News Harley Bennell - Ends at Freo in 2019

Vintage

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I doubt that, we have Sandi, Ballas and Kersten straight away who will leave and then Apeness was signed on back then too.

Can easily retire/delist 3
He doesn’t play footy, and has got himself in trouble before - no reward, high risk for the club.

Can’t see him on the list in 2020.
 
Oct 20, 2010
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He doesn’t play footy, and has got himself in trouble before - no reward, high risk for the club.

Can’t see him on the list in 2020.
I meant I doubt we kept him because of that, we kept him for his football ability.

Doubt he will be on the list next year too, his calves have ruined him, poor bloke
 

Vintage

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I meant I doubt we kept him because of that, we kept him for his football ability.

Doubt he will be on the list next year too, his calves have ruined him, poor bloke
Agreed - I meant we kept Bennell because there was still a small chance he might play this year, we kept Ballantyne (the little hb) because he can still be somewhat useful and you can't delist everyone at the same time.
 
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Agreed - I meant we kept Bennell because there was still a small chance he might play this year, we kept Ballantyne (the little hb) because he can still be somewhat useful and you can't delist everyone at the same time.
ahhhh I understood little hb as Bennell too, makes sense tho
 

Square Peg

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We can replace the word with possibility of him playing again.

If Harley can play AFL again, I want it to be with us and the last player on our list is worth a shot.

He's cooked. Even if he plays an AFL game again, which is doubtful but to use your terminology still possible, he will never be consistently able to play, and the risk he poses actually increases the more competitive we become. Imagine next years preliminary final and Harley playing his 15th game in 5 years gets hyperawareness in the first quarter. The reward does not outweigh the risk and hoping that he might possibly be a consistent player isn't really a good way to run a business IMO.
 
He's cooked. Even if he plays an AFL game again, which is doubtful but to use your terminology still possible, he will never be consistently able to play, and the risk he poses actually increases the more competitive we become. Imagine next years preliminary final and Harley playing his 15th game in 5 years gets hyperawareness in the first quarter. The reward does not outweigh the risk and hoping that he might possibly be a consistent player isn't really a good way to run a business IMO.

If he is cooked then it's a simple decision to cut him. If he isn't then it's a terrible decision to cut him.

It's almost like all the hard part is determining if his body can play AFL. If I were in charge of the football department at Freo I'd be calling in his manager and putting clear KPIs in place for him to get an extension.

I'd make sure those KPIs were reflective of someone capable of playing AFL.

We've got the rest of the year to find out if he can do it.
 

yyou

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Sandi had them both covered - taller and heavier. I believe he is the heaviest player to ever play AFL / VFL.
definitely taller, but i reckon weights were understated.
 
Jul 15, 2007
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definitely taller, but i reckon weights were understated.

This. In Mal Brown's day they got their mums to fill out the paper work at the beginning of their careers and it was hardly ever touched again.

That said, reckon Sandi might still be heavier.
 

Frigate

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If he is cooked then it's a simple decision to cut him. If he isn't then it's a terrible decision to cut him.

It's almost like all the hard part is determining if his body can play AFL. If I were in charge of the football department at Freo I'd be calling in his manager and putting clear KPIs in place for him to get an extension.

I'd make sure those KPIs were reflective of someone capable of playing AFL.

We've got the rest of the year to find out if he can do it.

Great post TaylOr!

My theory is that some people have a friend they want to get drafted by Freo. It is the only explanation. I know why Collingwood have held Wells for so long, even though he is 34! He is so talented, that the off chance that he is fit, he is potentially in their best 22 - guess what? He has had calf issues from the moment he left Norf. Harley is 26 FFS. He is so far from cooked.

I would keep him on the list, so long as he does not demand too much. In that draft we took Jayden Pitt. It was a fairly ordinary draft with Tom Lynch the pick at 11, and Gaff not far behind - time will tell. We have Richmond's 6th pick in that draft now, and that is a steal (Conca). Most are aware Harley was pick 2.

What is my point, we have potentially the best pick of that draft on our list who is injury ridden with calf problems. IS IT POSSIBLE that he can play again? That is the only question - because you could put this bloke out for 5 years and he could still be an elite player because he simply is gifted as an athlete and sports intelligence and he could probably drive a Formula 1 car. Anyone that doubts it - watch his games for Gold Coast. He was alike to a young Gary Ablett (Senior) IMO - just incredibly well balanced, and time was on his side.

So do you throw that young potential out, and keep dead wood on your list that will not play a game? If they delist him I think the club succumbs to pressure that we are going to recruit a new Barlow - all I am saying is, cut the players that will not play a game for Freo before Harley - UNLESS you have information that he will NOT play again, or he is getting intoxicated and partying. Brett Bewley cannot get a game - and will not unless we get injuries so who are we going to get? Old matey from the WAFL that does ok? North, Watson - they are not getting games (just to clarify these are 2 players I would not think of delisting!)

We have room on our list that we can remove before Harley. Imagine we delisted Harley, and then another club recruited him. I know having a LT injury list player on your team is not ideal, but take age into account. Harley is 8 years from recruitment. We are carrying a guy that is 10 years older, and another that is 5 years older - both injury ridden, and both far less skilled IMO - this is no knock on these two, as they have been awesome. But I would cut Ballas, and Sandi before Bennell. For this year, the way it is going, I keep all 3 and see what happens. I doubt Ballas breaks into the side anyway, Sandi would take a spot I suspect otherwise he would have been gone - a fit Bennell ...he starts -simple. Hold Jerry, Hold!
 
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Jul 15, 2007
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It was the same guy, Dr Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt - he has worked miracles with Usain Bolt and quite a few AFL footballers. Unfortunately not Harley :(

NB: He should not be confused with Dr Emil Schaffhausen!
Reckon Schaffhausen would have Harley up and about in no time.

Ha ha, might be worth a shot.

Not that much in this thread gives me joy these days, but revisiting that character gave me laugh - thanks guys. For those not in the know:

 

LeftFootBanana

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Great post TaylOr!

My theory is that some people have a friend they want to get drafted by Freo. It is the only explanation. I know why Collingwood have held Wells for so long, even though he is 34! He is so talented, that the off chance that he is fit, he is potentially in their best 22 - guess what? He has had calf issues from the moment he left Norf. Harley is 26 FFS. He is so far from cooked.

I would keep him on the list, so long as he does not demand too much. In that draft we took Jayden Pitt. It was a fairly ordinary draft with Tom Lynch the pick at 11, and Gaff not far behind - time will tell. We have Richmond's 6th pick in that draft now, and that is a steal (Conca). Most are aware Harley was pick 2.

What is my point, we have potentially the best pick of that draft on our list who is injury ridden with calf problems. IS IT POSSIBLE that he can play again? That is the only question - because you could put this bloke out for 5 years and he could still be an elite player because he simply is gifted as an athlete and sports intelligence and he could probably drive a Formula 1 car. Anyone that doubts it - watch his games for Gold Coast. He was alike to a young Gary Ablett (Senior) IMO - just incredibly well balanced, and time was on his side.

So do you throw that young potential out, and keep dead wood on your list that will not play a game? If they delist him I think the club succumbs to pressure that we are going to recruit a new Barlow - all I am saying is, cut the players that will not play a game for Freo before Harley - UNLESS you have information that he will NOT play again, or he is getting intoxicated and partying. Brett Bewley cannot get a game - and will not unless we get injuries so who are we going to get? Old matey from the WAFL that does ok? North, Watson - they are not getting games (just to clarify these are 2 players I would not think of delisting!)

We have room on our list that we can remove before Harley. Imagine we delisted Harley, and then another club recruited him. I know having a LT injury list player on your team is not ideal, but take age into account. Harley is 8 years from recruitment. We are carrying a guy that is 10 years older, and another that is 5 years older - both injury ridden, and both far less skilled IMO - this is no knock on these two, as they have been awesome. But I would cut Ballas, and Sandi before Bennell. For this year, the way it is going, I keep all 3 and see what happens. I doubt Ballas breaks into the side anyway, Sandi would take a spot I suspect otherwise he would have been gone - a fit Bennell ...he starts -simple. Hold Jerry, Hold!


That post was the best Frigate, the best!
 

LeftFootBanana

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I must hate myself or something, because every bit of me wants him to stay on the list and keeps thinking he'll play for us one day

It's a form of addiction common among Freo supporters. Some suffered terrible Morabito withdrawal symptoms and I still can't stand looking at a picture of Apeness. All you can do is embrace it.
 

stax on the mull

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I heard a snippet of an interview this morning on 720 ABC where Andrew Krakouer was talking about Harley Bennell.

Must have been a replay from an interview last night, so not sure what the context was, and as I was juicing some carrots at the time I wasn't really focused on listening, but AK was saying something about keeping in touch with HB and offering him some mental support.

Anyway, at the end of the clip, Duffield reckons the last calf scare turned out to be more of an achilles issue.
 

DannyTheDoorman

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By 20kgs? Sandi easily the heaviest every afl player
What about Mick Nolan of North (way back in the Cable at Norf days) and he was called the Galloping Gasometer and he was huge. I reckon he had Sandi covered in regards maximum weight .
 

Moonrat

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I keep coming on to read this thread. Over and over and over.
Like all of us, I'm living in hope.
I hope to f##k that HB gets it all sorted.

But sometimes I just feel like this thread is a total waste of everyone's time
 
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