ade ▁Team . ▁ ▁This ▁combination ▁made ▁him ▁notable ▁as ▁arg u ably ▁the ▁most ▁successful ▁of ▁the ▁Australian ▁sports men ▁linked ▁to ▁professional ▁American ▁Football ▁in ▁history . ▁ ▁Australian ▁rules ▁football ▁career ▁Ben nett ▁grew ▁up ▁in ▁Per th , ▁Western ▁Australia ▁where ▁he ▁began ▁playing ▁Australian ▁rules ▁football , ▁first ▁playing ▁senior ▁football ▁with ▁East ▁F rem ant le ▁in ▁the ▁West ▁Australian ▁Football ▁League . ▁His ▁career ▁with ▁the ▁Sh arks ▁was ▁sever ely ▁affected ▁by ▁inj uries ▁to ▁his ▁kne e , ▁which ▁kept ▁him ▁out ▁for ▁over ▁a ▁season ▁during ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁and ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁– ▁in ▁the ▁inter im ▁den ying ▁him ▁a ▁W AF L ▁premi ership . ▁However , ▁training ▁with ▁former ▁star ▁Harry ▁Ne es ham ▁allowed ▁Ben nett ▁to ▁be ▁fit ▁for ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁final s , ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁second ▁semi ▁he ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁player ▁ever ▁to ▁score ▁ten ▁goals ▁in ▁a ▁W A ( N ) FL ▁final . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁consequence ▁of ▁his ▁dev ast ating ▁late - 1 9 8 6 ▁form , ▁which ▁included ▁eleven ▁goals ▁in ▁the ▁last ▁round ▁against ▁Cla rem ont ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁his ▁second ▁semi ▁effort , ▁Ben nett ▁was ▁rec ru ited ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁West ▁Coast ▁E ag les ' ▁inaug ural ▁squad ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 7 . ▁A ▁serious ▁kne e ▁injury ▁cur ta iled ▁his ▁career ▁with ▁the ▁E ag les