Fremantle are planning to unleash star midfielder Harley Bennell in this year’s WAFL finals series.

Bennell, 24, was today named in Peel Thunder’s reserves squad without playing in a calculated move by the Dockers that will help him qualify for State league finals.

The move counts towards the five appearances at either WAFL league or reserves level required to qualify an AFL-listed player for finals matches.

Bennell was required to sit in the stands at HBF Arena during Peel’s reserves game against West Perth under conditions required to make the game count. Fremantle exploited the loophole last year to allow Harley Balic to play in Peel’s finals campaign as the young midfielder was on the comeback trail from wrist surgery.

The ploy was reused as 20-year-old Balic yesterday made a welcome comeback to senior football for the first time in almost two months.

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Balic played for Peel’s league side in an encouraging development following his return to Fremantle last month.

Play Video Mitchell won the mark and goal of the year in 1990. The West Australian Video Mitchell won the mark and goal of the year in 1990.

The 2015 No.38 draft pick played four AFL games early in the season before being granted leave by the Dockers to allow him to return home to Victoria for personal reasons.

Bennell is still scheduled to make his own long-awaited playing return for Peel in next Saturday’s clash against East Perth at Leederville Oval.

Fremantle have taken a cautious approach with their injury-ridden playmaker as they attempt to avoid yet another costly setback with his troublesome calves.

Repeated calf strains have meant Bennell is yet to play an AFL game for the Dockers more than 18 months after being traded from Gold Coast.

Peel have six home-and-away games left before WAFL finals, leaving Fremantle with a narrow window to qualify Bennell.

Camera Icon Bennell in the stands yesterday. Credit: Daniel Wilkins

“If Peel are playing finals, he could play Peel finals and then roll into a pre-season,” Dockers coach Ross Lyon said this week. “That would really be a great scenario for Harley and us.”

The plan to use Bennell in finals looms as a massive boost to Peel’s chances of defending last year’s maiden premiership.

Peel won all four finals and surged to an emphatic grand final triumph over Subiaco last year on the back of fielding 17 Fremantle-listed players.

The WAFL have since tightened league rules to only allow Peel or East Perth to play a maximum of 15 AFL-listed players in any one final.

In a statement, Fremantle defended their decision to name Bennell.

“Peel’s naming of Harley Bennell in the Peel reserves squad is in accordance with the WAFL rules,” a Fremantle spokesman said.

Senior WAFL figures, including South Fremantle president Haydn Raitt and Perth chief executive Marty Atkins, have been highly critical of the loophole that previously allowed Balic to become a premiership player at Peel.