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AFL great tells Freo to get rid of 'cancer' Bennell

Carlton great Mark Maclure has referred to troubled Fremantle star Harley Bennell as a "cancer" the Dockers need to remove.

The three-time AFL premiership player made the explosive comments on Fox Sports' program AFL 360 on Wednesday night.

Bennell was fined $10,000 and ordered to undergo counselling following his bizarre behaviour while watching a WAFL game last Saturday.

It's the latest incident in a series of off-field misdemeanours for the Freo star, and Maclure believes the club should wash its hands of the player.

"He's had a lot of strikes this guy. At his former club and at this club," Maclure said.

"We know the record but if you have a cancer at your footy club you must get rid of it.

"It's almost that, it's come to that stage. If someone's not pulling their weight you need to get rid of them immediately and (Dockers coach) Ross (Lyon) will make that call."

He'll probably end it at the end of this year. If he (Bennell) doesn't play by the end of this year, he'll go."

Lyon has refused to detail whether alcohol was a factor in Harley Bennell's latest off-field drama, and says he hasn't banned the troubled midfielder from drinking.

The 24-year-old twice interrupted the three-quarter time huddle of the match between Peel Thunder and Swan Districts to speak to his cousin Traye Bennell.

Half of the $10,000 fine has been suspended for 12 months.

Bennell was fined and made to undergo counselling. Pic: Ch7
Bennell was fined and made to undergo counselling. Pic: Ch7

Last month, Bennell was kicked off a Gold Coast-bound flight before it departed because he was intoxicated.

Bennell's seven-year AFL career has been blighted by a series of off-field misdemeanours.

The most serious of the lot came in 2015 when he was linked to drug use after photos emerged of him with lines of white powder.

The photos were taken in 2013.

Fremantle were dealt another blow on Wednesday when they announced midfielder Harley Balic has been granted indefinite leave so he can deal with personal issues.

Balic, who was taken with pick No.38 in the 2015 national draft, made his debut in round three this year, and went on to play four games.

The 20-year-old missed last week's win over Richmond with what the club listed as an illness, and the Dockers didn't elaborate on what personal problems Balic is dealing with.