Harley Bennell.

[Ghost Dog]

Source: Wikipedia

AFL career

He made his AFL debut in Round 2, 2011 in the Gold Coast Suns inaugural AFL match against Carlton at The Gabba. Bennell was dropped for disciplinary reasons after the Gold Coast's round 3 clash. He returned to the team the following week but was again dropped two weeks later. He spent numerous weeks playing for the reserves team and returned to the seniors team for their round 11 clash against the West Coast Eagles in Perth. Bennell would then skip a compulsory training session by staying in Perth longer than allowed by the club. He was once again dropped from the team and sent back to the reserves team. He showed enough in the reserves to earn a recall to the seniors team in round 15 but the Sun's leadership group did not allow him back into the team. The following week he returned against the Sydney Swans and soon after began living with team mate Karmichael Hunt. He would not miss another game and finish the 2011 season with 14 goals from 14 games.

Bennell's 2012 season would be a stark difference to his inaugural AFL year, he would play in all 22 games of the year. He would also end the year with 25 goals and finish second in the club's best and fairest behind Gary Ablett, Jr.

Bennell was dropped from the Suns' team in May 2015 after drinking alcohol during after a game despite the team agreeing to avoid alcohol for the week.[5]

In July 2015, The Courier-Mail and Herald Sun newspapers both published a photo on their front pages, allegedly showing Bennell preparing to inhale a white powder, presumed to be an illicit drug. The photo was reported taken in Launceston, Tasmania in March 2013. The photo was published just days after Bennell's former teammate and housemate, Karmichael Hunt's statement to the police, detailing Hunt's use of cocaine with unnamed Gold Coast players, was leaked to the press.[6] Bennell was not selected to play the next game for Gold Coast.[7] On 7 September 2015, after a drunken altercation in Surfers Paradise, the Gold Coast Suns revealed that Bennell would be traded.[8]

Sounds like he's had a truckload of chances to go straight.

[bornadog]

Sounds like he's had a truckload of chances to go straight.

Wow dropped once or twice for drinking alcohol, he has been a bad boy.

[Greystache]

Wow dropped once or twice for drinking alcohol, he has been a bad boy.

Plus a month suspension for drug use, following on the back of a police investigation into him and team mates earlier in the year for drug use and distribution, following warnings from the club 2 years earlier for drug use, and now being sacked after being charged a month after returning from suspension. Nah he's just a good kid who's been unlucky.

Given the number of times he'd have been given chances before any action was taken against him by the club he's clearly a recidivist who has shown no signs of wanting to change, outside of the occasional cheap word or two.

[bornadog]

Plus a month suspension for drug use, following on the back of a police investigation into him and team mates earlier in the year for drug use and distribution,

No charges laid by police.

sacked after being charged a month after returning from suspension.

Flipped a cigarette out of bouncers mouth, paid a fine. Hardly the biggest misdemeanour of all time.

Yes he has had issues, but we don't know the extent of what has happened and how bad his behaviour is. The press can exaggerate things to get a story on the front page.

The one thing I know is Mckenna let this culture happen and didn't pull players into line. No discipline at the club whilst he was there. He is a kid from a broken family thrust on to the Gold Coast at 17/18 years old and no one to discipline him and pull him into line.

Everything you have pointed out happens at all clubs. I haven't seen him lying in the gutter at 3 am with pills in his pocket as one of our own stars was.

He is only 22 and deserves another chance at making it and it is up to him now. Perhaps he won't make it, who knows, but from the outside looking in and without knowing everything, I would take the chance.

[Greystache]

No charges laid by police.

So he must be innocent then...

Flipped a cigarette out of bouncers mouth, paid a fine. Hardly the biggest misdemeanour of all time.

And then arrested and fined for public drunkeness. The first weekend of the off season. Only weeks after being suspended for a month for drug and alcohol offences.

Yes he has had issues, but we don't know the extent of what has happened and how bad his behaviour is. The press can exaggerate things to get a story on the front page.

He's been sacked by his own club. A club that has no interest in culture. So it's obviously at least as bad as reported, and in reality probably much worse.

The one thing I know is Mckenna let this culture happen and didn't pull players into line. No discipline at the club whilst he was there. He is a kid from a broken family thrust on to the Gold Coast at 17/18 years old and no one to discipline him and pull him into line.

And if anything it's gotten worse since Mckenna left. He's been pulled into line numerous times for no result. Official warnings, club suspensions, nothing has changed him in any way. His team mates have been quoted several times how they try to keep him in line but he won't listen.

Everything you have pointed out happens at all clubs. I haven't seen him lying in the gutter at 3 am with pills in his pocket as one of our own stars was.

Probably because you don't live on the Gold Coast. He instead ends up on the front page of the paper snorting lines of amphetamines.

Funny how Libba gets in trouble once and he has to spend the rest of his career proving to some people he's completely reformed, yet a player like Bennell gets in trouble time after time after time and he's just a good kid who's been unlucky. I would've though Libba is far closer to that description.

He is only 22 and deserves another chance at making it and it is up to him now. Perhaps he won't make it, who knows, but from the outside looking in and without knowing everything, I would take the chance.

I don't think he deserves another chance at all, he's had numerous chances. If another club wants to give him further chances that's up to them, but he doesn't automatically deserve them. I'm more than comfortable if the club doesn't want him given he's a likely to be arrested and embarrass the club and it's sponsors before round one as not.

[GVGjr]

No charges laid by police.

Flipped a cigarette out of bouncers mouth, paid a fine. Hardly the biggest misdemeanour of all time.

BAD, sorry I'm going to bombard you with some questions.

Rocket isn't a fool, if it's as simple as that why has he been sacked for that issue?
If he deserves another chance why aren't the Suns under the new coach the ones to give it too him?
Why aren't the Suns backing their culture to turn him around? It's not like Rocket has had him for 3 years and his messages aren't getting across like they didn't for Hill and Everitt. When one of AFL's most senior coaches has given up on a very talented player after just one season the alarm bells ring loud to me.

I get that he is a very talented player but why should we be the ones to trade for him? How confident are you that he would thrive in our environment?

[bulldogtragic]

What we've showed with Libba this year is why he might come to us and why he might thrive with us. We didn't let the Damien Barrett bitch slap smack Libba down, nor the media after it. We got on the front foot, supported him publicly and privately, got him the help needed. We understood why it was happening, but didn't just accept was is happening. We took action to help Libba and supported him to a better place. This culture of support with discipline at all levels of the club should be inviting proposition for him. Playing in a positive young side, presumably winning games and getting involved in grass root work might be just what he needs to reset. I think we've got the set up to be an outstanding club for him on and off field. If he passes Bevos say so, then I'd love him to come out and pick us and then look at the best trade possible.

[Dancin' Douggy]

For me, and I started this thread with a burning yearning a deep inside of me to get Bennell.

I hear both sides of the debate. Yes, there is SOME risk involved.

But Bennell is and out and out gun. GUN.

There is some risk involved, but every draft choice, and every trade, and every delisting is a risk.

We took J. Grant over Dangerfield. We took Everett over Riewoldt. Risk, reward, risk, reward. It's a never ending cycle.
We traded Liam Jones for a pick that got us Caleb Daniel. Risk, reward.

We took Stringer after a horrific leg break. Risk, reward. Man what a pay off.

I think Bennell is worth the risk IF the deal is right.

What if we somehow turn Talia in to Bennell. (with tweaks and steak knives) That is a MASSIVE win.
But....... I do have to say......... If anyone thinks that one player could be so evil and corrupt and all powerful to bring down the entire playing group and the 'culture' of the club. I think that's nonsense.

[bornadog]

BAD, sorry I'm going to bombard you with some questions.

Rocket isn't a fool, if it's as simple as that why has he been sacked for that issue?
If he deserves another chance why aren't the Suns under the new coach the ones to give it too him?
Why aren't the Suns backing their culture to turn him around? It's not like Rocket has had him for 3 years and his messages aren't getting across like they didn't for Hill and Everitt. When one of AFL's most senior coaches has given up on a very talented player after just one season the alarm bells ring loud to me.

I get that he is a very talented player but why should we be the ones to trade for him? How confident are you that he would thrive in our environment?

There is more to it than just some alcohol fueled nights out and breaking curfews. Anyhow can't say too much more about him, but I doubt we will be chasing him so it's a moot point.

The point I was trying to make is Bennell is no different than many players at many clubs, except the circumstances at GC, setting up on the Gold Coast with young players away from their family hasn't helped his situation and he was allowed to run bit wild.

He is better off away from that environment, and hope he takes his chance and doesn't fluff it up as he has talent to burn.

[GVGjr]

There is more to it than just some alcohol fueled nights out and breaking curfews. Anyhow can't say too much more about him, but I doubt we will be chasing him so it's a mute point.

Is it fair to say you are privy to more information than most?

[bornadog]

Is it fair to say you are privy to more information than most?

That is fair to say.

[GVGjr]

That is fair to say.

Thanks, it became obvious when a few of you were all singing the same pro Harley song at the same time and of course that had a few of us speculating on the source.

[Ghost Dog]

Don't really know about him, so read some stats.

Missed 4 weeks with ongoing calf issue.
In 7 games was not influential despite stats.
V WC in round 7, 13 of 20 kicks missed the target.

The 40 and 37 possession games perked my interest before realising it was NEAFL.
Plus all the off field stuff.
GD needs more convincing.
But he is improving. In 2014 he missed 6 games with the calf.

What has he honestly done to deserve to be at the kennel?

[LostDoggy]

Media reporting Bennell will end up at Freo. Gee, if they can get his head right a core midfield group of Fyfe, Mundy, Barlow and Bennell is seriously big and powerful. Supported by runners Neale, Hill, Pearce, Walters, DeBoer, Weller. Impressive. Just need forwards to kick it to now.

[bornadog]

Media reporting Bennell will end up at Freo. Gee, if they can get his head right a core midfield group of Fyfe, Mundy, Barlow and Bennell is seriously big and powerful. Supported by runners Neale, Hill, Pearce, Walters, DeBoer, Weller. Impressive. Just need forwards to kick it to now.

Fyfe will be playing more in the forward line next year. They do need a big forward as Pavlich on last legs.