Free Agency Harley Bennell [joins Melbourne as a delisted free agent]

Private Hudson

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Mar 31, 2011
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His talent does. Talent always gets more chances. The cost you outline is minimal in context of Draft Assets and Contract.


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Exactly. It’s a spot on the list that would either sit empty or go to young guy who more than likely doesn’t make the cut and is delisted after a season. With Bennell if that happens who cares ? To me it’s a complete free hit .
 

Jordie_tackles

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What are Freo fans thoughts? Ian it just that you can’t have a bloke play 4 years for 2 games, especially when he had some extra indescrections, or is he just more than likely cooked physically?

So much talent to delist
 

MelbCat

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What are Freo fans thoughts? Ian it just that you can’t have a bloke play 4 years for 2 games, especially when he had some extra indescrections, or is he just more than likely cooked physically?

So much talent to delist
They couldn't work out what was causing his issues. Now that has allegedly been found and fixed.
He starts running next week and I'm sure those who are interested in him will be watching his first run and recovery to see how he pulls up!!!
 

Hawk_francais

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He’d be smart to choose Sydney or Geelong.

Melbourne: its an inexperienced playing/leadership group who’ve found themselves already struggling to motivate individuals and to be on the same page. They could already be facing a change of coach before the end of the season if things go pear-shaped early.

St Kilda: already so many unknowns. New coaches and players all round. Ratten is a quality coach, and Harley might end up there, but their recent diligence around McCartin and Hannebery wouldn’t fill me with confidence if I were him.
 
Even if his calf's stand up from now on
Even if he gets selected by another team
Even if his off field issue's are now past him

There is no guarantee's he will ever become the player he promised to become after being out of the game for 4 years you would have to think that is too far gone for him to catch up and adapt to the pace with all thats gone bye
He'd still be worth a shot on the rookie list, but what's the likelihood he's another Menzel story? Pretty high
 

Purpellian Anchor

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What are Freo fans thoughts? Ian it just that you can’t have a bloke play 4 years for 2 games, especially when he had some extra indescrections, or is he just more than likely cooked physically?

So much talent to delist

Was'nt parting of ways because of any off field stuff imop but his body letting him down and it not being able to be resolved.

No one seems any the wiser as to why he has the calf issue other than the latest "nerve problem" causing it. My guess it is lower back as part of the problem.

Some clubs should be able to take the risk according to their lists and what they have room for.
 
He’d be smart to choose Sydney or Geelong.

Melbourne: its an inexperienced playing/leadership group who’ve found themselves already struggling to motivate individuals and to be on the same page. They could already be facing a change of coach before the end of the season if things go pear-shaped early.

St Kilda: already so many unknowns. New coaches and players all round. Ratten is a quality coach, and Harley might end up there, but their recent diligence around McCartin and Hannebery wouldn’t fill me with confidence if I were him.
Goodwin is safe as houses you fool.

Bookmark that, take it to the bank.


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Goodwin is safe as houses you fool.

Bookmark that, take it to the bank.


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Goodwin should be safe for next year but he'd still want to take a candid view of leadership at the club given their obvious talent and highly inconsistent application.
 
Goodwin should be safe for next year but he'd still want to take a candid view of leadership at the club given their obvious talent and highly inconsistent application.
if we have a poor 2020 then most defiantly. Jones has already stepped down and there is probably a fair chance the leadership group will be shaken up as well.

Since Roos/Goodwin took over 2019 is the first season that there hasn't been lineal improvement. In fairness a drop off wasn't a shock but to fall so far back was. The club have shaken up the medical/fitness department thinking that was the biggest issue in 2019.
 
if we have a poor 2020 then most defiantly. Jones has already stepped down and there is probably a fair chance the leadership group will be shaken up as well.

Since Roos/Goodwin took over 2019 is the first season that there hasn't been lineal improvement. In fairness a drop off wasn't a shock but to fall so far back was. The club have shaken up the medical/fitness department thinking that was the biggest issue in 2019.
Leadership is the hardest thing to teach. I reckon Viney seems a natural captain but the rest, well I don't watch enough mfc games to comment. Bennel is 27 with a shocking injury history. He can't afford to spend a year or two waiting for a side to get it together. But in any case, ball is in his court
 

TheBoss

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Leadership is the hardest thing to teach. I reckon Viney seems a natural captain but the rest, well I don't watch enough mfc games to comment. Bennel is 27 with a shocking injury history. He can't afford to spend a year or two waiting for a side to get it together. But in any case, ball is in his court

Viney would not get a game if he was not captain. Too many players ahead of him for the inside mid role and he cannot play anywhere else.
 

Atomboy

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He’d be smart to choose Sydney or Geelong.

Melbourne: its an inexperienced playing/leadership group who’ve found themselves already struggling to motivate individuals and to be on the same page. They could already be facing a change of coach before the end of the season if things go pear-shaped early.

St Kilda: already so many unknowns. New coaches and players all round. Ratten is a quality coach, and Harley might end up there, but their recent diligence around McCartin and Hannebery wouldn’t fill me with confidence if I were him.

Given his background I wouldn’t have thought he is in a position to choose anything.
 

Barrysballs

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Mar 19, 2018
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What are Freo fans thoughts? Ian it just that you can’t have a bloke play 4 years for 2 games, especially when he had some extra indescrections, or is he just more than likely cooked physically?

So much talent to delist
Big Bennel fan here, serious talent. Its about the 4th time now they have said they finally found his issue, but until he gets through 3- 4 games unscathed it's all bullshit. Just all noise from his management to get another contract.
If they were confident his calf problems were solved then why not wait till the mid season draft when they can prove it? If they did they would be able to demand a decent contract. If he gets picked up now they are paying peanuts, so low risk for the club taking him, but from an odds point of view it's very low chance he gets back on the park.

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The position of having 5 5clubs putting offers to the delisted free agent?
Considering you isn't the same as offering a contract.

I won't be surprised how this turns out either way. He is a gun footballer and it's a huge shame for the game that he hasn't been playing twenty plus games a year for the last five, it would be great for the hope of that to stay alive.

On the other hand every time he tried to step up his workload his calf popped.
 
Considering you isn't the same as offering a contract.

I won't be surprised how this turns out either way. He is a gun footballer and it's a huge shame for the game that he hasn't been playing twenty plus games a year for the last five, it would be great for the hope of that to stay alive.

On the other hand every time he tried to step up his workload his calf popped.
A rookie spot for him is so low risk though, I couldn't foresee no clubs making offers
 

MadMundy

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As a Fremantle fan, no matter what club he ends up at, I hope he ends up becoming the elite player that he's meant to be. A serious talent and it's truly heartbreaking to watch him break down over the past couple of years. I hope he comes back and tears through the competition.
 

Hawk_francais

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Goodwin is safe as houses you fool.

Bookmark that, take it to the bank.


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Why? We are what, 5-6 years into the Roos/Goodwin 'rebuild' and have just one finals series (which left us with far more questions than answers). There were already doubts about his relationship with the playing group before dropped like a sack of crap in 2019. If there is no improvement next year I don't really know where to next.

That all said, Melbourne remind me a bit of the Tigers 2014-16. I remember Matthew Lloyd (I think) saying of the Tigers: "there's a feeling around the other teams that if you hit them hard enough, they'll roll over". There is still that hint of a soft underbelly with the Demons, and if their leaders can squash that laissez-faire attitude then there's no doubt they have the talent to go all the way.
 

Americanpies

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Why? We are what, 5-6 years into the Roos/Goodwin 'rebuild' and have just one finals series (which left us with far more questions than answers). There were already doubts about his relationship with the playing group before dropped like a sack of crap in 2019. If there is no improvement next year I don't really know where to next.

That all said, Melbourne remind me a bit of the Tigers 2014-16. I remember Matthew Lloyd (I think) saying of the Tigers: "there's a feeling around the other teams that if you hit them hard enough, they'll roll over". There is still that hint of a soft underbelly with the Demons, and if their leaders can squash that laissez-faire attitude then there's no doubt they have the talent to go all the way.

Don't know if you can fully blame the coach though. He doesn't recruit the players.

The Dees have the common AFL problem that a lot of teams have had over the past 10 years or so... They have a garbage forward line. Lost Hogan.. no replacement. Teams don't win premierships with bad forwards. West Coast, Richmond, Bulldogs, Hawthorn, Sydney, Geelong -> All had great forward set ups when they won their flags. The weakest would have been the Bulldogs, but they did have an array of dangerous small fast forwards to compensate for the lack of dominant talls. What does Melbourne have? Tom Macdonald, and then what? Preuss? Until they beef up their forward line, they will continue to struggle. You can't beat a team like Richmond when they have Lynch/Reiwoldt/Martin kicking 10+ goals between them, and your team's forwards can't manage more than 2 goals per player.
 
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