What is going with Harley Bennell?

Can't get a game / injured again?     

Gone very quiet

Played in the 2nds practice match last week so isn’t injured

I’d be surprised if we saw him again this season. To me he has just the lacked physicality needed.

Onto season 2021 with a solid preseason under his belt and hopefully we see the Harley of old. 

Being managed throughout the season according to Burgess' plan for him. Good chance to be picked for the Freo game.

 

I have heard a rumour that he has been asked to play at 100% i.e. run at full speed or he will remain in reserve. He is reluctant which is understandable but needs to stretch out or sit out. 

When he was drafted there were lots of posters with the "if we can get him right for 2021 it'll be fantastic" viewpoint.

A Delayed season due to COVID-19 altered this a bit for some.

Happy with the way he's being managed. It's also hard to get into this team at times - ask Hunt/Bedford etc.

 

To me this has been a good outcome already. He is a super talent and I expect that he will play regularly next year once his calves are right. Probably another couple of games this year would be good for him and hopefully help the team. 2021 is where we will likely see some return on investment.

7 minutes ago, old dee said:

I have heard a rumour that he has been asked to play at 100% i.e. run at full speed or he will remain in reserve. He is reluctant which is understandable but needs to stretch out or sit out. 

Moonshadow made a similar post last night.

Concerning if true to say the least.

 

Edited September 3, 20204 yr by Diamond_Jim

1 minute ago, FlashInThePan said:

2021 is where we will likely see some return on investment.

This means another contract not knowing if he is fit. IMO he has to show us he can match it this year.

2 minutes ago, Diamond_Jim said:

Moonshadow made a similar post last night.

Concerning if true to say the least.

What thread DJ?

It was clear in the Crows game he was battling with the intensity and physicality of AFL football.

Both club and player would view the next 3 years more important than the next 3 weeks.

2 minutes ago, Diamond_Jim said:

This means another contract not knowing if he is fit. IMO he has to show us he can match it this year.

We’ll know a lot more than we did when we gave him the current one.

i really think the reluctance to really stretch out is natural. For all sorts of serious injuries it takes longer to get over the mental effects than the physical ones. I am confident that if he remains uninjured he will overcome it. If he overcomes it we will hopefully see a return to the Harley of old. You can see the skills are still there.

11 minutes ago, old dee said:

What thread DJ?

Post 360

He looked really promising in those two games in Sydney but in the Lions game the week after he just didn't have the intensity for AFL and missed a sitter he'd normally kick in his sleep.

Are we confident he'll be on the list next year? He has a 1 year contract right?

22 minutes ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

He looked really promising in those two games in Sydney but in the Lions game the week after he just didn't have the intensity for AFL and missed a sitter he'd normally kick in his sleep.

Are we confident he'll be on the list next year? He has a 1 year contract right?

Yes at low money.

Just needs another preseason .

 

23 minutes ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

in the Lions game the week after he just didn't have the intensity for AFL and missed a sitter he'd normally kick in his sleep.

Then there was that hand off around the corner goal that Freitch gifted him where he made it look like shelling peas - that quality makes perseverance with Harley worth it.

Given a lot of people didn't think he'd make it this far, I think it's been a good investment both footy wise and spiritually for the club and I'd certainly entertain keeping him on the list next year if Burgess thinks it's a reasonable chance his body can go to the next level with a proper preseason.

35 minutes ago, DeePressed said:

It was clear in the Crows game he was battling with the intensity and physicality of AFL football.

Both club and player would view the next 3 years more important than the next 3 weeks.

Agree. Bennell might get the game v Freo depending on how players pull up in the humidity and physical game.  
Otherwise he’s journey back is not just this year.  He needs to be managed and the fact that he had played is a bonus. 
I trust in Burgess to manage his load and physical well-being. 

Not playing with enough intensity at this stage. 
He has to go to that next level. 
He would know that

Just hope he's given a contract to prove his worth with a full pre season.

I'd not play him again this year.

Needs to build his confidence in body as others have said.

He also needs to build trust and his brand around his contested and defensive intensity/commitment.

Club need to play those players who may contribute to high intensity finals footy, and Harley appears well off that level.

Edited September 3, 20204 yr by PaulRB

All about 2021 for Harley, always was.

2 minutes ago, Pickett2Jackson said:

All about 2021 for Harley, always was.

so what contract do you offer him remembering list sizes are being cut and his manager will be shopping him around

32 minutes ago, Diamond_Jim said:

so what contract do you offer him remembering list sizes are being cut and his manager will be shopping him around

Base level with plenty of incentives for # games in the 1s.  He's 28 next month, so I'm not sure how many other clubs would be in the market...?

2 hours ago, gregdemon said:

What is going with Harley Bennell?

Can't get a game / injured again?     

Gone very quiet

He needs to have the confidence to put his body on the line before he gets back into the senior team.

I think we've handled him just about right. If he starts throwing himself into contests in the scratch matches, I'd imagine he'll get a call up.

49 minutes ago, Diamond_Jim said:

so what contract do you offer him remembering list sizes are being cut and his manager will be shopping him around

This hasn't been confirmed.

In fact Liam Pickering on SEN yesterday thinks there will be no list size cuts as its being left late in the season for that decision. 

 

Edited September 3, 20204 yr by dazzledavey36