Balic granted indefinite leave [Traded to Melbourne for pick 66]

[PintofPale]

Presumably it's something serious. All the best Harley, and can everyone keep in mind that "playing for Carlton in the future" is not the worst of the possible outcomes from this story.

 

[G Mus]

Heard a rumour back early last week his dad might be a bit crook, guess the IG post and this confirms it, poor guy

 

[holy diver]

What a season of up's and down's.

I hope media speculation doesn't go into overdrive. Give him space.

 

[FreoMonocle]

We all want our players to bleed purple (or whatever ridiculous non-purple colours there are that other teams favour).

But it's professional sport, not amateur - so it needs to be considered as a workplace. As with any workplace, if someone needs compassionate leave, by crikey you are a bum of a boss if you withhold it. Same with the restriction of trade practices if we insist that drafted at club x means that concessions can't be made for where people are forced to play interstate where it really isn't working out.

There isn't much information floating around, I hope for the best for Balic's sake, not for my wants of seeing him in purple this weekend or the next or next year etc. If he needs a week off, a half a year off - or to trade back closer to home (or retire like McPhee did), then he has my well wishes. I trust that my club remains focused on the well being of the individual - and methinks it's why we are a stronger club than you'd expect from a club with so many missing first rounders (injury etc)

 

[aussieviking]

Just hope the young fella and family are ok and we see him back playing good footy soon. If he has to go home at the end of season so be it. We will be compensated

 

[Kram]

What a season of up's and down's.

I hope media speculation doesn't go into overdrive. Give him space.

Oh don't make Reginald Perrin mad

 

[Nightrain]

Whatever it is obviously Harley doesn't want it made public knowledge and that should be the end of it

Fremantle, like most other clubs these days, are pretty good with their player welfare and will be doing their best to help him through

How it plays out down the track is anyone's guess but I hate how these things become a plaything for public and media speculation. He's still a young kid, leave him be.

Yep and the other thing is that as a society we need to be careful we aren't the ones who are fuelling all this tabloid bullshit.
You'd be a hypocrite if you were to bag the likes of Hutchy, Barrett, New Idea et al because of their underhanded ways and then the very next opportunity cry that it's not fair we aren't being told the story. These low life journos/organisations exist to service an audience.

 

[theGav56]

Just hoping he doesn't request a trade back to a Melbourne based club at the end of the season, Freo did their due diligence regarding his wrist and are just now reaping the reward for support, would be unfair for them to do the surrogating just for another club to claim the services of Harley's undenying ability.

The best the club can do is support him throughout his issues until they're resolved.

You don't think the Bulldogs gave Hamling support after an unsuccessful stint at the Cats and had a major role in getting him to become a terrific player? Do you think Geelong were happy with pick 60-something for Kersten?

I don't want to lose him, but personally I don't buy that argument.

 

[Kenny_01]

Anyone who can put 2 + 2 together will figure out what it is.

When Cam McCarthy left GWS and if he put up a status update, would all his teammates have liked it? Would Cam have put anything up at all given he was essentially abandoning his teammates?

If Harley hated being here he wouldn't have been playing recently.

 

[StingBitten]

Hopefully everything will be fine and he'll be back later in the year.

In the mean time it opens the door for someone like Nyhuis, Ryan, Logue or Collins to sneak their way in (am I missing anyone?)

 

[PowerToThePurpl]

You don't think the Bulldogs gave Hamling support after an unsuccessful stint at the Cats and had a major role in getting him to become a terrific player? Do you think Geelong were happy with pick 60-something for Kersten?

I don't want to lose him, but personally I don't buy that argument.

Fair enough, guess that's the pessimistic point of view from my end, all that matters is he gets the support he needs for whatever the reasons may be that he's taking a break from football.

 

[Lach72]

Anyone who can put 2 + 2 together will figure out what it is.

.

Can they now?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[FreoGirl]

There's idiots on Facebook already saying 'meth' - Freo were almost better off saying nothing

 

[Clown Prince]

As if he read, my posts and decided to prove a point for me....
I just had the pleasure of listening to Hardie on 6PR (I work in the country & AM Radio is about all my ute gets, don't judge me!!)
Hardie, the biggest troll of them all, basically insinuated on air that the reason Balic has been given leave is because of drugs, or other "behavioral issues." Equated Harley's leave with Greg Inglis gong into a health facility and that GI's admission was a cover for something.
Now I know Hardie is a massive flog with an anti-Freo agenda. BUT it goes a long way to showing exactly what I was getting at.
"Personal issues" opens the door to these flogs to speculate. "Ill family member" does not.

 

[Clown Prince]

Yep and the other thing is that as a society we need to be careful we aren't the ones who are fuelling all this tabloid bullshit.
You'd be a hypocrite if you were to bag the likes of Hutchy, Barrett, New Idea et al because of their underhanded ways and then the very next opportunity cry that it's not fair we aren't being told the story. These low life journos/organisations exist to service an audience.

Also a reasonable point, however when you give them nothing, or something vague and open to interpretation, then they just do what the likes of Hardie has done and make sh!t up to service that audience.
As I stated previously, I certainly do not expect or want a detailed health report on whomever is ill. What I do question though is the wisdom of being so vague, especially when the club knows what the aforementioned are like.

 

[Tony_Clifton]

It is not meth. That is slanderous.

On topic it might be best if Harley goes home. If any of you want to make best of a bad situation, create a highlight package and evidence of him performing at WAFL finals level off no preparation and the four games he so far played for us for the draft and trading board. Other than that give him the space he needs.

 

[Lost_Deputy]

Surely this has to be the record for most Harley related incidents at a non-bikie club. Thank god we have the option of an Uber.

 

[scon]

Yeah their business not mine.
Not interested in speculation,obviously wish the family all the very best with whatever it is.
End of 'til there's some factual info released by the family or the club.

 

[eastfreo75]

As if he read, my posts and decided to prove a point for me....
I just had the pleasure of listening to Hardie on 6PR (I work in the country & AM Radio is about all my ute gets, don't judge me!!)
Hardie, the biggest troll of them all, basically insinuated on air that the reason Balic has been given leave is because of drugs, or other "behavioral issues." Equated Harley's leave with Greg Inglis gong into a health facility and that GI's admission was a cover for something.
Now I know Hardie is a massive flog with an anti-Freo agenda. BUT it goes a long way to showing exactly what I was getting at.
"Personal issues" opens the door to these flogs to speculate. "Ill family member" does not.

I hope Balic gets a lawyer

 

[Grape Bear]

It is not meth. That is slanderous.

On topic it might be best if Harley goes home. If any of you want to make best of a bad situation, create a highlight package and evidence of him performing at WAFL finals level off no preparation and the four games he so far played for us for the draft and trading board. Other than that give him the space he needs.

Are you talking for now or forever?

 

[yakka man]

So many headlines for the club at the moment. This is definitely not the worst though. The club has done a lot for him and is growing week by week. He may very well be back, hope he and his family are ok though.

 

[Tony_Clifton]

Are you talking for now or forever?

forever

 

[wayToGo_]

This stuff absolutely infuriates me. A guy needs personal leave - I couldn't care less what the reason is, all I hope is that he has whatever time, space and support he needs to sort out whatever it is. These media flogs who come up with some outrageous speculation and then air it publicly for a quick ratings spike are absolute scumbags. What can we do to make these a**holes change their behaviour or get turfed? They have no problem pointing out players showing poor role-modelling on the one hand whilst normalising public humiliation and bullying themselves on the other.

It's the same with Harley Bennell. Yes, he did the wrong thing - what most likely seems attending a club-associated activity whilst being intoxicated. The club spoke to him and gave him a suitable penalty. And once again the media decide (without all the information) that's not good enough and continues their attacks as if they are providing some sense of justice for our community. What they are really doing is showing to our children that it is ok to kick people when they are down. Absolute clowns and they should be taking a long look in the mirror to see what scum they have become.

 

[Grape Bear]

forever

Crap. I thought that's what you meant. That will just suck eggs for us - nursing him back when no one wanted to take the risk. At the end of the day, though, football is just football and player welfare is paramount. Best of luck to him.

 

[Taylor]

Footy doesn't come first.