Select grade below
- Round 4BYE
- Round 5Thu Apr 2516:10VS
Mineral Resources Park - Round 6Sat May 0414:30VS
Fremantle Community Bank Oval - Round 7Sat May 1114:30VS
Mineral Resources Park - Round 8Sat May 2514:30VS
East Fremantle Oval - Round 9Sun Jun 0214:30VS
Mineral Resources Park - Round 10BYE
- Round 11Sat Jun 1513:10VS
Lane Group Stadium - Round 12Sat Jun 2214:30VS
Revo Fitness Stadium - Round 13Sat Jun 2914:30VS
Mineral Resources Park - Round 14Sat Jul 0614:30VS
Mineral Resources Park - Round 15BYE
- Round 16Sat Jul 2014:30VS
Sullivan Logistics Stadium - Round 17Sat Jul 2714:30VS
Mineral Resources Park - Round 18Sat Aug 0311:10VS
Mineral Resources Park - Round 19Sat Aug 1014:30VS
Sullivan Logistics Stadium - Round 20Sat Aug 1714:30VS
Mineral Resources Park - Round 21Sat Aug 2414:30VS
Steel Blue Oval
Bennell wants to write his own success story
Lying on the couch watching Great Southern AFL products Mitch and Jeremy McGovern and Marley Williams play on the big stage forced Michael Bennell on to the doorstep of Perth Football Club.
Bennell grew up playing his football with Albany, kicking 11 goals in the Sharks’ only ever league victory in Great Southern Football League history.
It was there he played against the likes of the McGovern brothers and Williams, who have gone on to carve out successful AFL careers.
An impromptu meeting with Perth Football Manager Dale Ballantyne was the first step to Bennell joining the club, and he is now helping lead the Demons’ charge towards a breakthrough WAFL finals appearance.
“I was lazing around every day on the couch — I (had) seen the McGovern boys and Marley Williams doing their thing and it made me realise I need to do something,” Bennell said.
“I’m grateful Dale listened to my story. He invited me down to a training session and then I did a pre-season.
“Coming from down south, it’s been a big change but I’m just loving footy at the moment.”
The 24-year-old began the WAFL season in the reserves, kicking 15 goals in seven games, playing league in round nine.
From there, he has not looked back, booting three goals on debut and going on to bag 16 goals in just five matches.
Bennell’s path to Lathlain Park for weekly training is very different from that of most, catching two trains from his home in Maddington with music blaring in his headphones the whole way.
But it’s something that is working. The dynamic forward is averaging 3.2 goals per game — the most of any player in the WAFL competition.
Despite harbouring ambitions to play at the highest level, Bennell said his focus was on helping Perth reach the finals.
“I’m very happy — the hard pre-season I did is really working for me but I’ve still got some boxes to tick,” he said.
“I want to have a real impact in the next few weeks, put us in winnable position in games and help us make the finals.
“I have always dreamt of playing at the elite level. My best is still ahead of me but I’ve got to keep putting in the hard yards.”
Bennell is doing labouring and maintenance work for Indigenous Economic Solutions and says his life has never been better.
Originally published in the Albany Ad by Cameron Newbold.
Image Credit: The Sunday Times, Daniel Wilkins.