Hey, here’s some news just in, Harley Bennell was going to be named for Fremantle in the Western Derby against West Coast this week but apparently will miss due to aggravating his calf injury on the weekend.
Bennell played for Peel Thunder, in fact it was his sixth straight game in the WAFL, and he was reportedly very good.
Again.
And so he was definitely going to be named for the Dockers this week.
Again.
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But the injury’s flared up and it looks like he’ll miss.
Again.
And with only four weeks of the AFL season to go, Freo will most likely shelve him for the rest of the year so he can get ‘tip-top’.
Again.
But they’re going to re-sign the exciting talent, giving him every chance to show his amazing gifts to the fans and be a big part of Fremantle’s future going forward.
Not again.
Come on, this is getting ridiculous.
Ross Lyon said @freodockers Harley Bennell was knocking on the door for a return to @AFL. I think he’s run straight through it after today’s 27 touches, 8 marks and 2 goals for @PeelThunderFC. What better time to come back than next weeks Western Derby. pic.twitter.com/lo7yvinQWk
— Paddy Sweeney (@SweeneyPaddy9) July 28, 2018
It sounds like 2018 is a write-off, as was 2016 and effectively 2017. Two games in three years due to the world’s most frustrating calf injury and a series of off-field misdemeanours.
When Freo traded for Bennell in 2015 he was a highly talented 22-year-old discarded by Gold Coast after 31 games, but sure to learn his lesson and bring exciting football to the Dockers.
Every other club considered taking Harley on – there’s no questioning his talent – but Richmond was the only one that bothered getting to the interview stage.
Bennell turned up for that interview but disappeared overnight and missed his medical, reminding the Tigers of what they were dealing with and convincing them he wasn’t what they wanted at Punt Road.
So Fremantle got him for a song and would have been thinking ‘what have we got to lose?’
Whatever their answer was, they lost it.
The purple army get right around him! Harley Bennell slots a goal in his return game. #AFLFreoTigers pic.twitter.com/07796zMg8R
— AFL (@AFL) August 20, 2017
Come round one next year Bennell will be a 26-year-old with 33 games under his belt after eight years in the system - that’s four games of AFL football each year of his career.
Ross Lyon and his recruiting staff must be sitting around having a conversation that goes something like this:
“Harley’s out of contract, do we want to keep him?”
“Well he’s one of the best players in the competition when he’s up and about.”
“But he’s never up and about.”
“So we can sign him super-cheap.”
“Minimum wage?”
“Maybe even rookie listed.”
“Hmmm.”
“Hmmm.”
“Hmmm.”
“Well, what have we got to lose?”
Culture. Respect. Perspective.
And a place on the list that could go to a kid that’s been busting his guts through junior footy, hoping to get a chance at the big time and ready to do whatever needs to be done to get on the field.
Bennell is like that sleek, powerful motorbike you bought in your mid-life crisis. You rode it a few times and it was magnificent, but then you fell off and broke an ankle.
Then it blew a piston.
You got it fixed but came off again and cracked your collarbone.
When you were healthy the clutch went.
Eventually it all got too much and the bike’s been sitting in the garage for five years while you grow older and wiser and realise it just wasn’t a good idea in the first place.
It’s time to get on Gumtree: Going cheap – one Harley, looks great, hardly ever used. Will swap for a foot spa.
