Jump to content

Featured Replies

did you see Tyson giving it to him after he gave away that reversal?

It was unbelievably soft, just put his arm up to defend himself. One of about a dozen soft soft frees to Tiges.

 

vandenBerg is the Yin to Jack Watt's Yang

vandenBerg is the Yin to Jack Watt's Yang

Would have thought JV was the Yin.

Actually thought Watts got involved in more hard contests.

 

Anyone see that bump (could've been a tackle) he landed on the boundary in the first quarter?

Uses his body so well - great to watch

Said it before that he reminds me of Max Rooke in that he was that fierce half forward who would just crash into packs and provide huge forward pressure.

Massive unit. He is the reason Rohan Bail cannot break into the team.


Love him!

He's having more impact this season than what Petracca would have had, and we can inject Petracca as a new recruit ala Hogan in 2016. Not saying I'm happy Petracca went down injured when he did, but from a team perspective it hasn't worked out too badly.

To pluck someone from the Canberra leagues and see them impact AFL games straight away in this manner is rather impressive recruiting...

  • Author

Said it before that he reminds me of Max Rooke in that he was that fierce half forward who would just crash into packs and provide huge forward pressure.

Massive unit. He is the reason Rohan Bail cannot break into the team.

More Nathan Fyfe than Max Rooke.

Bail isn't in the same league as vandenBerg. That's like saying Jamar is keeping Toumpas out of the team.

That tackle on the boundary in the 3rd, oh my.

That reversal was BS. One of the multiple times King Rance dived and flopped around on the night, pathetic really.

 

He and Kent have got some genuine mongrel in them, and I like it.

As I sarcastically said about Kent in a thread last season - who knew recruiting actual footy players was the way to go?


BP didn't. But that's probably a bit unfair, wasn't he responsible for McDonald?

BP didn't. But that's probably a bit unfair, wasn't he responsible for McDonald?

Recruiting Tom [big tick], or 'moving on' Junior[big cross]?

More Nathan Fyfe than Max Rooke.

Bail isn't in the same league as vandenBerg. That's like saying Jamar is keeping Toumpas out of the team.

So that's why Toumpas is out of the team. We've been playing him in the wrong position—he's a ruckman!

Can't believe the speed of him. Ran straight passed Grigg who's not exactly slow.

You can't be 190cm, probably 90kg, strong, fast, hard and with decent endurance and be playing in the NEAFL. That's just not freaking fair.

I get how he had 60 touches, now I just don't get how he didn't have 60 a week!

More Nathan Fyfe than Max Rooke.

Bail isn't in the same league as vandenBerg. That's like saying Jamar is keeping Toumpas out of the team.

I mentioned Bail because of the Half forward role he played last year which now Vanders has taken.

He spreads hard, has pace, forward pressure, tackles hard.

No difference mate. Except Vandenberg is better.


i see vanburger as a real crowd favorite , just loves the contest im already a big fan , has a red hot go everytime ,

I mentioned Bail because of the Half forward role he played last year which now Vanders has taken.

He spreads hard, has pace, forward pressure, tackles hard.

No difference mate. Except Vandenberg is better.

No problem with your post and I think you're right! But vanders is now forming part of the midfield rotation. Playing wing, half forward and in the guts! Not sure who that means he's keeping out but it's bloody brilliant. He's rotating with the likes of Newton and Michie (when he was subbed on) and giving Brayshaw the freedom to develop on a half forward flank.


it's a great story (so far) isn't it maurie? seeing young players develop seemingly from nowhere is one of the delights for a footy follower

Barry Oakley wrote about this in "A Salute to the Great McCarthy" (1970).

"It is the story of McCarthy, the brilliant young footballer from the bush, and his adventures when he comes to the big city, determined to succeed."

Barry Oakley also wrote "Let's hear it for Prendergast".

Said it before that he reminds me of Max Rooke in that he was that fierce half forward who would just crash into packs and provide huge forward pressure.

Massive unit. He is the reason Rohan Bail cannot break into the team.

Max Rooke! Now he was a great, no nonsense player. Loved him.

Can't believe the speed of him. Ran straight passed Grigg who's not exactly slow.

You can't be 190cm, probably 90kg, strong, fast, hard and with decent endurance and be playing in the NEAFL. That's just not freaking fair.

I get how he had 60 touches, now I just don't get how he didn't have 60 a week!

As he was a top 3 mid in the NEAFL, he got ran with and concentrated on.

Again, I think the NEAFL has some very solid talents, just not the depth of the other state leagues.

 
  • Author

It was unbelievably soft, just put his arm up to defend himself. One of about a dozen soft soft frees to Tiges.

I only just saw this on the replay (didn't even know it happened at the game). It was soft, but stupid by vandenBerg, as much as we love his aggression he will quickly learn when to control things a bit.

Another three of this type thanks Taylor/Viney


Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

Featured Content

  • GAMEDAY: Rd 16 vs Gold Coast

    It's Game Day and the Demons are back on the road again and this may be the last roll of the dice to get their 2025 season back on track as they take on the Gold Coast Suns at People First Stadium.

      • Haha
    • 546 replies
  • PREVIEW: Gold Coast

    The Gold Coast Suns find themselves outside of the top eight for the first time since Round 1 with pressure is mounting on the entire organisation. Their coach Damien Hardwick expressed his frustration at his team’s condition last week by making a middle-finger gesture on television that earned him a fine for his troubles. He showed his desperation by claiming that Fox should pick up the tab.  There’s little doubt the Suns have shown improvement in 2025, and their position on the ladder is influenced to some extent by having played fewer games than their rivals for a playoff role at the end of the season, courtesy of the disruption caused by Cyclone Alfred in March.  However, they are following the same trajectory that hindered the club in past years whenever they appeared to be nearing their potential. As a consequence, that Hardwick gesture should be considered as more than a mere behavioral lapse. It’s a distress signal that does not bode well for the Queenslanders. While the Suns are eager to remain in contention with the top eight, Melbourne faces its own crisis, which is similarly deep-seated but in a much different way. After recovering from a disappointing start to the season and nearing a return to respectability among its peer clubs, the Demons have experienced a decline in status, driven by the fact that while their form has been reasonable (see their performance against the ladder leader in the Kings Birthday match), their conversion in front of goal is poor enough to rank last in the competition. Furthermore, their opponents find them exceptionally easy to score against. As a result, they have effectively eliminated themselves from the finals race and are again positioned to finish in the bottom half of the ladder.

    • 4 replies
  • NON-MFC: Round 15

    As the Demons head into their Bye Round, it's time to turn our attention to the other matches being played. Which teams are you tipping this week? And which results would be most favourable for the Demons if we can manage to turn our season around? Follow all the non-Melbourne games here and join the conversation as the ladder continues to take shape.

    • 287 replies
  • REPORT: Port Adelaide

    Of course, it’s not the backline, you might argue and you would probably be right. It’s the boot studder (do they still have them?), the midfield, the recruiting staff, the forward line, the kicking coach, the Board, the interchange bench, the supporters, the folk at Casey, the head coach and the club psychologist  It’s all of them and all of us for having expectations that were sufficiently high to have believed three weeks ago that a restoration of the Melbourne team to a position where we might still be in contention for a finals berth when the time for the midseason bye arrived. Now let’s look at what happened over the period of time since Melbourne overwhelmed the Sydney Swans at the MCG in late May when it kicked 8.2 to 5.3 in the final quarter (and that was after scoring 3.8 to two straight goals in the second term). 

    • 3 replies
  • CASEY: Essendon

    Casey’s unbeaten run was extended for at least another fortnight after the Demons overran a persistent Essendon line up by 29 points at ETU Stadium in Port Melbourne last night. After conceding the first goal of the evening, Casey went on a scoring spree from about ten minutes in, with five unanswered majors with its fleet of midsized runners headed by the much improved Paddy Cross who kicked two in quick succession and livewire Ricky Mentha who also kicked an early goal. Leading the charge was recruit of the year, Riley Bonner while Bailey Laurie continued his impressive vein of form. With Tom Campbell missing from the lineup, Will Verrall stepped up to the plate demonstrating his improvement under the veteran ruckman’s tutelage. The Demons were looking comfortable for much of the second quarter and held a 25-point lead until the Bombers struck back with two goals in the shadows of half time. On the other side of the main break their revival continued with first three goals of the half. Harry Sharp, who had been quiet scrambled in the Demons’ first score of the third term to bring the margin back to a single point at the 17 minute mark and the game became an arm-wrestle for the remainder of the quarter and into the final moments of the last.

    • 0 replies
  • PREGAME: Gold Coast

    The Demons have the Bye next week but then are on the road once again when they come up against the Gold Coast Suns on the Gold Coast in what could be a last ditch effort to salvage their season. Who comes in and who comes out?

      • Like
    • 372 replies