Jump to content

vandenBerg 2.0



Recommended Posts

Without doubt, the biggest recruiting success and bargain of this year has been Aaron vandenBerg.

Strong, big bodied, goes hard for the ball and the man, with decent enough skills and can play in a variety of positions. The fact that he was physically developed enough to play day one was also a huge bonus. He isn't just another Magner who faded after a promising start, this guy can seriously play and will play for many years to come.

Therefore, what other players like vandenBerg are out there in state leagues who can step up and provide instant support and depth to our midfield?

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Without doubt, the biggest recruiting success and bargain of this year has been Aaron vandenBerg.

Strong, big bodied, goes hard for the ball and the man, with decent enough skills and can play in a variety of positions. The fact that he was physically developed enough to play day one was also a huge bonus. He isn't just another Magner who faded after a promising start, this guy can seriously play and will play for many years to come.

Therefore, what other players like vandenBerg are out there in state leagues who can step up and provide instant support and depth to our midfield?

I'm a massive fan however I think his skills are below par. He definitely needs a lot of work here.

Pretty sure however he did minimal preseason so a bit of extra training of the skills while half cooked should do him wonders.

His game against the dogs this year was fantastic and I think gave us a glimpse of what he can do if he plays as an inside mid.

Love his aggression at the pill and at the man and excited about his future.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm a massive fan however I think his skills are below par. He definitely needs a lot of work here.

Pretty sure however he did minimal preseason so a bit of extra training of the skills while half cooked should do him wonders.

His game against the dogs this year was fantastic and I think gave us a glimpse of what he can do if he plays as an inside mid.

Love his aggression at the pill and at the man and excited about his future.

No doubt the skills are his weakness, but I can't remember the last time an untried player with some many positive attributes (outside of Hogan) walked into our team. I guarantee if he was playing on the weekend he wouldn't have put up such a weak effort.

If we can land just one more player of this type for a bargain price then it will fast-track the development of a lot of our younger players.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Barlow's skill has improved light years since his days at Werribee.

Yep, and I expect Vanders to be the same...he's got all the basics to build on, just needs to adjust a bit more to AFL level and getting a good preseason under the belt will really help.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Every club is looking for that bargain mature age recruit. Don't know of any but I can guarantee one club out there will take a punt on someone and it will pay off just like we have done with Vanders.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The thing abput vanders was that we found him by accident while watching Frost.

Thats not right.

Jason Taylor has been watching him since he was 15 and has been in touch since. Taylor is very big fan of him and i can see why.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

Getting a little bit excited for next year...

His old coach at Ainslie went down to Melbourne and watched training and said that he saw Vanders dominate the way he dominated at Ainslie.

Now, that might not be the nicest thing to say about the other players but it makes me think he will avoid the second year blues if healthy.

In the guts and leave him there.

  • Like 12
Link to comment
Share on other sites

47 minutes ago, rpfc said:

Getting a little bit excited for next year...

His old coach at Ainslie went down to Melbourne and watched training and said that he saw Vanders dominate the way he dominated at Ainslie.

Now, that might not be the nicest thing to say about the other players but it makes me think he will avoid the second year blues if healthy.

In the guts and leave him there.

He out-swaggered CP5 in the drills on Monday (talk, stirring and nailing skills) I thought the prospect of the two of them rotating through the midfield is a yet to be identified syndrome for future AFL retirees.  

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

A better fitness base meaning less fatigue and a year of AFL experience under his belt will hopefully see the skills improve.

I find it interesting to watch younger ( new)  players adapting to the pace of the AFL. Salem is a good case study - he has silky skills. He hardly wasted a possession last season. In his first season however, he did turn the football over a bit purely because he occasionally rushed his disposal thinking he had less time than he actually did.  This is not a criticism of Salem but an acknowledgement that new players to the AFL can take a little time to adapt to the pace - in the early days some rush their disposal whilst others get caught a bit - I thought the Vanders did rush his disposal last season.

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites


4 minutes ago, billy2803 said:

I liked what I saw (early) of Magner.  Not sure if he was ever going to make it, but the coaching at the time ensured he wouldn't.

Then he started opening his mouth to the media about our club, so I lost all respect for him after that.

I still can't believe how badly Magner was treated. He was never going to be more than a top up player but gees in his last year he was clearly in the best 18 at Melbourne but they would not pick him despite the fact that our mids got smashed week in week out.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, Cranky Franky said:

I still can't believe how badly Magner was treated. He was never going to be more than a top up player but gees in his last year he was clearly in the best 18 at Melbourne but they would not pick him despite the fact that our mids got smashed week in week out.

What I never understood was where we played him - he was a one position player - that is at the bottom of the pack in the centre square. He was always an inside mid feeding the ball out  - nothing more. He had a few early games when he did quite well as an inside mid and then we tried to turn him into a defensive forward ? WTF ?

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 minutes ago, Cranky Franky said:

I still can't believe how badly Magner was treated. He was never going to be more than a top up player but gees in his last year he was clearly in the best 18 at Melbourne but they would not pick him despite the fact that our mids got smashed week in week out.

If Magner was that good where is he playing now?

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

29 minutes ago, nutbean said:

What I never understood was where we played him - he was a one position player - that is at the bottom of the pack in the centre square. He was always an inside mid feeding the ball out  - nothing more. He had a few early games when he did quite well as an inside mid and then we tried to turn him into a defensive forward ? WTF ?

It was Neelds brilliant football mind.. He was a free thinking coach with a real capacity to transform players. Turning semi good ones into very average ones and average ones into complete duds. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

25 minutes ago, ManDee said:

If Magner was that good where is he playing now?

Signed at Heidelberg actually.

 

Liked Magner until he ran his little mouth off like a spoilt brat. Was as slow as Brock Mclean and like Luke Tapscott was way too big for a midfielder who couldn't keep up with the midfielders of the game.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Signed at Heidelberg actually.

 

Liked Magner until he ran his little mouth off like a spoilt brat. Was as slow as Brock Mclean and like Luke Tapscott was way too big for a midfielder who couldn't keep up with the midfielders of the game.

James Magner
Personal information
Full name James Magner
Date of birth 12 August 1987 (age 28)
Original team(s) Dandenong Stingrays (TAC Cup)
Draft No. 42, 2011 AFL Draft, Melbourne
Height/Weight 178 cm / 82 kg
Position(s) Midfielder
Club information
Current club Port Melbourne

 

Way too big?

 

Gary Jnr Ablett  
#9   Gold Coast Suns
Age: 31yr 7mth    Games: 274     Born: May 14, 1984    
Height: 182cm     Weight: 85kg     Position: Midfield

 

Nathan Fyfe  
#7   Fremantle Dockers
Age: 24yr 2mth    Games: 112     Born: September 18, 1991    
Height: 190cm     Weight: 88kg     Position: Midfield

or the same as Jack Viney, way too big.

Jack Viney  
#7   Melbourne Demons
Age: 21yr 8mth    Games: 49     Born: April 13, 1994    
Height: 178cm     Weight: 82kg     Position: Midfield

 

 

Edited by ManDee
Link to comment
Share on other sites

43 minutes ago, Cranky Franky said:

I still can't believe how badly Magner was treated. He was never going to be more than a top up player but gees in his last year he was clearly in the best 18 at Melbourne but they would not pick him despite the fact that our mids got smashed week in week out.

He should never expected any more than he got. Whether he was good enough to be in the best 18 or not, he always should have known he was there to protect the kids only, not impede their development by robbing them of the chance to play. We got nothing out of playing him.

39 minutes ago, nutbean said:

What I never understood was where we played him - he was a one position player - that is at the bottom of the pack in the centre square. He was always an inside mid feeding the ball out  - nothing more. He had a few early games when he did quite well as an inside mid and then we tried to turn him into a defensive forward ? WTF ?

I think we gave him a chance to prove us wrong; that he did have other facets to his game and could be more versatile than to just play as an average extractor and nothing more. Unfortunately for Magner everyone's first impression proved to be true.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Demonland Forums  

  • Match Previews, Reports & Articles  

    2024 Player Reviews: #31 Bayley Fritsch

    Once again the club’s top goal scorer but he had a few uncharacteristic flat spots during the season and the club will be looking for much better from him in 2025. Date of Birth: 6 December 1996 Height: 188cm Games MFC 2024: 23 Career Total: 149 Goals MFC 2024: 41 Career Total: 252 Brownlow Medal Votes: 4

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 8

    2024 Player Reviews: #18 Jake Melksham

    After sustaining a torn ACL in the final match of the 2023 season Jake added a bit to the attack late in the 2024 season upon his return. He has re-signed on to the Demons for 1 more season in 2025. Date of Birth: 12 August 1991 Height: 186cm Games MFC 2024: 8 Career Total: 229 Goals MFC 2024: 8 Career Total: 188

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 5

    2024 Player Reviews: #3 Christian Salem

    The luckless Salem suffered a hamstring injury against the Lions early in the season and, after missing a number of games, he was never at his best. He was also inconvenienced by minor niggles later in the season. This was a blow for the club that sorely needed him to fill gaps in the midfield at times as well as to do his best work in defence. Date of Birth: 15 July 1995 Height: 184cm Games MFC 2024: 17 Career Total: 176 Goals MFC 2024: 1 Career Total: 26 Brownlow Meda

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 8

    2024 Player Reviews: #39 Koltyn Tholstrop

    The first round draft pick at #13 from twelve months ago the strongly built medium forward has had an impressive introduction to AFL football and is expected to spend more midfield moments as his career progresses. Date of Birth: 25 July 2005 Height: 186cm Games MFC 2024: 10 Career Total: 10 Goals MFC 2024: 5 Career Total: 5 Games CDFC 2024: 7 Goals CDFC 2024: 4

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 6

    2024 Player Reviews: #42 Daniel Turner

    The move of “Disco” to a key forward post looks like bearing fruit. Turner has good hands, moves well and appears to be learning the forward craft well. Will be an interesting watch in 2025. Date of Birth: January 28, 2002 Height: 195cm Games MFC 2024: 15 Career Total: 18 Goals MFC 2024: 17 Career Total: 17 Games CDFC 2024: 1 Goals CDFC 2024:  1

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 15

    2024 Player Reviews: #8 Jake Lever

    The Demon’s key defender and backline leader had his share of injuries and niggles throughout the season which prevented him from performing at his peak.  Date of Birth: 5 March 1996 Height: 195cm Games MFC 2024: 18 Career Total: 178 Goals MFC 2024: 1 Career Total: 5

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 1

    2024 Player Reviews: #13 Clayton Oliver

    Lack of preparation after a problematic preseason prevented Oliver from reaching the high standards set before last year’s hamstring woes. He carried injury right through the back half of the season and was controversially involved in a potential move during the trade period that was ultimately shut down by the club. Date of Birth:  22 July 1997 Height:  189cm Games MFC 2024:  21 Career Total: 183 Goals MFC 2024: 3 Career Total: 54 Brownlow Medal Votes: 5

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 19

    BLOODY BLUES by Meggs

    The conclusion to Narrm’s home and away season was the inevitable let down by the bloody Blues  who meekly capitulated to the Bombers.   The 2024 season fixture handicapped the Demons chances from the get-go with Port Adelaide, Brisbane and Essendon advantaged with enough gimme games to ensure a tough road to the finals, especially after a slew of early season injuries to star players cost wins and percentage.     As we strode confidently through the gates of Prin

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 3

    2024 Player Reviews: #5 Christian Petracca

    Melbourne’s most important player who dominated the first half of the season until his untimely injury in the Kings Birthday clash put an end to his season. At the time, he was on his way to many personal honours and the club in strong finals contention. When the season did end for Melbourne and Petracca was slowly recovering, he was engulfed in controversy about a possible move of clubs amid claims about his treatment by the club in the immediate aftermath of his injury. Date of Birth: 4 J

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 21
  • Tell a friend

    Love Demonland? Tell a friend!

×
×
  • Create New...