News Harley Bennell - Ends at Freo in 2019

Mr Peabody

Club Legend
Sep 3, 2014
1,593
3,691
Perth
AFL Club
Fremantle
yup seems like he is the kind of bloke who has do everything 100%. If he trains he pushes himself to the limit. When he drinks he gets shitfaced.

i wouldn't be surprised if he does really well at peel.
Except he did not push himself to prepare as required in the lead up to preseason.

I think he was already copping heat prior to the Nighclub episode and that pressure may well have contributed to him lashing out (speculation). The Footy Club’s media release refers to not meeting standards and Harley having to complete a separate program set by the strength and conditioning staff. I think the current disciplinary stuff is more about his neglect to prepare himself and that he does not give 100% (speculation). Some elements of this feel very akin to how the Club handled Colin Sylvia when he rocked up to preseason in poor shape.
 
Jan 14, 2008
14,827
31,828
AFL Club
Fremantle
Except he did not push himself to prepare as required in the lead up to preseason.

I think he was already copping heat prior to the Nighclub episode and that pressure may well have contributed to him lashing out (speculation). The Footy Club’s media release refers to not meeting standards and Harley having to complete a separate program set by the strength and conditioning staff. I think the current disciplinary stuff is more about his neglect to prepare himself and that he does not give 100% (speculation). Some elements of this feel very akin to how the Club handled Colin Sylvia when he rocked up to preseason in poor shape.

Nah the club has always said he is a hard trainer, his GC coach said the same thing. The guys who watch training also note that he works hard. I think that the not meeting standards is related to alcohol .
 

poshman

Norm Smith Medallist
Oct 13, 2006
6,412
7,802
Perth
AFL Club
Fremantle
Fair enough. I still think paying some bloke the equivalent as 5 and a half full time nurses to piss around, have a laugh and not turn up to training is a frekin' train wreck. We all look bad because of him, and I'm a bit sick of being the office joke because I support Freo.

I wouldn't have thought there was much to be ashamed of as a freo supporter since 08 tbh. Only jerks fail to realise we have been one of the more successful clubs on and off the field since. We don't look bad because of him at all, it is harley who looks foolish. Regarding the market and what it deems a worker is worth if Harley gets back on the field, then he is worth far more than what he is on now. Financially and from a trade perspective, we haven't lost much for the chance to add a genuine A+ level player who still could have 5 - 6 years of prime left.

Having said that I am pissed that he has done this and I think it speaks to a deeper problem that he consumed an excessive amount of alcohol the night prior to preseason returning. I am not pissed because people in my office or social circles who are wanky wce supporters are having a go.
 

Scham

Brownlow Medallist
Sep 19, 2004
22,432
20,451
AFL Club
Fremantle
I wouldn't have thought there was much to be ashamed of as a freo supporter since 08 tbh. Only jerks fail to realise we have been one of the more successful clubs on and off the field since. We don't look bad because of him at all, it is harley who looks foolish. Regarding the market and what it deems a worker is worth if Harley gets back on the field, then he is worth far more than what he is on now. Financially and from a trade perspective, we haven't lost much for the chance to add a genuine A+ level player who still could have 5 - 6 years of prime left.

Having said that I am pissed that he has done this and I think it speaks to a deeper problem that he consumed an excessive amount of alcohol the night prior to preseason returning. I am not pissed because people in my office or social circles who are wanky wce supporters are having a go.

Don't agree. Harley's behaviour reflects poorly on the club and the supporters of that club. The brand has certainly been damaged by him, his poor behaviour and his and the clubs inability to get him on the ground. In terms of investments, it's been an absolute train wreck.
 

DeanS

Club Legend
May 16, 2007
2,271
4,429
Tuart Hill
AFL Club
Fremantle
Other Teams
East Perth
Don't agree. Harley's behaviour reflects poorly on the club and the supporters of that club. The brand has certainly been damaged by him, his poor behaviour and his and the clubs inability to get him on the ground. In terms of investments, it's been an absolute train wreck.
Disagree. You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink. HB has been given every opportunity and support from the club but he has chosen to spit in their eye. That’s not the club’s fault.
 

Scham

Brownlow Medallist
Sep 19, 2004
22,432
20,451
AFL Club
Fremantle
Disagree. You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink. HB has been given every opportunity and support from the club but he has chosen to spit in their eye. That’s not the club’s fault.

I agree with all that but the club continues to support him and he's still a Fremantle FC player therefore they're tainted by association. So are any supporters that feel a connection to the club they support. You support the club that traded for Harley Bennell knowing full well his history of poor behaviour and calf issues and has paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to him and on him to get 2 ordinary games out of him in 2 years plus a number of brand damaging incidents. How does that make you feel?
 

theGav56

Brownlow Medallist
Oct 11, 2004
29,350
29,320
Bali
AFL Club
Fremantle
Other Teams
Fremantle
His mates and girlfriend can piss right off.
He needs a different circle of associates.
I was hopeful Nathan Wilson would have a positive impact on Harley and I still do.
Yeah I hope the same from Wilson, but to be honest it makes me nervous too. We have lost Balic and he had a close association to Bennell, and appears to have had some issues. We have scored Matera who had a close association with him at GCS, and who had known problems as well, and indeed the club had/has cultural issues. I am nervous about who may be influencing who. If there is any inkling that Bennell is having a negative impact on the playing group that would need to be acted on.
 

SHill Shall

Club Legend
Aug 22, 2009
2,842
4,590
Melbourne
AFL Club
Fremantle
Can someone please just remind me why Matera is under some sort of disciplinary cloud from his time at GC? Have forgotten the detail.
 

Geoff

Premium Platinum
May 13, 2004
4,095
2,425
W.A.
AFL Club
Fremantle
Other Teams
East Fremantle
Disagree. You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink. HB has been given every opportunity and support from the club but he has chosen to spit in their eye. That’s not the club’s fault.

The club is bound by policy and agreements with AFL and the AFLPA. No different to the protections we all get under work place laws. Bennell will be around in some form (at Peel probably) until his contract is up.


On iPad using BigFooty.com mobile app
 

poshman

Norm Smith Medallist
Oct 13, 2006
6,412
7,802
Perth
AFL Club
Fremantle
I agree with all that but the club continues to support him and he's still a Fremantle FC player therefore they're tainted by association. So are any supporters that feel a connection to the club they support. You support the club that traded for Harley Bennell knowing full well his history of poor behaviour and calf issues and has paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to him and on him to get 2 ordinary games out of him in 2 years plus a number of brand damaging incidents. How does that make you feel?

To say a supporter is 'tainted' by this is if not outright rubbish a very large stretch. Do you then think that the girls working the front desk at Freo HQ are tainted by this? They have a closer link as employees of the club than we do. What about the entire leisure centre as they house FFC and have a formal relationship with them? How far does this go? Every sponsor and therefore all employees of all sponsors? Supporters are in no way tainted by this. Just as we supporters don't share in Pav's opportunities, or are seen as good men or people just because he is an exemplary human. We can enjoy their success and cheer, brag, passionately celebrate etc but it is not a reflection on us good or bad.

As for how I feel about us signing HB? The money isn't an issue as the cap has to be spent and every investment has risk/reward, it is still easy to make the case that at the time of investment the possible reward was well worth the investment. If an investment in a person or asset doesn't work out we then assess the investment not in light of new information but in light of the information and our organisation's principles for investment. People who do otherwise are kidding themselves. As the money spent on him isn't a large amount in his industry and it is fair to say he was a potentially high value, high reward long-term investment, all I can ask for now is that the club has a strong plan in place to move forward and or cut its losses if they feel according to the information now at hand and in line with their principles/culture that the investment is no longer viable.

That's how I feel. People who compare his salary to that of professionals in other industries due to the seeming large figures aren't thinking in an intellectually honest manner. I am confident that the FFC leadership and club as a whole now make decisions based on principles and with a clear understanding of potential outcomes, it is this that gives me great confidence for the future.
 

Scham

Brownlow Medallist
Sep 19, 2004
22,432
20,451
AFL Club
Fremantle
To say a supporter is 'tainted' by this is if not outright rubbish a very large stretch. Do you then think that the girls working the front desk at Freo HQ are tainted by this? They have a closer link as employees of the club than we do. What about the entire leisure centre as they house FFC and have a formal relationship with them? How far does this go? Every sponsor and therefore all employees of all sponsors? Supporters are in no way tainted by this. Just as we supporters don't share in Pav's opportunities, or are seen as good men or people just because he is an exemplary human. We can enjoy their success and cheer, brag, passionately celebrate etc but it is not a reflection on us good or bad.

As for how I feel about us signing HB? The money isn't an issue as the cap has to be spent and every investment has risk/reward, it is still easy to make the case that at the time of investment the possible reward was well worth the investment. If an investment in a person or asset doesn't work out we then assess the investment not in light of new information but in light of the information and our organisation's principles for investment. People who do otherwise are kidding themselves. As the money spent on him isn't a large amount in his industry and it is fair to say he was a potentially high value, high reward long-term investment, all I can ask for now is that the club has a strong plan in place to move forward and or cut its losses if they feel according to the information now at hand and in line with their principles/culture that the investment is no longer viable.

That's how I feel. People who compare his salary to that of professionals in other industries due to the seeming large figures aren't thinking in an intellectually honest manner. I am confident that the FFC leadership and club as a whole now make decisions based on principles and with a clear understanding of potential outcomes, it is this that gives me great confidence for the future.

1. I'm sure the employees in the office would feel some discomfort from their employer being embarrassed negatively in the media but for all we know they may support other AFL clubs and really couldn't care less or are actually privately happy. To this end, true supporters may actually have a closer psychological attachment to the club

2. As a sponsor myself of a WAFL club, I'd be very confident that the clubs sponsors would be highly disappointed that the club they sponsor are attracting negative media. And I guarantee the poor people that are employed to sell sponsorship would be absolutely livid, so too the PR and marketing departments.

3. I agree he was a high risk, high reward investment but the investment has turned rotten and the club does have a strong plan to move forward and in case you haven't worked it out yet, it doesn't include Harley unless he can beat his destructive habits AND start playing at a suitable level.

4. You're bonkers if you don't think the money and resources we've put into Harley isn't a large amount given he's played only 2 games for all of that money, time and resources over 2 years. We flew him to Germany to see a world leader in medicine ffs! A lot of good that did. So far he's been a complete waste of money.
 
Last edited:

theGav56

Brownlow Medallist
Oct 11, 2004
29,350
29,320
Bali
AFL Club
Fremantle
Other Teams
Fremantle
I wonder if the club could put a contract extension in front of him conditional on him achieving specific and stringent criteria. Make it clear that if he does not meet the criteria his career at the club finishes at the end of the existing contract. Get him out of thinking about now and instead thinking about the future.
  • No substance/alcohol issues.
  • No behavioural issues.
  • No missing training or other club duties.
  • Clean medical/fitness assessment.
  • Minimum 15 senior games played.
If he achieved those things the club would likely proffer such an extension.
 
Last edited:
Feb 11, 2011
15,093
15,119
pakenham
AFL Club
Fremantle
1. I'm sure the employees in the office would feel some discomfort from their employer being embarrassed negatively in the media but for all we know they may support other AFL clubs and really couldn't care less or are actually privately happy. To this end, true supporters may actually have a closer psychological attachment to the club

2. As a sponsor myself of a WAFL club, I'd be very confident that the clubs sponsors would be highly disappointed that the club they sponsor are attracting negative media. And I guarantee the poor people that are employed to sell sponsorship would be absolutely livid, so too the PR and marketing departments.

3. I agree he was a high risk, high reward investment but the investment has turned rotten and the club does have a strong plan to move forward and in case you haven't worked it out yet, it doesn't include Harley unless he can beat his destructive habits AND start playing at a suitable level.

4. You're bonkers if you don't think the money and resources we've put into Harley isn't a large amount given he's played only 2 games for all of that money, time and resources over 2 years. We flew him to Germany to see a world leader in medicine ffs! A lot of good that did. So far he's been a complete waste of money.
Good Post. People look at the costs in terms of salary and picks/trading but never look at the resources put into players.

With the cap of football spending, when you spend money on Bennell, you rob something else.

Need to cut our losses.
 

poshman

Norm Smith Medallist
Oct 13, 2006
6,412
7,802
Perth
AFL Club
Fremantle
1. I'm sure the employees in the office would feel some discomfort from their employer being embarrassed negatively in the media but for all we know they may support other AFL clubs and really couldn't care less or are actually privately happy. To this end, true supporters may actually have a closer psychological attachment to the club

2. As a sponsor myself of a WAFL club, I'd be very confident that the clubs sponsors would be highly disappointed that the club they sponsor are attracting negative media. And I guarantee the poor people that are employed to sell sponsorship would be absolutely livid, so too the PR and marketing departments.

3. I agree he was a high risk, high reward investment but the investment has turned rotten and the club does have a strong plan to move forward and in case you haven't worked it out yet, it doesn't include Harley unless he can beat his destructive habits AND start playing at a suitable level.

4. You're bonkers if you don't think the money and resources we've put into Harley isn't a large amount given he's played only 2 games for all of that money, time and resources over 2 years. We flew him to Germany to see a world leader in medicine ffs! A lot of good that did. So far he's been a complete waste of money.


1. Disappointment in something is a far cry from you yourself being tainted by another person's actions. So you agree with me there. As for someone to be tainted by this it would infer that people now see us in more than a negative light due to this behaviour. If you are changing your stance to one of disappointment then I agree and I also am disappointed.

2. I agree that the sponsor would most likely be disappointed also. I would also think they would think FFC does far more good than bad and as such are ahead on the ledger. Once again disappointed is far different to them being 'tainted'.

3. At the moment the investment doesnt look good I agree. What I am most interested in is if the club has a strong principle driven strategy with HB. If they do, which none of us knows, then I am happy with the club taking this kind of risk if there is no other Low Risk / High return options available.

4. 'Large amount' in any industry, business or investment is always relative to each business, industry and investment. Have we invested in HB? Yes clearly. Has that amount been a 'large amount?' That is where looking at his salary and one trip to Germany for surgery will never give us a clear picture. Let's say that HB has the High-end potential to be a top 10 midfielder/ HFF in the league, then let's downgrade that to top 20 in the league which I think is fair given his proven record, impact, age etc. If you agree that he has the potential return of a top 20 player (mid) then look at the salaries of the best mids in each team (even though some teams could argue they have two or three of the top 20) I would argue this range is between 780k - 1.2m per season. So if we get him on 400-500k (as he was on 400k at the suns and I don't think it would be much more than that here, unless someone has a confirmed link?) even including a trip to germany the outlay isn't high given the industry. Danyle P should upset everyone much more, although I think he is worth the spot for experience, occasional (1-3 games per year in case of injuries) and help at peel. He is not in the top 100 mids and yet got two years at what I would guess would be 300k ish. If we then take into account what it would cost in picks and salary to secure a top 20 mid who is low risk/ high reward, I think it is fair to say we got HB at a bargain price.

After all that I am glad you now agree we as fans are not 'tainted' by this incident.
 
Feb 11, 2011
15,093
15,119
pakenham
AFL Club
Fremantle
Let this play out in good time. George Best wasn't a model citizen either but can the man play. Harley Bennell will play this year. If his calf(s) fails him - then he will be set loose. But if he does come back and light up the field, you folks will be singing a different tune shortly.
I hope you're right and I am wrong.
 
Back