Country town a ‘buzz’ for former Fremantle Docker Harley Bennell who has helped reinvent the Harvey Bulls

There’s a buzz in the small South West dairy farming town of Harvey this September. Its beloved football club, the Harvey Bulls, have just endured the most difficult period in their history. A five-year finals absence, three straight wooden spoons and a dire two-year losing streak. But an astounding turnaround and some shrewd recruiting has catapulted the Bulls into a preliminary final — one win away from their first ever South West Football League grand final. President Joe Rognetta can’t make it down Uduc Road in town without being stopped by one of the club’s feverish supporters — so passionate they’ve been known to paint bulls in the club’s striking red, green and black colours and parade them at games. They want the inside word on their Bulls’ remarkable finals run, and they want to know about Harley Bennell. “There is a big buzz around the town. I could be walking through the streets and people are just bloody coming up to me and asking me questions and asking how we’re going to go,” Rognetta said. “The club is going really well. Our support, even at training is unbelievable. “It’s a playing group that are just loving each other ... I haven’t seen that in a long time.” The club won four games last season — its best year in half a decade — but none after medical reasons forced their coach to walk away, replaced by former South Fremantle captain Ned Fimmano. Former Peel Thunder assistant Mark Pink was appointed to the job ahead of this pre-season, but maybe the biggest boost came when they lured former number two draft pick and Gold Coast, Fremantle and Melbourne player Harley Bennell to Harvey. Bennell joined the club mid-way through the season, bringing his brother, former Collingwood player Johnny with him as well as cousin and former Perth Demons livewire Michael. “I can remember when I interviewed Harley ... ‘I said mate I’m not here to tell you how to play footy, because I know you can play footy, I just want you to be there for the young kids and set an example’,” Rognetta said. “He has not missed a training ... he has even travelled on a Friday night to watch our juniors. He has been something special for this club. “His attitude on the field has been great, he is helping everyone and he has been really good. The club has been bloody excited that we’ve got him, we’ve made the right move and he’s come to the town and everyone’s loving him. “He’s made so many friends and people just respect him and what he’s done and who he is.” The Bulls had to win their final two home-and-away games to make the finals, including a road trip to finals-bound Busselton. Once qualified, they made the same trip and won an elimination final the very next week. Then they beat powerhouse club and premiership fancies Bunbury and this Sunday they face the State’s most decorated country football club — South Bunbury — for a spot in this season’s decider. Former Peel forward Brad Holmes has won the league’s goal-kicking award for a second-straight year and Subiaco premiership player and Harvey boy Braden Fimmano is running with Bennell in midfield. “A couple of years ago we used to go to games going ‘what are we going to get beaten by’ — now our minds have changed,” Rognetta said. “There will be no one left in Harvey on Sunday.” Bennell will head north next for a summer stint at fabled Northern Territory club the Tiwi Bombers, which counts some of the game’s greatest ever Indigenous players among its alumni.