Harley Balic Biography

Harley Balic passes away just days after turning 25.

Harley Balic has announced his immediate retirement from the AFL after falling out of love with the sport.

The 21-year-old joined Melbourne in the off-season after playing four matches in two seasons at Fremantle, where he struggled with homesickness and "depressive episodes".

He kicked 16 goals in 11 games this year for the Demons' VFL affiliate Casey, including a six-goal haul against Coburg in round one, but was unable to break into the club's senior line-up.

"I've always loved football, but my heart's not in it and everything ends up being a grind and I think it's just the right thing to do," Balic said.

"It's time to go out into the real world and see what else is out there for me."

Melbourne recruit Harley Balic says it was tough having to deal with injuries at Fremantle, away from home.

"I started feeling not like myself. I got some bad anxiety and even panic attacks," Balic said.

"I went through stages where I'd shut myself off and I started becoming really unhappy."

Balic was granted a leave of absence by Fremantle in round 8 of 2017, which saw him return to be closer to family in Melbourne.

"Eventually how I was feeling mentally, I realised that if I didn't get right I wasn't going to play good football," Balic said.

"So I came back and looked at a lot of things, spent some time with friends and family and felt happier with those people around me and I knew that's where I wanted to be."

Docker-turned-Demon Harley Ballic opens up about the homesickness, isolation and personal issues that marred his two years with Fremantle and made him desperate to return to loved ones in Melbourne.

"The homesickness and the isolation over there and not having anyone there for my ups and downs probably was the biggest thing," Balic said.

"It was tough. I had some setbacks and some personal things going on and homesickness and it just all got too much for me to keep pushing through by myself."

Harley Balic is secured by Melbourne on a one-year contract after the club sent pick No.66 to Fremantle.

"I thank the football club for believing in me and drafting me. Not only did they believe in me, they helped shape me as a person on and off the field," Balic said of Fremantle.

"They helped me overcome a wrist injury, as well as helping me off the field to become a much stronger and overall a much better person.

"I couldn't stress enough how thankful I am to be given the opportunity to pursue a lifelong dream."

Fremantle is open to trading youngster Harley Balic to a Victorian club after the midfielder requested a trade back to his home state.

Balic was granted an indefinite leave of absence from the Dockers on two occasions in 2017 for personal reasons after a bright start to his AFL career.

"Harley really started his career with Freo pretty well, he played some good senior footy. And even at Peel he came back for a game recently and had 28 touches," Dockers list manager Brad Lloyd said.

"He's indicated he'd like to get back to Melbourne if he could and we'll work with him and his manager. We'll work through that in the trade period."

Harley Balic has been granted another period of indefinite leave from the club after straining his hamstring at training.

"It is in Harley Balic’s best interests to take a further leave of absence and we will continue to provide him with all the support and resources that he requires," general manager of football operations Chris Bond said.

Harley Balic returns to Fremantle after taking a month of personal leave.

Harley Balic has been granted indefinite leave from the Dockers to deal with a personal issue.

Balic missed Fremantle's win over Richmond, with the club's official reason for his absence stated as "illness".

"The club and Harley have agreed that it is in his best long-term interest to take a leave of absence to deal with a personal issue," Fremantle general manager of football operations Chris Bond said in a statement.

"As we do with all of our players, we will continue to provide Harley with all the support and resources that he requires."

Harley Balic makes his AFL debut for Fremantle with 8 disposals (3 kicks and 5 handballs), a mark and 3 tackles in a 16-point win over the Western Bulldogs.

Fremantle is yet to determine whether draftee Harley Balic will play in his debut season after the midfielder underwent successful surgery on his left wrist.

Balic, who fractured the scaphoid bone in his wrist playing basketball as a junior, underwent surgery on Tuesday, with the club receiving positive feedback from the surgeon.

The Dockers stopped short of ruling him out for the season but is expected to take a conservative approach with the 19-year-old, who was seen as a bargain recruit in last year's NAB AFL Draft at pick No.38.

"[Balic] will continue to be assessed by medical staff throughout the year to determine the next course of action with his recovery," the club said in a statement.

Harley Balic will consult a specialist next week in relation to his troublesome left wrist.

When Balic joined the Dockers at pick No.38 in last year's NAB AFL Draft, he had already undergone two operations after fracturing his scaphoid bone dunking a basketball in 2013.

Balic's most recent operation was in August last year and he has largely been confined to Fremantle's rehab group during his first AFL pre-season.

Fremantle select Harley Balic with pick No.27 in the 2015 NAB AFL Draft.

Balic, an intelligent midfielder/half-forward, may have slipped so low thanks to the serious wrist injury he suffered while dunking a basketball on his school court at Parkdale College two years ago.

Not realising the extent of the damage to his wrist, Balic continued to play football and basketball that season.

It was only later that damage to his fractured scaphoid was revealed.

He had surgery and played out the 2014 season, but the injury resurfaced and he learned in January this year that he would need more surgery.

Keen to keep taking the field, he managed to delay the operation until the end of this season, though it meant he missed testing at the Draft Combine.

"We were [surprised he was around at pick No. 38] ... he was invited to the draft tonight and they usually invite about 20 kids," Dockers list manager Brad Lloyd said.

"For him to get through to that second round, we were pleasantly surprised."