News Harley Bennell - Ends at Freo in 2019

[Majunga]

No.

Not everybody.

Some people need to assess their lives and ask what's more important.

I love a beer but if I was an AFL player earning a mint, I can go without.

Easier said than done imo.
I imagine most of us could stay on track and abstain for a year or 2 but
imagine training and having to think about one thing (footy) all the *ing time.
Always trying to improve your game, thinking about your match ups ect ect,
then it's even harder if you're a guy who isn't best 22 or is injury prone.

s**t just mounts up, especially if you're young with a job that pays you hundreds of thousands per year!
I wonder how many players sit on their couch at times looking at a football thinking, everything i am and will do in the
foreseeable future revolves around this little red leather ball...

Would be bit surreal at times.

 

[Joao]

Easier said than done imo.
I imagine most of us could stay on track and abstain for a year or 2 but
imagine training and having to think about one thing (footy) all the ruddy time.
Always trying to improve your game, thinking about your match ups ect ect,
then it's even harder if you're a guy who isn't best 22 or is injury prone.

s**t just mounts up, especially if you're young with a job that pays you hundreds of thousands per year!
I wonder how many players sit on their couch at times looking at a football thinking, everything i am and will do in the
foreseeable future revolves around this little red leather ball...

Would be bit surreal at times.

People have this belief that if you are rich and famous then all your other problems go away. They don't. The reason the elite are the elite is because they can do the disciplined things. Most professional athletes give up a lot to be one.

It is not a free ride, you have to work bloody hard at that stuff and some blokes just aren't up to it - ie the majority of the population including the odd super talent and potentially Harley. Obviously worth it if you have it in you but most don't IMO.

I personally wouldn't have the slightest issue with not drinking or similar, but I can certainly appreciate that just because Harley gets paid to kick a footy for $400,000 a year doesn't mean his struggle is any less than any other persons. You might argue he has more at stake etc, but at the end of the day any sort of substance abuse is really ****ing bad for you so if that is not enough to motivate you I can't see how money would make a difference.

 

[ydraw]

How do you know? The club never released a statement that said that.

Because he got banished to Peel for 8 weeks.

 

[Bender571]

Because he got banished to Peel for 8 weeks.

Harley Bennell Club Statement

“Harley has not met our expected standards and also those of an elite AFL player,” Bond said.

“In this instance, he consumed an excessive amount of alcohol the day before a training session.

“In addition to a $15,000 fine, Harley will not train at the club for the next eight weeks and also continue ongoing counselling to assist him with making better decisions in off-field situations."

Going purely off the club statement he got banished to peel for 8 weeks for drinking before training.

 

[Harry Reems]

Freo’s 2018 team photo day, but no sign of Harley Bennell two weeks into his two-month club suspension. Will be photoshopped into the official image. Travis King


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Taylor]

Freo’s 2018 team photo day, but no sign of Harley Bennell two weeks into his two-month club suspension. Will be photoshopped into the official image. Travis King


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

Some interesting shots today..

 

[mike91]

Freo’s 2018 team photo day, but no sign of Harley Bennell two weeks into his two-month club suspension. Will be photoshopped into the official image. Travis King


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

Tough love.

Matera is superior #3

 

[Joao]

Some interesting shots today..

View attachment 453084

Brennan "Zoolander" Cox.

 

[Swan Districts Kid]

FWIW, I heard from a Peel indigenous player (who moves in similar circles) that Bennell was seen with a wine in hand out the front of West Leederville establishment in the week following his club ban. This same source has been telling stories all along about Bennell's excessive partying ever since he arrived at the club, including when he was having his blood treatments on his calf, etc.

The thing I wonder about Bennell is whether he had any adverse direct influence on the young & naive Harley Balic. From what I understand, Balic had a very close relationship with the Bennells & then all that time off for unspecified 'personal reasons'. Some on these forums speculated that there was more to it than just homesickness & that it may have had something to do with drugs. & it was interesting how little interest there was in Balic when he returned to his home state after we had 'de-risked' his wrist injury. Maybe there was a reason? (& it couldn't have been fear of flight risk).

 

[Wally Walpamur]

FWIW, I heard from a Peel indigenous player (who moves in similar circles) that Bennell was seen with a wine in hand out the front of West Leederville establishment in the week following his club ban. This same source has been telling stories all along about Bennell's excessive partying ever since he arrived at the club, including when he was having his blood treatments on his calf, etc.

The thing I wonder about Bennell is whether he had any adverse direct influence on the young & naive Harley Balic. From what I understand, Balic had a very close relationship with the Bennells & then all that time off for unspecified 'personal reasons'. Some on these forums speculated that there was more to it than just homesickness & that it may have had something to do with drugs. & it was interesting how little interest there was in Balic when he returned to his home state after we had 'de-risked' his wrist injury. Maybe there was a reason? (& it couldn't have been fear of flight risk).

I could be wrong but I don’t think one of his punishments was that he wasn’t allowed a drink.

 

[Quokka]

If it was a club decision for Bennell not to be there for the club photo that seems a little petty to me. Ive no problem with the punishment but whatever is happening he is still currently on the Fremantle list.

Not the biggest issue either way and maybe it was Bennell's choice but if it was the club's not sure it was needed.

 

[mike91]

If it was a club decision for Bennell not to be there for the club photo that seems a little petty to me. Ive no problem with the punishment but whatever is happening he is still cutrently on the Fremantle list.

Not the biggest issue either way and maybe it was Bennell's choice but if it was the club's not sure it was needed.

Disagree, club is showing tough love. Can't send him to Peel for two weeks, welcome him back for a day, then back to Peel.

Matera is superior #3

 

[Quokka]

Really, tough love via photoshop?

Maybe easier to say this is a club expectation, exactly the sort of thing you need to be meeting. Turn up, take the photo and then get back at Peel for training. As of today Bennell is still a Fremantle Docker.

This just questions again if he is a part of the team.

 

[mightymouse75]

He be gone in 9 months, hasn't got the teams interest at heart.. shellfish..

 

[Fred Ziffel]

If it was a club decision for Bennell not to be there for the club photo that seems a little petty to me. Ive no problem with the punishment but whatever is happening he is still currently on the Fremantle list.

Not the biggest issue either way and maybe it was Bennell's choice but if it was the club's not sure it was needed.

The club has done this before. Colin Sylvia ?

 

[beetz]

What is he doing when he isn’t training for Peel for a couple of hours 2-3 times a week?

 

[Crippa]

What is he doing when he isn’t training for Peel for a couple of hours 2-3 times a week?

According to the club statement: “Harley will train with Peel during that period and will also be required to undertake and complete a separate training program set by our strength and conditioning staff."

 

[yoong]

Was a little concerned. The article is unclear whether Harley is not allowed to attend the shoot or he chose not to turn up.

Seems unlikely it’s the club’s decision though.

Hope I’m just reading too much into this.

 

[TheInjuryFactory]

They should have just gone with a cardboard cut out. Could have even taken some questions!

 

[DeanS]

Was a little concerned. The article is unclear whether Harley is not allowed to attend the shoot or he chose not to turn up.

Seems unlikely it’s the club’s decision though.

Hope I’m just reading too much into this.

Of course it’s the club’s decision. He’s been told to stay away from FFC for 8 weeks to let him see what it is like to not be part of the group in the hope it makes him realise what he would be missing.

 

[DannyTheDoorman]

They should have just gone with a cardboard cut out. Could have even taken some questions!

Fantastic . Love it.

 

[Okinakashi]

The club has done this before. Colin Sylvia ?

Shane Yarran

 

[Tundrawolf]

He be gone in 9 months, hasn't got the teams interest at heart.. shellfish..

He may be gone much sooner.

 

[DaveLister]

He may be gone much sooner.

Hope there isn't something else we don't know tundra, I feel like we need his football talent to win a flag in Fyfe's era.

 

[mightymouse75]

Need his talent. Not his rubbish. Hope he gets it together for no other reason than we will win a flag..