Gold Coast Suns player Harley Bennell pictured with lines of speed
EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS: HARLEY Bennell is at the centre of a major drug furore after shocking photos emerged of the Gold Coast Suns player with lines of illicit drugs.
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AFL rising star Harley Bennell is at the centre of a major drug furore after shocking photos emerged of the Gold Coast Suns player with lines of illicit drugs.
The pictures have rocked the AFL and the club, which is already in free fall after former player Karmichael Hunt implicated 12 players - including Bennell - in his statement to a Crime and Corruption Commission cocaine trafficking probe.
The Herald Sun has shown the photos to a senior integrity officer at the AFL.
LIVE: WATCH THE SUNS’ REACTION TO THE PHOTOS IN THE VIDEO PLAYER ABOVE
Last night, the AFL said it would review its illicit drugs policy and would work with the Suns to “manage the issue”.
These photos were taken after Bennell spent a big night drinking in Tasmania in March, 2013, just days before Round 1, and after he had gone back to a hotel room with an entourage of men and women.
The Herald Sun understands Bennell, who moved in with Hunt in 2011, attended a strip club in Launceston, and then headed back to a hotel to keep the party going.
Witnesses alleged Bennell snorted some of the substance, which they said was speed, and shared the rest before the sun came up.
At the time, Bennell, now 22, was being rested by his club after a busy pre-season that included being named best on ground in an Indigenous All Stars game.
This morning a Gold Coast Suns spokesman said Bennell’s wellbeing was the club’s primary focus.
“Our priority throughout the morning is the genuine concern for Harley and his welfare,” he said.
“We can’t underestimate the toll this could have and has had on his wellbeing. That remains our absolute focus at this time.”
In a statement regarding Bennell released this morning, AFL Players Association chief executive Paul Marsh said: “With respect to the current issue, we have been working closely with the player involved to provide him with as much support as possible.”
Mr Marsh said illicit drug use among AFL players was not a new issue and the league’s illicit drug policy was introduced to “educate, deter but also support” players.
Mr Marsh said while it had led to a significant decrease in the percentage of players testing positive to illicit drug usage, the association was working with the AFL on a review of the policy.
Read more from the association, plus further reaction, HERE
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No hiding awful truth
HARLEY Bennell has been feted for his on-field skill, but that reputation is now under threat from his off-field performance.
Photos have emerged of the Gold Coast Suns young gun racking up five lines of white powder — said to be speed — on a hotel desk.
They show him holding a rolled-up “lobster” (a $20 banknote), used to snort up lines of illegal drugs.
Dressed in a black V-neck T-shirt, he hunches over the hotel room table, before passing the banknote to a woman.
Witnesses said those present, including two women — one a worker from a local strip club — were all quite drunk.
Bennell was the Gold Coast Suns pick No.2 in the 2010 draft and is widely seen as a great talent.
But his short career has also been dogged with controversy.
“He’s an elite talent, but he’s also an elite party animal,” one source told the Herald Sun.
“There have been well-known whispers about his drug use for some time.”
He was fined $3000 and given a spent conviction over a New Year’s Eve 2013 brawl that led to charges of disorderly behaviour and possessing an article — a pool ball — with intent.
In March last year he was fined $860 for driving offences on his way home from training.
In May this year, he was one of three players dropped from the Suns for breaking club rules about drinking alcohol.
AFL head of corporate affairs Elizabeth Lukin said last night: “The AFL was made aware of the photographs (Wednesday) and have spoken with the club and representatives of the player.
“The AFL is very mindful of the health and welfare of the player involved, and will work closely with the club to manage this issue.”
“The AFL CEO, Gillon McLachlan said at the beginning of 2015 that the illicit drugs policy needed to be reviewed ... and that there was increasing industry evidence that the policy needed changes to make it more effective,” she said.
“The AFL is working with the Players Association and the Clubs to make changes to strengthen the policy.”
After being made aware of the photos, Suns chief Andrew Travis said: “Our first priority is the genuine concern for the player involved. Other issues will be considered over the coming days.”
The photos were supplied to the Herald Sun by a source.
Just nine days after they were taken, Bennell kicked the first goal, in under three minutes, in the Suns’ first-round match against St Kilda, which they won 90-77.
GIVE CLUBS CHANCE TO HELP DRUG USERS
GOLD COAST IN CRISIS ON AND OFF FIELD
He was left out of his side’s last pre-season game against Melbourne on March 16, and had the next week off before the season start, which is when he travelled to Tasmania.
Bennell made his AFL debut in round two of 2011, but was dropped for disciplinary reasons after the third-round clash. He returned in round five, only to be dropped again two weeks later.
He eventually returned from the reserves in round 11 against West Coast Eagles in Perth, his home city.
Bennell stayed longer in Perth than allowed by the club and missed a compulsory training session.
He was again dropped to the reserves, returning in round 15. But the team’s leadership group would not allow him to play.
He went on to finish the season with 14 goals from 14 games.
In 2012, he played every round and scored 25 goals, finishing second behind Gary Ablett Jr in the club’s best and fairest awards.
Bennell’s former housemate, Karmichael Hunt, was revealed this week to have told police that seven Suns players used significant quantities of cocaine at a party in a Gold Coast apartment in August last year — 17 months after these pictures were taken.
The Herald Sun has been told the photos were taken just after 3am at the Hotel Grand Chancellor in Launceston in March 2013.
Bennell is one of the “dirty dozen” Suns players Hunt named to police.
Hunt alleges the August celebration spilt over into a Mad Monday club lunch, and a week later five more players joined the seven on a four-day golf trip on which bags of cocaine were brought and consumed.
A crisis meeting was held at the club on Monday, during which players were urged to come forward if they were involved in the drug scandal.
“It is extremely disappointing to have a number of players named and allegedly involved in these activities,” Mr Travis told the Herald Sun following the meeting.
“Our club must face up to the issues, and we must demand higher standards of all at the club.”
The AFL said its own integrity unit would help the club interview players about any cocaine use and their association with Hunt.
On Wednesday night the Crime and Corruption Commission said its investigation is “focused on individuals who are alleged either to be involved in the south east Queensland syndicate or to have sourced illicit drugs from the syndicate.”
Its statement read: “While a range of information and allegations have been raised during the course of the investigation, the CCC does not have sufficient evidence to warrant further criminal charges against any player from the AFL, NRL or ARU.
“However, consistent with any law enforcement investigation, if new information comes to hand relevant to the CCC’s investigation, further charges may be considered.
“There are currently a number of matters before the courts resulting from this investigation.
“The courts are the appropriate and proper place for allegations and evidence to be presented and tested.”
The statement continued: “The CCC appreciates that the Gold Coast Suns are progressing their own internal processes but given that there are related matters before the courts, the CCC has advised the Suns (Wednesday) that it is unable to assist with any request for operational information.
“The CCC’s investigation continues, and it will therefore make no further comment at this time.”
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