Despite Harley Bennell’s latest setback, Fremantle remain upbeat about his AFL future.
Bennell has only played two AFL games since joining the Dockers from Gold Coast after the 2015 season.
On the field, he has struggled with repeated calf muscle injuries and off it, he has a history of indiscretions.
But speaking before Sunday’s loss to Collingwood, Dockers chief executive Steve Rosich said they hoped to re-sign Bennell for next season.
Speaking after the game, coach Ross Lyon was similarly confident.
Bennell left the field with a tight calf while playing for Peel Thunder in the WAFL on Saturday, but Lyon said it appeared to be a minor glitch in his comeback.
“Am I confident in his attitude to do the work? Well, that’s been unfailing,” Lyon said.
“It’s well-documented that he works incredibly hard and all of us when we get devastated and challenged sometimes we don’t handle the way we should – and he would acknowledge he hasn’t been perfect.
“We’re more confident at this point in time than we’ve ever been, even withstanding him being tapped out on the weekend.
“We all know what we’re dealing with here – otherwise you wouldn’t be talking about someone who hasn’t played for two years.”
There is no doubting the indigenous midfielder’s ability and Lyon hopes the 25-year-old is back on the field soon.
“It was Sir Doug Nicholls round this weekend and Harley sits in that basket of a young Noongar player who can really express himself on the footy field and build his life,” Lyon said.
“So we’d all like to see that happen.”
The Dockers were no match for the Magpies after making six changes, four unforced, that cost them more than 1000 games of AFL experience.
“We’ll continue to persist … we were bold at selection and we’ll continue to be bold,” Lyon said.