Nothing had been confirmed at that stage though had it?
It will be interesting to see if they stay the course with him
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This from the Hun
Melbourne midfielder Harley Bennell has been suspended for four weeks and Melbourne fined $50,000 after he ruined his “perfect” comeback season with a serious COVID breach.
Bennell has also been told he must leave Queensland as soon as possible, after he visited a friend’s house in a clear breach of the AFL’s COVID rules.
The Herald Sun revealed on Sunday the Demons had alerted the AFL’s integrity team to the issue after he broke AFL protocols while the Demons were beating Essendon.
Bennell drank on Friday night in the club’s Twin Waters resort, which is permitted, but then left the hub to visit a friend on Saturday in a clear breach of the rules. It continues a bad run for the AFL amid accusations of double-standards about the league’s ability to bring 2000 players, families and coaches into Queensland.
The league only days ago told players they would be fined as much as $10,000 and potentially sent home by the AFL for any post-season breaches.
Bennell told friends he left the club’s Maroochydore hub to swap vehicles to help secure a car seat for his one-year-old daughter. He said he was arranging to organise a bigger car for his young family as the Demons prepared for their last game of the home and away season against Essendon.
Bennell, 27, ran out of petrol on the trip and was found by police, who drove him to the petrol station to fill up.
He was breath-tested by police when he was found on Saturday morning but was believed to be under the limit.
But Melbourne is sceptical of his motivations in leaving the hub, with his career now in jeopardy at the club.
Melbourne chief executive Gary Pert lashed Bennell. “This is a selfish act by Harley, and a clear breach of the AFL’s protocols,” he said.
Undisciplined imbecile, cue Essendon showing some interest.
It doesn't sound malicious at all.
On the surface of it, Melbourne and Melbourne fans will have started the season saying 'well it doesn't cost us much at all to draft him in' and treat like pretty much a free hit.
But the risk, other than the $50K fine, is this sort of stuff tying up club resources, impacting the culture of the playing group - and the players having a team mate that they can't trust.
I'm not meaning to kick the bloke while he is down, but players that have had off field indiscretions usually continue to have them no matter which club they end up at.
I dont buy it. Surely you can't have gotten to mid Sept in the hub and not understood the rules.