOME TO THE MELBOURNE FOOTBALL CLUB - HARLEY BENNELL

[skills32 229]

14 hours ago, TRIGON said:

Some champions executing their skills can can not only look different but sound different, e.g. when Adam Gilchrist used to hit the ball. That's what came to mind watching, and listening, to Bennell's kick in the video clip of that drill.

You are so right. I have probably hit a golf ball 100 000 times and only once did the shot sound like a pro hit; and that shot was a putt.

Edited March 4, 2020 by skills32
missed word

[Mazer Rackham 14,971]

2 hours ago, skills32 said:

You are so right. I have probably hit a golf ball 100 000 times and only once did the shot sound like a pro hit; and that shot was a putt.

How did you go on the back nine?

[hells bells 2,023]

Gary Lyon & Tim Watson on SEN hinted that HB was tracking better than was being reported.  I suspect it was pure speculation on their part but interesting nonetheless. 

[AshleyH30 566]

"It is unclear how long it will take Bennell to progress again but this hurdle is typically the one before players step up to join full training, even in a limited capacity."

This line is what interests me. I'm only speculating, but let's say he's 3 weeks away from completely joining the group in full training. He then trains for 5 full weeks before he's given game time in the VFL. Plays well there, gets through uninjured, and is given 3 full games, hypothetically, he could be playing AFL in round 10 or 11.

[Rodney (Balls) Grinter 10,882]

19 minutes ago, hells bells said:

Gary Lyon & Tim Watson on SEN hinted that HB was tracking better than was being reported.  I suspect it was pure speculation on their part but interesting nonetheless. 

Could well be true.  I get the feeling that the club are intentionally playing down and keeping pretty quite on Harley generally to manage expectations and keep some of the media attention and pressure away from him as far as reasonably possible.

[binman 43,814]

19 minutes ago, AshleyH30 said:

"It is unclear how long it will take Bennell to progress again but this hurdle is typically the one before players step up to join full training, even in a limited capacity."

This line is what interests me. I'm only speculating, but let's say he's 3 weeks away from completely joining the group in full training. He then trains for 5 full weeks before he's given game time in the VFL. Plays well there, gets through uninjured, and is given 3 full games, hypothetically, he could be playing AFL in round 10 or 11.

Which aligns with goody's comments more or less. The ones the hun bizarrely made into a headline saying more bad news for Harley.

[Pates 9,660]

10 minutes ago, binman said:

Which aligns with goody's comments more or less. The ones the hun bizarrely made into a headline saying more bad news for Harley.

Yep I think while Harley may be getting excited (which is fantastic) I suspect they are still going to have him ticking off a set of small goals along the way working to a plan. He may be fit but will he be Burgess fit?

Edited March 4, 2020 by Pates

[Rodney (Balls) Grinter 10,882]

2 hours ago, Pates said:

Yep I think while Harley may be getting excited (which is fantastic) I suspect they are still going to have him ticking off a set of small goals along the way working to a plan. He may be fit but will he be Burgess fit?

Based what has been comuncicated Re the modified training regime of AVB, I get the impression that Burgess and the club have a flexible horses for courses approach.

With their somewhat unique abilities, I don't think either of AVB or Harley necessarily need to be in top 5% league fitness to make an important contribution.  More important to get them out on the park somewhat reliably than push them too hard and have them break down and so long as the majority of the team has good fitness, I think we can carry a few highly talented freaks of below average fitness.

[Docs Demons 1,792]

1 hour ago, Rodney (Balls) Grinter said:

Based what has been comuncicated Re the modified training regime of AVB, I get the impression that Burgess and the club have a flexible horses for courses approach.

With their somewhat unique abilities, I don't think either of AVB or Harley necessarily need to be in top 5% league fitness to make an important contribution.  More important to get them out on the park somewhat reliably than push them too hard and have them break down and so long as the majority of the team has good fitness, I think we can carry a few highly talented freaks of below average fitness.

Couldn't agree more. AVB and HB will be carefully managed and no need to play them in any game unless fully ready. AVB may play more on limited training loads but I'm sure the club has him at the stage where he can perform consistently. I have great admiration for the club's fitness staff now with most players recovering well and HB can take as long as possible because we get him on the park after 2/3 lost years we will have a champion in the making for next to nothing. We all need to hope he continues on this slow, careful road to recovery.

[GCDee 3,199]

Honestly I just can't wait for AVB to run through and flatten a pack of Collingwood filth for HB to pounce on the loose ball and slot one from 50 out on the boundary in front of the members on queen's birthday. 

[Its Time for Another 4,292]

20 minutes ago, GCDee said:

Honestly I just can't wait for AVB to run through and flatten a pack of Collingwood filth for HB to pounce on the loose ball and slot one from 50 out on the boundary in front of the members on queen's birthday. 

Honestly I can't wait to see this scenario but see HB pounce on the loose ball kick it a milli second before the siren goes and see it sail through the goals after the siren for us to beat the filth by 1 point in this year's GF. I could truly die a happy man. Can't think of anything I'd be happier to take to the grave. 

Edited March 5, 2020 by It's Time

[Damo 3,376]

In one of the Insta vids you can see HB lead at a ball and then have to speed up to take it out in front. He seemed to suddenly go so much quicker. Id love to see him up against a decent Half back when he is leading to a long kick. We wont know how he is going until we see Hib or Harmesy speeding up with him to spoil.

[DemonWheels 1,091]

A few words from Harley’s old coach Ross Lyon:

”But Lyon had caught up in Melbourne with another recruit and (now ex) Docker that struggled to get on the field in Harley Bennell, who has been listed by Melbourne. He said Bennell was sprinting in a way that he had never managed as a Docker.

Lyon said Bennell, who had a succession of calf injuries at Fremantle, was "going really well" in Melbourne, having had successful surgery to his calf.

"He's excited. He's sprinting. He's sprinting at levels he never was able to achieve at Fremantle. Up on his toes sprinting," Lyon said.

Source: https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/recruiting-jesse-hogan-a-whole-club-not-just-coach-call-lyon-20200309-p548cl.html

[AshleyH30 566]

43 minutes ago, DemonWheels said:

A few words from Harley’s old coach Ross Lyon:

”But Lyon had caught up in Melbourne with another recruit and (now ex) Docker that struggled to get on the field in Harley Bennell, who has been listed by Melbourne. He said Bennell was sprinting in a way that he had never managed as a Docker.

Lyon said Bennell, who had a succession of calf injuries at Fremantle, was "going really well" in Melbourne, having had successful surgery to his calf.

"He's excited. He's sprinting. He's sprinting at levels he never was able to achieve at Fremantle. Up on his toes sprinting," Lyon said.

Source: https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/recruiting-jesse-hogan-a-whole-club-not-just-coach-call-lyon-20200309-p548cl.html

While this sounds all well and good, let's not discount the possibility that Lyon might try and make a few swings at his former club out of spite.

Edited March 9, 2020 by AshleyH30

[TGR 1,367]

Ross quoted in The Age saying the Bennell is currently reaching a level (sprinting) that he never reached at Freo.

 

Also said something about the whole-of-club approach to recruiting Hogan.

[hardtack 10,627]

4 hours ago, AshleyH30 said:

While this sounds all well and good, let's not discount the possibility that Lyon might try and make a few swings at his former club out of spite.

MFC Supporters: Practicing the art of turning silk purses into sow’s ears, since 1965.

[DeeSpencer 26,083]

‘Up on his toes’ interests me. Did Freo limit him to jogging and landing on his heels to prevent injury and somehow that didn’t help him?

Sprinting on the front of his feet might just be less risky for his body than Freo thought.

We certainly can’t do the same thing Freo did and hope it works. I’m a believer that there has to be some biometric changes 

[AshleyH30 566]

I know it's a long road ahead, but if he broke down after joining the main group for only a little bit, it's a worry.

Probably (Hopefully) similar to last time, so should be back training within a week.

Edit: We now have all the flogs coming out on social media to bag him and the club. It truly disgusts me how little empathy some people have, but they'll be the first one's crying "woe is me" if anything happens to them.

Edited March 10, 2020 by AshleyH30

[brendan 3,437]

If he plays a game for us I will be surprised 

[Rednblueriseing 825]

Set backs look likely to continue but I still stand by our clubs decision to give him a go even if he never makes it back

Edited March 10, 2020 by Rednblueriseing

[waynewussell 6,242]

The whole club getting around Harley has positive outcomes that already make his selection a success!

[Cards13 9,117]

Every time I see this thread bumped I fear the worst. Last week was awesome to see... today less so but not the end of the world (hopefully).

[Demon3 2,541]

It was always a risk and nothing short of a risk, but a risk worth taking. Setbacks expected, I am less confident in him getting on the park every time i hear of a setback, but it should be something no one really gets to angry or upset about, it seems he is in a good space as a person and dad, i think the club and the players have been fantastic with him and the empathy displayed really made me feel proud of our club.

 

Slow, steady, and see what happens.

[Deemania since 56 6,718]

On 3/5/2020 at 7:22 AM, hells bells said:

Gary Lyon & Tim Watson on SEN hinted that HB was tracking better than was being reported.  I suspect it was pure speculation on their part but interesting nonetheless. 

Big risk to speculate freely on their behalves ... and more than interesting!

[Deemania since 56 6,718]

On 3/10/2020 at 7:18 AM, AshleyH30 said:

While this sounds all well and good, let's not discount the possibility that Lyon might try and make a few swings at his former club out of spite.

Lyon deserves more credit than some of us are providing...I'd take his word on this one.