News Harley Bennell - Ends at Freo in 2019

88mph

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So does Harley just walk back in after the 8 weeks? Or does it mean after the 8 weeks the door is open, but he needs to prove himself before being invited in?
 

tonygeeks

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Methinks the AFL - or the clubs walk a fine line when they hand out punishments for off field indiscretions. They can do a certain amount of punishing off field indiscretion as "hurting the brand", but step too far and they could face legal action for loss of income and/or other stuff. The clubs being franchises, AFL HQ might not be able to sanction players for off field stuff if they are club employees rather than AFL employees (someone here will know).

A lot of that stuff is sidestepped by having the playing group having a set of their own standards, it's that bit which get's you for having a few drinks the night before the game, the club enforces the playing groups rule. I'm not sure that the AFL could or should enforce a teams own standard, it's best left at the franchise.

I might have some of this the wrong way around, wouldn't be the first time.

I'm not the full bottle on the contract stuff but I would presume the players would be similar to sub contractors to the AFL and as such are still governed by code of conduct policy's and drug testing etc


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ydraw

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Pretty sure they have an enterprise bargaining agreement through the AFLPA that means they signed a contract accepting these kinds of punishments. That doesn't mean that they aren't still way over the top sometimes, but then again they are getting paid heaps of dollars to behave themselves.
 

IAMJUNGLEMUFFIN

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So does Harley just walk back in after the 8 weeks? Or does it mean after the 8 weeks the door is open, but he needs to prove himself before being invited in?
What happened with Sonny? From memory he was kept at SD for an extended period of time, but I'm not sure he was given a specitic time frame.

You would think the reasons for him being banished to Peel would exist long after the 8 week time off given by the club, so I'm expecting some sort of middle ground where he's allowed access to the club and it's resources, but is still required to prove he deserves that before being fully welcomed back to the fold.
 

IAMJUNGLEMUFFIN

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Would think it is quite simple. If he has met all of the requirements set for him then he'll walk back in. If he hasn't then he won't. Some of those requirements may be qualitative and therefore subjective but it should still be fairly black and white (just not in a racial sense).
For me, his fitness and on field dedication hasn't really been questioned. The parameters the club set him for return appeared arbitrary, as it was off field behavior which led to the punishment, but perhaps due to the CBA were not able to issue demands such as going dry/no going out etc.

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wayToGo_

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For me, his fitness and on field dedication hasn't really been questioned. The parameters the club set him for return appeared arbitrary, as it was off field behavior which led to the punishment, but perhaps due to the CBA were not able to issue demands such as going dry/no going out etc.
I'm sure there were other requirements that weren't made public. Some of the interviews over the past couple of months alluded to it. Freo have the most to lose (or more importantly gain) in all this, so I'd be very surprised if there wasn't some behavioural requirement. If he was going out and drinking I'm sure a bunch of the West Coast mob would love nothing more than making it public knowledge.
 

IAMJUNGLEMUFFIN

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I'm sure there were other requirements that weren't made public. Some of the interviews over the past couple of months alluded to it. Freo have the most to lose (or more importantly gain) in all this, so I'd be very surprised if there wasn't some behavioural requirement.

Yeah, and that's why I feel there's more to it than 2 months down at Peel. The club has just chosen to stay tight lipped about it all as it it's not really in our, or HB's interests to paint an even larger target on his back.

Aside from the obvious list management issues, we also have a duty of care towards HB, and death by public stoning isn't a desirable outcome for anyone, especially when a players life could ultimately be on the line.


If he was going out and drinking I'm sure a bunch of the West Coast mob would love nothing more than making it public knowledge.

I don't personally subscribe to BF Freo conspiracy theories. From what I've seen with instances around BF where people are obviously somewhat aware of what the players get up to, most people prefer not to be gossip whores when relating to the private lives of players, and chose to show a bit of class by taking a step back and not spreading rumours about people. But I accept that it's not always the case.
 
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Enough is enough. Engage in your personal grievances with other posters via PM instead of continuing to derail the thread.

This is a thread about Harley Bennell, this is not a platform for melodrama of the week. Thread bans for those who disregard this post. thanks.
 
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To avoid those trawling through previous 36 pages (like I just did), penalty of 8 weeks published 9th January.

So makes it the 6th March training session (best case) return. Harley is 3/4 through the “process” of being away from the club.

Will miss JLT 1.5 (West Coast at Subi?), but will be fit and available for match committee 8th March for JLT 2. Whether they would pick him is an entirely different thread...

For the record I was a non believer, Now I’ve seen the light, purely just to see a young misguided bloke do him and his family proud... and to prove grumpy cynical blokes like me wrong.

Go get ‘em Harley
 
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Now I’ve seen the light, purely just to see a young misguided bloke do him and his family proud...
I sat near his family when he made his Peel debut at Leederville and his family sat a row behind my regular seats at Subi, when he debuted for Freo. His mum, in particular seems like a pretty good lady - super excited to see her boy get out and into it.

I hope for all of our sakes (including Harley and Mumma Harley), she's sat him down and helping him get through his issues.

I have faith that Harley can turn himself around and I hope to see him ripping up the turf at Perth stadium later in the year.
 
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I sat near his family when he made his Peel debut at Leederville and his family sat a row behind my regular seats at Subi, when he debuted for Freo. His mum, in particular seems like a pretty good lady - super excited to see her boy get out and into it.

I hope for all of our sakes (including Harley and Mumma Harley), she's sat him down and helping him get through his issues.

I have faith that Harley can turn himself around and I hope to see him ripping up the turf at Perth stadium later in the year.

Couldn’t agree more, it’s easy to throw mud from the cheap seats time to support the bloke and get him to the potential he is capable of..
 

Carnthedockers

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To avoid those trawling through previous 36 pages (like I just did), penalty of 8 weeks published 9th January.

So makes it the 6th March training session (best case) return. Harley is 3/4 through the “process” of being away from the club.

Will miss JLT 1.5 (West Coast at Subi?), but will be fit and available for match committee 8th March for JLT 2. Whether they would pick him is an entirely different thread...

For the record I was a non believer, Now I’ve seen the light, purely just to see a young misguided bloke do him and his family proud... and to prove grumpy cynical blokes like me wrong.

Go get ‘em Harley
Fit with his calf?
 

IAMJUNGLEMUFFIN

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You can call me IAJM, or Harley folks, no trist...

One of, if not the most talented on our list.

Admittedly, I absolutely love a drink...

Unfortunately (for some), I turn up the next day for a dink!

2 month ban for both of us? No cahoots...

Despite all the Mods efforts, I'll be in tomorrow for the photo shoot!

Speaking of which, while I'm not yet a Mod...

You most certainly won't read my posts and feel on the nod.

I certainly don't have dodgy calves...

Nor for that matter, do I post by halves.

Harley Bennell? JungleMuffin? Or perhaps Ross?

'Do Sent' matter, don't care, get salty all you want, I don't give a toss.

You might question either JM's or Harley's dedication and value to the Purple Horde...

That's OK, I'm still the best poster on this board.

By this stage you might be asking, by gosh, doth this literary beast hast much more rhyme?

s**t yeah, but with both having one more ban left, Harley Bennell and I are running out of time.

So, ok, ok, I'm starting to run out of jokes...

If only I had an endless supply, like Harley's Coke!

But I digress. I'll be honest, I'm struggling to tie up this ditty...

By this stage it's ******* hard to be witty.

I started off by talking about JM/Harley's little trist, I'm sorry not sorry folks, but whatever, I hope you get the gist...


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SHill Shall

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Moving right along .........

I’m feeling like Harley might still be half a chance. The key in the long run is whether he’s making changes in his personal life rather than merely training hard and reducing skin folds in Feb/March ‘18.
 

Quazar

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Trying to focus on just Harley Bennell....

I've been a long time admirer of this amazingly gifted player. I know his off-field 'indiscretions' have been catching up with him of late and it's never a good look in anyone's eyes - we still don't know the circumstances with the recent incident, and whether Harley was solely at fault or not....it's irrelevant now, the punishment was metered out and all was said and done. But if he can overcome all these hurdles (once and for all!), including his bloody calves, he still has the most incredible talent to be unleashed. In fact you kinda hope he hasn't even reached maximum potential. He is a freak, a wizard a genius! Yes, all those superlatives are deserving and more.

Let's put it this way, if we get what you see on YT with his highlights, especially the 2014 ones - if we can get that out on the park in 2018, there won't be enough mops in the house to clean up the drool in this forum!! It could be pivotal to future or immediate 'success', he is just that darn good. Talismanic - bit like Eric Cantona was for Manchester United in the early 90s, he turned things around. He lifted the team through games and did spontaneous, incredible things that got the job done. Played with that "X factor" that you cannot teach. You just have to find a way to utilise..." go out there son, run rampant..." ;)

Dammit Harley - open letter sort of thing. Clean up mate, shape your mind - focus, breathe; train...train HARDER....embody determination, will, spirit...don't have to worry about confidence, he has this in spades. More ability in his pinky than anyone on this shiny forum ahaha - forget the partying for the next 5 or so years and just BECOME the Man. Just get yourself right and be what you're destined to be....do it!!! And let the fun for us begin..........
 
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Quazar

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Moving right along .........

I’m feeling like Harley might still be half a chance. The key in the long run is whether he’s making changes in his personal life rather than merely training hard and reducing skin folds in Feb/March ‘18.

Surely at some point Ross would have sat him down and had this conversation? The one where he explains how important a Harley Bennell is to the club ON the field, and all that off-field melodrama is a waste. It just needs the right person or people to get inside his head and flick that switch. Maybe even Wilson: "Carn mate, I came over to play some footy wid ya...what's goin' on? Carn brah, sort it out...let's carve 'em up.." type of thing (sorry for the diabolical Wilson impersonation!). Sounds like he had got the message to a degree in his recent Peel trainings until the latest calf injury. Matera says he's in a good "head space" I hope he is nailing it, Harley's time is NOW...he just has to see it and be it
 

Square Peg

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My understanding was it was never in question that Bennell is a dedicated trainer. From the gold coast coke days til now it's never been doubted. The problem for him is he is now a marked man and needs to accept he won't be left alone. Nothing short of a monastic existence is going to cut it. That might be unfair that others, including his teammates, can have their little flirts with booze and drugs and he can't, but that's the reality. Training the house down at Peel is utterly irrelevant to the equation. Can he live the life of a monk or not?
 

Crippa

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Players who drink and do drugs and drive while suspended and fail to show up to training should be sacked on the spot. I don't care who they are. Just ask Richmond. Went soft on Dusty for years, failed to make an example of him, and paid for their s**t culture by having him win a premiership for them off his own boot.

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http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/a-...l/news-story/1d8f1b2199ce5de4c9b2f1dcf8724b46

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Square Peg

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Yeah well Dusty was pretty close to getting the arse, and unlike Bennell had a reputation in his youth as being a crap trainer.
But if you don't think there is a cultural difference between being an aboriginal with a drug problem playing for the lesser supported team in a two team town, and playing for Richmond, I can't help you.
 

Crippa

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Yeah well Dusty was pretty close to getting the arse, and unlike Bennell had a reputation in his youth as being a crap trainer.
But if you don't think there is a cultural difference between being an aboriginal with a drug problem playing for the lesser supported team in a two team town, and playing for Richmond, I can't help you.

Oh I get it. Bennell should get the arse because he's indigenous. And because he plays for the lesser supported team in a 2 team town. And because unlike Dusty who was a crap trainer with a drug and alcohol problem, Bennell is not a crap trainer. Makes sense now.
 

Square Peg

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Oh I get it. Bennell should get the arse because he's indigenous. And because he plays for the lesser supported team in a 2 team town. And because unlike Dusty who was a crap trainer with a drug and alcohol problem, Bennell is not a crap trainer. Makes sense now.

I'm happy to type slower if it helps you understand things better, just let me know
 
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