New details have emerged of Demon Harley Bennell’s COVID protocol breach on the Gold Coast, with police finding the former Docker stranded on the side of the road.

According to SEN’s Sam Edmund, Melbourne footy officials now have “genuine concern” for the talented but injury-prone mid who has not returned to the club’s base since his breach was discovered.

Edmund confirmed Bennell had been drinking at the club’s Twin Waters resort hub on Friday night after being left out of the side to play Essendon, and then disappeared on Saturday morning.

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“Anyone who has had anything to do with Harley over the journey will tell you (his drinking) is where generally nothing good happens,” Edmund said.

“He didn’t go to a bar or a pub or anything as was reported.

“On Saturday morning and without permission, he’s got in a car and driven to the Gold Coast to meet up with a friend down there.”

Once it was realised by Melbourne staff and players who remained at the resort base that Bennell was not present, the alarm was raised.

“He’s managed to run out of petrol on the way (to the Gold Coast). He’s been found by police who assisted him in refuelling and also breath tested him for alcohol. He was found to be under the legal limit,” Edmund said.

“But when questioned by the Demons, Bennell tells them he needed to swap his car for a bigger car to get a baby seat for his daughter… the Demons aren’t sure what’s fact or fiction.

“To be honest they’ve lost a fair bit of trust in Harley Bennell.”

The latest breach means it’s likely to be career over for Bennell, who has been hit with a four-match ban and ordered to return home to WA.

Edmund said the outcome was a sad end for Bennell who had been a “model citizen 99 per cent of his time at Melbourne” and was a “good chance” to secure a contract extension.

Bennell was gifted an AFL lifeline by the Demons at the start of 2020 after an injury-hit four years at the Dockers where he managed just two games before being delisted in 2019.