Welcome Harley Bennell (To make long awaited Dockers Debut!)

[Outshined]

Maybe keep it quiet on the chip eating, Barls...that's the kind of scoop Haggers has (very) wet dreams about.

 

[salim malik]

Fair dinkum you lot... For all of you arm chair critics who are 100% certain he was "out of it" let me give you some perspective.

I have dreadlocks. Constantly, whether it be at uni, airports, shopping centres, parks etc, I have people assume that I'm stoned based on nothing more than appearance. I've even had friends at uni tell me "man you were off your head the other day". Nah man, I was just tired and hadn't had a coffee... I've been kicked out of pubs stone cold sober with bouncers saying I'm tanked. Dreadlocks have that affect on people. Harley unfortunately has that aura about him now in the public eye too because of past events. Google what confirmation bias means, a lot of people (me included) use it to feel vindicated. Sports Journalists, especially hack ones such as crumpet face and sheehan use it all the time.

Unless you were there and witnessed the whole day of Harley you don't know. One poster mentioned they sat behind him and he was fine, that report seems to be glossed over in the media and even this thread. Everything "seems like" and "appears like" etc. This is targeted journalism at it's finest.

Harley Bennel is a young, indigenous bloke who has had injury and personal setbacks with the footy journalists all wanting him to fail so they can smugly say "I told you so". The only way he will ever break that is playing good footy which we all know he can. We need to get behind him, trust in Ross and the club and get ready to cheer what he's overcome. Even if the media won't.

The poster who sat behind him was me. Harley being fine wasn't mentioned by me but not drinking beer was. I don't know what Harley was up to before and after the game but he wasn't drinking during the game.

 

[Barls_7]

Sorry mistaken you with another person, please accept my apologies. Sometime is hard to accept negative opinion especially if that player got exceptional talent.

Apology accepted. As for my post I'm only going off what I saw. Not trying to wind anyone up or make fake news, and definitely no asking for him to be delisted. He's had terrible luck. I'd just love to see him use all this criticism as motivation, and to be more professional in the process

 

[Barls_7]

Maybe keep it quiet on the chip eating, Barls...that's the kind of scoop Haggers has (very) wet dreams about.

Sorry. I've assumed he doesn't have the mental capabilities to access this forum

 

[Barls_7]

The poster who sat behind him was me. Harley being fine wasn't mentioned by me but not drinking beer was. I don't know what Harley was up to before and after the game but he wasn't drinking during the game.

Correct. He may have had a few sips of the birds drink but that's the only drink I saw him have 'at the game'

 

[salim malik]

Apology accepted. As for my post I'm only going off what I saw. Not trying to wind anyone up or make fake news, and definitely no asking for him to be delisted. He's had terrible luck. I'd just love to see him use all this criticism as motivation, and to be more professional in the process

I chose to keep some of what I saw to myself but you have every right to post facts in a constructive way. Some of the bullshit from a Carlton poster got up my nose though.

 

[Barls_7]

bullshit from a Carlton

Nailed it

 

[Carnthedockers]

Fair dinkum you lot... For all of you arm chair critics who are 100% certain he was "out of it" let me give you some perspective.

I have dreadlocks. Constantly, whether it be at uni, airports, shopping centres, parks etc, I have people assume that I'm stoned based on nothing more than appearance. I've even had friends at uni tell me "man you were off your head the other day". Nah man, I was just tired and hadn't had a coffee... I've been kicked out of pubs stone cold sober with bouncers saying I'm tanked. Dreadlocks have that affect on people. Harley unfortunately has that aura about him now in the public eye too because of past events. Google what confirmation bias means, a lot of people (me included) use it to feel vindicated. Sports Journalists, especially hack ones such as crumpet face and sheehan use it all the time.

Unless you were there and witnessed the whole day of Harley you don't know. One poster mentioned they sat behind him and he was fine, that report seems to be glossed over in the media and even this thread. Everything "seems like" and "appears like" etc. This is targeted journalism at it's finest.

Harley Bennel is a young, indigenous bloke who has had injury and personal setbacks with the footy journalists all wanting him to fail so they can smugly say "I told you so". The only way he will ever break that is playing good footy which we all know he can. We need to get behind him, trust in Ross and the club and get ready to cheer what he's overcome. Even if the media won't.

I agree with you, but by the same token, lets not be naive like eagles supporters, who swore black and blue, that their players were clean. Im all for loyalty, but not blind loyalty.

 

[scon]

We can only hope that the bonds between the players and Harley as well as Ross and whoever else he's close to can be part of a new supported charge back into training and onto the bloody park.
God knows what needs to be done differently to get him past the final hurdle he fell at the last time but we can be sure the club won't be giving up and from the application everyone says he has to his training he'll give himself every chance.
Reading between the lines last night with Ross on the couch I'm picking there's no real secrets about Harley's recent behaviour and Ross sees the discipline of returning to focused training as part of the answer.
Dunno what Ross was up to with the 5 weeks yarn because he's consistently said we can't put a time on it,probably just wanted to point out that Sheahan was talking out of his arse again.

 

[salim malik]

We can only hope that the bonds between the players and Harley as well as Ross and whoever else he's close to can be part of a new supported charge back into training and onto the bloody park.
God knows what needs to be done differently to get him past the final hurdle he fell at the last time but we can be sure the club won't be giving up and from the application everyone says he has to his training he'll give himself every chance.
Reading between the lines last night with Ross on the couch I'm picking there's no real secrets about Harley's recent behaviour and Ross sees the discipline of returning to focused training as part of the answer.
Dunno what Ross was up to with the 5 weeks yarn because he's consistently said we can't put a time on it,probably just wanted to point out that Sheahan was talking out of his arse again.

Yep, there were enough Freo trainers at the game to relay Harley's condition back to the hierarchy. Maybe the 5 weeks is a play or bust scenario . Maybe the club doesn't want it dragging into next season. Maybe its better for Harley to find out one way or the other.

 

[Fat Nyfe]

Bennell talks to kid at WAFL game, caught on camera. Career over.

Footy journalism these days, I don't even.

You could have sworn he was snorting cocaine off a hookers backside whilst gambling illegally and drink driving. At least that's what it sounds like when it's been brought up here in Melbourne the last few days

 

[Bonfire]

if anything comes from Sheehan's remarks its to spur HB on and get back into a promising team, looking forward to seeing him out there

 

[wayToGo_]

It's pretty frustrating when these situations get blown out of proportion. Does he deserve some scrutiny as a professional football player? Sure. Has he done anything bad enough to warrant the end of his career? No, he hasn't hurt/impacted anyone else but himself. I think media commentators and those getting on their high horse about his behaviour in recent weeks are almost certainly hypocrites. I doubt many, if any, can claim they've never done anything unprofessional during their early to mid 20s that would be far worse if they were under similar scrutiny as Harley. I look at what Hogan is going through atm and I certainly wouldn't judge him if he decided he needed to escape from reality for a while. And similarly for other players that have constantly had injury setbacks like Apeness. Just to make an AFL list you have to meet certain fitness targets and those aren't achieved by not working hard. It must be incredibly frustrating to have made an AFL list only to not be able to do what you are paid to for over a year. I don't think it gives you a pass to do whatever you like but I think any reasonable person can understand it must be pretty hard to stay focussed on your rehab for that long a period of time.

I think Ross and the club are on the money. Support the person and challenge the behaviour. If the media were smart they'd be hoping Harley can get back on the field because he is one of the most entertaining players in history.

 

[Nightrain]

Bennell talks to kid at WAFL game, caught on camera. Career over.
Footy journalism these days, I don't even.
You could have sworn he was snorting cocaine off a hookers backside whilst gambling illegally and drink driving. At least that's what it sounds like when it's been brought up here in Melbourne the last few days

The media have been very careful and purposely not stated what they believe was the issue with Harley on the w/e as accusation without evidence would have been destined for the courts.

They were smart in that all they did was show some 'suspicious' footage, imply that he was acting strangely and let you, the viewer, make up your own conclusion. I have no doubt, that if not for legal advice, the headline regarding HB would have been the bold in your post.

 

[G Mus]

The media have been very careful and purposely not stated what they believe was the issue with Harley on the w/e as accusation without evidence would have been destined for the courts.

They were smart in that all they did was show some 'suspicious' footage, imply that he was acting strangely and let you, the viewer, make up your own conclusion. I have no doubt, that if not for legal advice, the headline regarding HB would have been the bold in your post.

Even to flirt with that line that they just lie and say they were fed false information and change the headline after the damage has been done

 

[Lach72]

Yep, there were enough Freo trainers at the game to relay Harley's condition back to the hierarchy. Maybe the 5 weeks is a play or bust scenario . Maybe the club doesn't want it dragging into next season. Maybe its better for Harley to find out one way or the other.

Roger Hayden had his arm around Harley and his face right next to him.

He'd know in one second if he'd been heavily on the squirt

 

[stax on the mull]

Percy Johnson on Sport FM yesterday reckons Harley must have raped the Queen's corgis to be getting so much media attention.

 

[salim malik]

It's pretty frustrating when these situations get blown out of proportion. Does he deserve some scrutiny as a professional football player? Sure. Has he done anything bad enough to warrant the end of his career? No, he hasn't hurt/impacted anyone else but himself. I think media commentators and those getting on their high horse about his behaviour in recent weeks are almost certainly hypocrites. I doubt many, if any, can claim they've never done anything unprofessional during their early to mid 20s that would be far worse if they were under similar scrutiny as Harley. I look at what Hogan is going through atm and I certainly wouldn't judge him if he decided he needed to escape from reality for a while. And similarly for other players that have constantly had injury setbacks like Apeness. Just to make an AFL list you have to meet certain fitness targets and those aren't achieved by not working hard. It must be incredibly frustrating to have made an AFL list only to not be able to do what you are paid to for over a year. I don't think it gives you a pass to do whatever you like but I think any reasonable person can understand it must be pretty hard to stay focussed on your rehab for that long a period of time.

I think Ross and the club are on the money. Support the person and challenge the behaviour. If the media were smart they'd be hoping Harley can get back on the field because he is one of the most entertaining players in history.

Amen to that, great post.

 

[Mudd]

He is a high profile signing who hasn't played an AFL game in almost 2 years and also due to his previous indiscretions he is a gold mine for the media.

He needs to be smarter and just accept that if he is out in public and there are cameras (especially if they have a 7 logo on them) then he will be filmed and so will his company.

I'm sure the club would have explained this today when they met with him.

 

[Superkoops]

Well if he's eating chips, that's it he's gone too far and its definitely career over

I'm guilty of this and it annoys the heck out of my wife. I'll say no to ordering chips and then nick a few of hers making myself feel good that I didn't order and eat a full pack, but end up leaving her with only half a pack.

His stds have dropped... has gone from showing off his abs to now eating hot chips. Mike Sheahan is on the money (insert sarcastic face).

 

[Arcassius]

I'm guilty of this and it annoys the heck out of my wife. I'll say no to ordering chips and then nick a few of hers making myself feel good that I didn't order and eat a full pack, but end up leaving her with only half a pack.

His stds have dropped... has gone from showing off his abs to now eating hot chips. Mike Sheahan is on the money (insert sarcastic face).

Oh god he had those too? I'm guessing they're from the dirty hookers

 

[wayToGo_]

Playing group is backing him...

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-05-16/bennell-is-one-of-our-brothers-kersten

Kersten said the Dockers' alcohol policy for injured players varied from case-to-case and threw his support behind his injury-plagued teammate.

"There's a lot of things that have happened in the past and I couldn't imagine how tough it would be for him," Kersten said.

"We as a playing group are sticking by him, and he's one of our brothers, so that's all we can do.

"He's been in good spirits around the club in the last few days, so we'll look to back him.

"We're a not a club to go and hang our brothers out and leave him to dry."

 

[Nickos66]

Oh god he had those too? I'm guessing they're from the dirty hookers

Canteen chips ARE pretty nasty. How the mighty fall.

 

[Arcassius]

Playing group is backing him...

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-05-16/bennell-is-one-of-our-brothers-kersten

Kersten said the Dockers' alcohol policy for injured players varied from case-to-case and threw his support behind his injury-plagued teammate.

"There's a lot of things that have happened in the past and I couldn't imagine how tough it would be for him," Kersten said.

"We as a playing group are sticking by him, and he's one of our brothers, so that's all we can do.

"He's been in good spirits around the club in the last few days, so we'll look to back him.

"We're a not a club to go and hang our brothers out and leave him to dry."

I read that, and noted the increased use of 'brother' among the playing group. I wonder how the brotherhood culture is developing with the new breed of Freo players as the elder leaders slowly move on.

 

[DaveLister]

http://www.fremantlefc.com.au/news/2017-05-16/harley-bennell-club-statement
Club statement