Troubled Fremantle midfielder Harley Bennell has suffered yet another calf injury and will not play in this weeks derby against West Coast, according to former Dockers star Paul Hasleby.
Speaking on Sportsday WA, Hasleby said Bennell had reportedly reinjured his troublesome calf while playing for Peel Thunder in the WAFL on the weekend.
Harley Bennell crossed to Fremantle from the Gold Coast Suns.
Photo: AAP
After playing the last month or so in the WAFL, Bennell was widely expected to be selected by Fremantle for his first game of the season this week.
But that looks unlikely now and, given there are only four games remaining in the season, the out-of-contract Bennell will probably sit out the rest of 2018.
“I do not believe he will play in the western derby,” Hasleby said of Bennell.
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“There are fresh concerns that he may have hurt his calf again, he struggled to finish the game with Peel Thunder on the weekend.
“He was very good, its devastating because he was very good, hes had two games back now where he hasnt been on reduced minutes, hes just been able to go out there and play.
“He wouldve come into the team if he was fit, ready and raring to go but fresh concerns that perhaps he has hurt his calf again and may miss the rest of the season given his history with that so that is devastating news for Harley Bennell and the Fremantle Dockers.”
Bennell has had a horrid time since crossing to the Dockers from Gold Coast at the end of 2015, managing just two games in three seasons.
The former Suns calf issues were so bad at one stage that he travelled to Germany in December 2016 to have the muscle examined by internationally-renowned specialist Dr Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfarht who has treated legendary sprinter Usain Bolt and former Geelong premiership player Max Rooke.
Despite hardly playing for the Dockers since arriving at the club, coach Ross Lyon recently said he would like to re-sign the 25-year-old for the 2019 season.
