SWFL men’s: Harley Bennell cleared back to Harvey Bulls for one-off appearance

The suburban football odyssey of Harley Bennell has continued, with the former AFL star cleared back to South West Football League side Harvey Bulls to make a sole appearance for the club’s reserves team. After playing for four different sides across WA and Victoria so far this year, Bennell returned to the club he played 23 games for across the 2022 and 2023 seasons and featured in their 12-point reserves loss to Bunbury on Saturday. Harvey Bulls president Joe Rognetta confirmed to the South Western Times the reunion with Bennell was a one-off to play with friends and he had no further plans to continue representing the club. He had initially planned to stay in the league for the 2024 season while switching clubs, with Eaton announcing his signing in November last year, but he left the Boomers on the eve of the season without featuring in a game. Bennell started his 2024 season by featuring for Central Wheatbelt Football League side Bencubbin, where his former Fremantle teammate Brandon Matera is in a player-coach role, in their season opener. He then headed to Victoria for a trio of one-game outings with country clubs Wahgunyah, Wodonga Raiders and Melton South. His sole appearance for Wahgunyah saw him boot six goals and help the Lions snap a 1037-day losing streak. A prodigious talent but beset by injuries, Bennell played 88 AFL games across a 10-year career with Melbourne, Fremantle and Gold Coast.