Harley Bennell pictured cutting lines of speed - Courier Mail

[Jobe Watson]

Richmond took Cousins at 31, after a year out of the game and stint in rehab.

17 clubs will be looking at Bennell pretty closely.

17 clubs also passed on Dayle Garlett.

Now Bennell might not be as bad as Dayle was (we hope), but there's no way any club will give up a first rounder this year for him now. We've all known for a while now that Bennell was a loose unit, but having pictorial confirmation splashed all over the papers will follow him for the rest of his career. Big risk for any club to take.

GC will probably accept unders just to get this guy out of there. Toxic at a weak/inexperienced club, but a good strong club could turn him around.

 

[Off The Couch]

I don't understand why people think he is gone - sure it's not a good look and obviously the media "don't think of the children" in publishing this photo but
It was 2013
Unless k.hunt or anyone else has current pictures you would suggest that the onus of proof will be on the afl and GC.
I imagine that the testers have been very busy up at the Gold Coast this week

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

Cousins was a brownlow medalist and superstar as well

I think Bennell could end up falling into Garlett territory more than Cousins..

Liberatore was found unconscious on the King Street footpath, with 'an illicit substance' in his pocket a few months before this photo of Bennell was taken. Libba's indiscretion was in August too, not the summer. And Libba was picked up by the police.

Let's just hold off on the Bennell eulogies, eh...?

 

[Herne Hill Hammer]

I'm pretty sure this would never see the light of day if he played for a Victorian club.

I agree, the media wouldn't bite the hand that feeds them.

 

[Scotland]

Cousins was a brownlow medalist and superstar as well

I think Bennell could end up falling into Garlett territory more than Cousins..

Bennell is 23 this year and has played 75 games. He was the #2 pick in his draft. He's a fair way ahead of Dayle Garlett.

 

[ep2018]

So you are admitting 2005 - 2007 your performance was drug assisted?

No I think we were under that much scrutiny by the AFL that it affected our performance (understandably, losing Judd and Cousins also compounded that). I think a really good example of this was when Hall hit Staker; no one remonstrated, out of possible fear of repercussion. We deserved the scrutiny though, and I believe in the long run we've evolved to be a very clean club, as I said before, one of the cleanest in the AFL.

 

[Defacto]

17 clubs also passed on Dayle Garlett.

Now Bennell might not be as bad as Dayle was (we hope), but there's no way any club will give up a first rounder this year for him now. We've all known for a while now that Bennell was a loose unit, but having pictorial confirmation splashed all over the papers will follow him for the rest of his career. Big risk for any club to take.

GC will probably accept unders just to get this guy out of there. Toxic at a weak/inexperienced club, but a good strong club could turn him around.

you are assuming bennell was on the gear prior to being drafted

 

[Jobe Watson]

you are assuming bennell was on the gear prior to being drafted

No, he's just had numerous off-field indiscretions while at the Gold Coast and rumours have been going around about him for ages... also doesn't help he was shacked up with the now-confirmed druggie Karmichael Hunt (nice one GC!). He was also seen as a risk prior to the draft though that probably had more to do with the "go home" factor than anything.

I believe GC will have a big turnover of players this year. Bennell, Dixon, Day, Matera, McKenzie and Boston will all probably be at different clubs next year.

 

[mick06]

Bet the suns are so glad hunt took bennell under his wing and cured his homesickness.

 

[Cochblocked]

It just doesn't end for our club. Bennell lived with Hunt and Bennell has said a number of times that K.Hunt has turned his life around and helped him become a professional..

 

[Defacto]

No, he's just had numerous off-field indiscretions while at the Gold Coast and rumours have been going around about him for ages. He was also seen as a risk prior to the draft though that probably had more to do with the "go home" factor than anything.

I believe GC will have a big turnover of players this year. Bennell, Dixon, Day, Matera, McKenzie and Boston will all probably be at different clubs next year.

he was a flight risk. nothing more nothing less

he has only run into law problems once he was up at GC. couple of drinking issues and then sometime after the party boy image grew. i'd suspect his bad habits were developed on the gold coast, not in perth as an 18 year old

in other words the complete opposite of dayle garlett

 

[slimdusty4]

bennel is not dayle garlett. lets get that clear.
he's just the only one who has been caught.
one of well over 100 that misbehave.
id say hell get a break, and hell be back round 1 next year at the latest.

 

[slimdusty4]

No, he's just had numerous off-field indiscretions while at the Gold Coast and rumours have been going around about him for ages... also doesn't help he was shacked up with the now-confirmed druggie Karmichael Hunt (nice one GC!). He was also seen as a risk prior to the draft though that probably had more to do with the "go home" factor than anything.

I believe GC will have a big turnover of players this year - they need to clean up the joint. Bennell, Dixon, Day, Matera, McKenzie and Boston will all probably be at different clubs next year.

boston? hes a ripper, and well behaved at that.

 

[fishardansin]

Look at the posts that are hopeful he'll be leaving the Suns. Watch the other clubs circle like sharks all claiming they want to give him a fresh start.

I'd love him at the dons.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

[manboob]

Sounds like he was living with Rick James too

 

[Cochblocked]

I hope we keep him. This is from 2013 when he was much younger and immature.

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

bennel is not dayle garlett. lets get that clear.
he's just the only one who has been caught.
one of well over 100 that misbehave.
id say hell get a break, and hell be back round 1 next year at the latest.

For something that happened 30 months ago?

He shouldn't receive any suspension and if he gets more than a couple of weeks the Suns or the AFL (whoever is responsible) are ****ing idiots. Though I'm not sure how the AFL could do anything with a straight face and still act committed to the three strikes system. Why should it receive a harsher punishment from the AFL than it would otherwise, simply because it's been plastered all over newspapers around the country? Obviously his anonymity is gone; I think that's more than sufficient punishment for something that is ancient history.

 

[fishardansin]

Yeah, real men freebase that s**t!

I want a photo of him shelving it in the front page.

 

[Schulzenfest]

Look at the posts that are hopeful he'll be leaving the Suns. Watch the other clubs circle like sharks all claiming they want to give him a fresh start.

I'd love him at the dons.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Ah yes, the excellent drug-free culture at Essendon should turn him around quick-smart

 

[Parasite]

It's all just propaganda.

 

[slimdusty4]

For something that happened 30 months ago?

He shouldn't receive any suspension and if he gets more than a couple of weeks the Suns or the AFL (whoever is responsible) are ****ing idiots. Though I'm not sure how the AFL could do anything with a straight face and still act committed to the three strikes system. Why should it receive a harsher punishment from the AFL than it would otherwise, simply because it's been plastered all over newspapers around the country? Obviously his anonymity is gone; I think that's more than sufficient punishment for something that is ancient history.

its a bad look for the game, maybe he gets suspended for bringing the game into disrepute, maybe the suns look after his livelihood and say, go home, spend some time with your family, away from the club, and the limelight, get your confidence back, get back on track, and well see you soon, that would be the responsible thing to do. look after HIS well being, instead of worrying about the game, or the club...

i don't think people realise how big of a job this "gc17" was, they've relocated 20+ 18 year olds, to a party town, all at once, with "leaders" like brown and hunt, and non influences like gaz and harbs. they had a responsibility to nurture these kids, and they haven't, the afl and GCFC are to blame for this.

i hope it doesn't ruin the kids lives, fcuk the football club and the game, what about these kids, they've been lead down the garden path...

 

[Jobe Watson]

he was a flight risk. nothing more nothing less

he has only run into law problems once he was up at GC. couple of drinking issues and then sometime after the party boy image grew. i'd suspect his bad habits were developed on the gold coast, not in perth as an 18 year old

in other words the complete opposite of dayle garlett

I said that Bennell wasn't as bad as Garlett and certainly didn't have as many question marks pre-draft, but this just one of numerous "scandals" that Bennell has now been involved in: suspended by the club for breaking the drinking code, pictured with hardcore drugs, threatening to fight an AFL journo at a public event, receiving a $3000 fine for being involved in a melee, having a "rockstar" persona which drew the ire of his coaches (to the point where they were contemplating putting him on the table), plus living with a now confirmed drug dealer. And this is just what's been made public.

His value has been severely diminished and when he leaves at the end of the year, I think GC will be happy to accept unders.

 

[Peter Bosustow]

Why didn't Harley, GC or the AFL apply for an injunction last night/right now? The publication is clearly a breach of confidence.

 

[fishardansin]

Ah yes, the excellent drug-free culture at Essendon should turn him around quick-smart

I haven't heard much about a drug problem at Essendon. No doubt a few get on the gear in the off season though.

 

[yaco55]

Whats the fuss - It's a problem for the GC to resolve.