FREMANTLE coach Ross Lyon says exiled Harley Bennell still has the chance to resurrect his AFL career but has offered no guarantees.
A "bitterly disappointed" Lyon lamented the Dockers so far hadn't received a return on their investment in the former Gold Coast star, but insists the 25-year-old can work his way back into the fold by meeting a series of requirements.
In early January, Bennell was involved in a scuffle at a Fremantle nightclub, prompting the Dockers to banish him to their WAFL affiliate Peel Thunder for two months.
Less-stressed Lyon finding rebuild 'enjoyable'
The club also imposed a fine of $15,000 ($5000 of which was suspended) and ordered him to undergo ongoing counselling.
This followed other off-field misdemeanours with both the Suns and the Dockers.
Bennell's two seasons with Fremantle were ruined by chronic calf injuries, but he appeared to be back on track when he played the final two games of last season.
Lyon was optimistic but philosophical about Bennell's playing future.
"We're all disappointed that Harley isn't with us and (that) the investment, at this point in time, hasn't paid off," Lyon told AFL.com.au.
"If we go over the last two years I could still make a strong case for a lot of the things Harley did right, but clearly some things have gone a way that we didn't enjoy and needed to be held accountable and addressed.
"But it's still solution-focused. It's not an execution – it's an opportunity to act your way back in. It's management by objective.
"Harley's got clear KPIs (key performance indicators) of skinfolds and run and a timeframe that he can grab hold of and walk back through the door. Harley just has to open it himself.
"But this eight-week period is really challenging (for him). Without support, it's going to challenge your desire and determination. So, I think if he can get through it without support, when you walk back through the door with support you're going to be in better shape to progress.
"We're bitterly disappointed. But talk's cheap and we've just got to get into action."
Lyon revealed that although Bennell was banned from entering the club, the two parties are still communicating.
"There's a base level of (communication). There's an open line if he needs some advice, but fundamentally he's at Peel," Lyon said.
"We need to know his whereabouts because of the AFL requirement of reporting, but for all intents and purposes he's not at the club.
"He wasn't in the team photo (and) hasn't set foot inside the club – which is what happened to Michael Walters (in 2012), what happened to Nick Davis at Sydney (in 2006).
"A corporate leadership company, which has nothing to do with AFL, rang the club and said they liked that there was a clear pathway back for Harley, so potentially it could be quite a healthy solution to the problem.
"Hopefully we're sitting here in 12 months' time and it's a positive ending.
"But I can't guarantee anything from here."
