FORMER No.2 pick Harley Bennell has signed with VFL side Port Melbourne as he looks to re-launch his AFL career.
The 30-year-old played the last of his 88 AFL games in 2020 during his one and only season at Melbourne, his third AFL club.
More recently, he has been playing for the Tiwi Bombers in the Northern Territory and revealed last month he was keen to re-launch his AFL career.
"I'm heading off to Melbourne ... to give it one more crack," he told The West Australian.
"I think coming up here (Tiwi Islands) was the best thing for me, I've only been up here for five months but it's been a life-changing experience."
Originally drafted to the Gold Coast in 2010, Bennell played 81 games for the Suns before moving to Fremantle at the end of the 2015 season.
He played just two games in four injury-plagued years at the Dockers before departing in 2019.
He then moved to Melbourne but his time at the Dees ended abruptly when he left the club's Gold Coast hub in breach of the AFL's COVID protocols. He copped a four-match ban and the club was fined $50,000 before he announced his retirement.
"I'm really excited to get down to Melbourne to meet my new teammates and coaching staff for 2023," Bennell said on Thursday.
"I'm just happy to be playing footy at a high level again and whatever happens on the way is a bonus, so I'm going to enjoy this one."
Described by his former coach at Gold Coast Rodney Eade as potentially "an exceptional player in the competition", Bennell burst onto the scene with 38 disposals and four goals against the Demons in 2012, his second season in the AFL.
He kicked a career-high six goals against Geelong in 2014 but his career was marred by off-field indiscretions and the constant calf injuries that plagued his time at Fremantle.
If he gets back to his best at Port Melbourne, Bennell could well attract the attention of AFL clubs in this year's mid-season draft.
"When I spoke to Harley a few weeks ago and it was very evident to me from the start that he has a strong focus and desire to play at the highest level he can and play a major role in contributing to group success, which is exactly what we want at our club," Port Melbourne football manager Glenn Balmforth said.
"For us to have the opportunity to bring to our club somebody of Harley's calibre with his experience and on-field ability at this stage in the pre-season, is very exciting and we can't wait for him to get down to Melbourne and get started as he is sure to excite the red and blue faithful."
