The Harley Bennell experiment at Fremantle, driven by coach Ross Lyon and chief executive Steve Rosich, is officially dead but the high-profile recruit hopes a third AFL club might tap his potential.
Just two games in four seasons at Fremantle has not justified the club drafting the WA product for 2016, with Bennell's history of calf injuries at Gold Coast since 2011 continuing in the west.
Harley Bennell's manager hinted last year that Freo's rehab of his client wasn't ideal.Credit:Fremantle Football Club
Every possible doctor and avenue was explored to rehabilitate the no.2 draft pick from Fremantle's WAFL alignment club Peel, but the 26-year-old said he was still hopeful of landing at another AFL club and has reportedly sought the opinion of two Victorian doctors to help rehabilitate his calves.
"I'm not retiring at this stage," Bennell said of Monday's announcement. "I'm going to work really hard on rehabbing my calf injury with a view to giving myself the chance to have another crack at playing for an AFL club.
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"I firmly believe that I am capable of getting back out there and playing at the highest level."
Bennell was given a one-year extension in August 2018 by Fremantle prior to club legend Peter Bell taking over as football general manager. The decision last week to end their relationship took the talented player and his manager Colin Young by surprise.
It would be ridiculous for a club to pick him up having played just two games in two years.
Colin Young
It triggered the pair to seek an official release from his Dockers contract this week to focus on opportunities for next year.
Young said last week he would be meeting with Fremantle in coming days and discussing our options.
Bennell's latest calf injury while playing in the WAFL last month was to sideline him for three months and came on the cusp of returning to the Dockers lineup.
Fremantle famously sent Bennell to Germany in his first year with the club to consult with world-renowned soft-tissue expert Dr Hans-Wilhelm Müller-Wohlfahrt for his problematic calf tears.
He appeared destined for greatness after bursting onto the scene with his pace, skill and flair for Gold Coast in 2011, playing 81 games and booting 92 goals in five seasons.
But the Suns got tired of Bennell's off-field indiscretions and lingering injury issues and were content to trade him to the Dockers at the end of 2015.
The Dockers were in a similar boat at the end of last year when Bell took over as football manager and the club legend tried to move Bennell on during the trade period.
In an interview with SEN Radio during that time, Young told hosts Garry Lyon and Tim Watson that it would be "ridiculous" for another club to trade in Bennell after playing only two games in two years.
"We did have a conversation with the club about seven or eight weeks out about where he sat," Young told SEN.
"We weren't too sure if the way he was being rehabbed was the correct procedure, so there was some questions asked and hopefully his new training regime will be good for him."
Colin Young
"Hes definitely required, there was no talks and even if there was talks, it would be ridiculous for a club to pick him up having played just two games in two years."
Young also cast doubts over Fremantle's management of his client's issues, indicating discussions had taken place between the two parties about Bennell's rehabilitation at the club.
"Unfortunately this year he didn't play much footy … whether that was due to the way they tried to rehab him back into playing," Young said at the time.
"He played an average of 17 games in five years on the Gold Coast.
"We weren't too sure if the way he was being rehabbed was the correct procedure, so there was some questions asked and hopefully this pre-season his new training regime will be good for him."
Suns coach Rodney Eade said Bennell was among the most talented yet most ill-disciplined players, from a training perspective, he has seen. Credit:AAP
When Bennell had his contract extended last August, Lyon said: "Weve invested so much, hes carried himself well … we need to find a solution.
"Clearly, its his last chance. If we cant get him up … make no doubt if we delisted Harley, another club would pick him up. I know that for a fact."
The Pinjarra-born Bennell managed two games with Fremantle towards the end of 2017 betwRead More – Source
The Harley Bennell experiment at Fremantle, driven by coach Ross Lyon and chief executive Steve Rosich, is officially dead but the high-profile recruit hopes a third AFL club might tap his potential.
Just two games in four seasons at Fremantle has not justified the club drafting the WA product for 2016, with Bennell's history of calf injuries at Gold Coast since 2011 continuing in the west.
Harley Bennell's manager hinted last year that Freo's rehab of his client wasn't ideal.Credit:Fremantle Football Club
Every possible doctor and avenue was explored to rehabilitate the no.2 draft pick from Fremantle's WAFL alignment club Peel, but the 26-year-old said he was still hopeful of landing at another AFL club and has reportedly sought the opinion of two Victorian doctors to help rehabilitate his calves.
"I'm not retiring at this stage," Bennell said of Monday's announcement. "I'm going to work really hard on rehabbing my calf injury with a view to giving myself the chance to have another crack at playing for an AFL club.
Advertisement
"I firmly believe that I am capable of getting back out there and playing at the highest level."
Bennell was given a one-year extension in August 2018 by Fremantle prior to club legend Peter Bell taking over as football general manager. The decision last week to end their relationship took the talented player and his manager Colin Young by surprise.
It would be ridiculous for a club to pick him up having played just two games in two years.
Colin Young
It triggered the pair to seek an official release from his Dockers contract this week to focus on opportunities for next year.
Young said last week he would be meeting with Fremantle in coming days and discussing our options.
Bennell's latest calf injury while playing in the WAFL last month was to sideline him for three months and came on the cusp of returning to the Dockers lineup.
Fremantle famously sent Bennell to Germany in his first year with the club to consult with world-renowned soft-tissue expert Dr Hans-Wilhelm Müller-Wohlfahrt for his problematic calf tears.
He appeared destined for greatness after bursting onto the scene with his pace, skill and flair for Gold Coast in 2011, playing 81 games and booting 92 goals in five seasons.
But the Suns got tired of Bennell's off-field indiscretions and lingering injury issues and were content to trade him to the Dockers at the end of 2015.
The Dockers were in a similar boat at the end of last year when Bell took over as football manager and the club legend tried to move Bennell on during the trade period.
In an interview with SEN Radio during that time, Young told hosts Garry Lyon and Tim Watson that it would be "ridiculous" for another club to trade in Bennell after playing only two games in two years.
"We did have a conversation with the club about seven or eight weeks out about where he sat," Young told SEN.
"We weren't too sure if the way he was being rehabbed was the correct procedure, so there was some questions asked and hopefully his new training regime will be good for him."
Colin Young
"Hes definitely required, there was no talks and even if there was talks, it would be ridiculous for a club to pick him up having played just two games in two years."
Young also cast doubts over Fremantle's management of his client's issues, indicating discussions had taken place between the two parties about Bennell's rehabilitation at the club.
"Unfortunately this year he didn't play much footy … whether that was due to the way they tried to rehab him back into playing," Young said at the time.
"He played an average of 17 games in five years on the Gold Coast.
"We weren't too sure if the way he was being rehabbed was the correct procedure, so there was some questions asked and hopefully this pre-season his new training regime will be good for him."
Suns coach Rodney Eade said Bennell was among the most talented yet most ill-disciplined players, from a training perspective, he has seen. Credit:AAP
When Bennell had his contract extended last August, Lyon said: "Weve invested so much, hes carried himself well … we need to find a solution.
"Clearly, its his last chance. If we cant get him up … make no doubt if we delisted Harley, another club would pick him up. I know that for a fact."
The Pinjarra-born Bennell managed two games with Fremantle towards the end of 2017 betwRead More – Source
