Not quite the forgotten man but it seems he has put his year out to good use.  Also sounds like he is raring to go next year http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2017-08-11/vandenberg-sets-his-sights-on-2018

As he is out of contract this year I would not be surprised to see him re-contracted before too long. 

I'm sure it will be a popular re-signing.

Has had a tough couple of years, but in his time at the club he has shown enough to be given another year on the list to see if he can get his body right and be a positive contributor on field again.  

Is he the new JT ? 

John Travolta?

I think we've really missed him as a depth player this year. Has terrific toughness and size around the ball as we as good marking which we've totally lacked up the field especially. Hope he can get his body right well before pre-season. The only fault for him is I found him a bit slow but I definitely think there is a role for him leading up high half forward/wing with his ability to mark and win the ball around the contest. Hope he stays.

4 minutes ago, demonstone said:

John Travolta?

There's only one JT.

We need Vanders bigger body and bone crunching tackling. 

Best thing he's done for us was against the pies.  He went to tackle Pendles, who saw him coming and dropped the knees and ducked his head into the tackle to milk the free.  While many would have tried to avoid the contact, Vanders just said "fine, you want the high contact, you can have it" and absolutely HAMMERED him.  Beautiful play. 

44 minutes ago, RalphiusMaximus said:

Best thing he's done for us was against the pies.  He went to tackle Pendles, who saw him coming and dropped the knees and ducked his head into the tackle to milk the free.  While many would have tried to avoid the contact, Vanders just said "fine, you want the high contact, you can have it" and absolutely HAMMERED him.  Beautiful play. 

I like the fact I know exactly the moment you're talking about

I love that Vanders really strikes fear into the oppositions. He and Viney must make the night before the game the stuff of nightmares.  Hope he stays fit and gets a new contract. 

He can take a contested mark and is good up forward. Main, issue, as it is with so many others, is iffy disposal.

Should be given a rookie contract. Had a good 2015 but injury has crippled his last 2 years.  Not sure he will be back. 

has speed, loves a tackle, tough in the clinches...can't kick

if he can sort out the latter he'll be best 22, otherwise he's at best fringe

and i hope 100% that he can because his other attributes are great

1 hour ago, spirit of norm smith said:

Should be given a rookie contract. Had a good 2015 but injury has crippled his last 2 years.  Not sure he will be back. 

Agree... let's see him back on the park before we get excited

Would still love to see him build his tank and play at the centre bounce- I think we haven't seen close to what he's capable of.

I've noticed Vanders at Casey games with some sort of coaching role during the huddles.

1 hour ago, Emerald said:

I've noticed Vanders at Casey games with some sort of coaching role during the huddles.

He's the huddle coach.

17 minutes ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

He's the huddle coach.

New nick name for him is Huddle's.

1 minute ago, deebug said:

New nick name for him is Huddle's.

VanHuddles or HuddleBerg.

Edited August 11, 20177 yr by Ethan Tremblay

Just now, Ethan Tremblay said:

VanHuddles.

VanHuddles it is

9 hours ago, deebug said:

VanHuddles it is

I used to do Van Huddles .................. well not actually huddles.... when I borrowed my dad's panel van.

It  all turned to [censored] though when I got [censored] and pranged it.

Arrh the (wonderful) folly of youth.

 

Didn't we all? for me it was in the back seat of the v8 LX Torana, the back seat was quite rommy.

On Friday, August 11, 2017 at 6:57 PM, mongrel said:

I think we've really missed him as a depth player this year. Has terrific toughness and size around the ball as we as good marking which we've totally lacked up the field especially. Hope he can get his body right well before pre-season. The only fault for him is I found him a bit slow but I definitely think there is a role for him leading up high half forward/wing with his ability to mark and win the ball around the contest. Hope he stays.

His kicking is not the best

6 minutes ago, samcantstandya said:

His kicking is not the best

Will fit in nicely then.

I thought he kicked quite well early on. It then when to [censored] and I wondered if it had something with his ankle / heel problems.

Clearly wasn't the same player in 2016 that he was in 2015, especially given he'd done a full preseason to strip fitter and developed more of a professional footballers body than the local footballer who played in 2015.

Don't know or really care if he's best 22 or best 30, having those numbers let's you breed competition. 

I think Vanders would've been very handy today in the Weideman role given he's big enough to play as a small line up CHF (so would Tim Smith).