“This is the best I’ve felt in three or four years, so if we can keep the momentum going we should be good.” 

Aaron vandenBerg made a successful return to footy yesterday afternoon. ?

?: vandenBerg feeling fit after long-awaited return

Having him for a full season will be like having a new recruit but with a few pre seasons under his belt......love it

Massively important player for his pressure and tackling, but I've still never seen an AFL footballer struggle to hit handball targets like him. His kicking is very hit and miss too, so he has to get it done with his pressure game and his toughness can never be questioned.

I reckon it was Vanders' best game for a while!

I expected Vanderberg to still be coming along so cautiously that he wouldn't even play this weekend, so for him to be out there doing a few of the exact things that make us appreciate him as a player was a great moment.

Best scenario in my mind is the team in general finding form and Vandenberg needing to really press for AFL selection.  As it always should be.  But in his case it is particularly nice knowing that even were he to be in and out a bit as depth he would a) appreciate the opportunities fully, b) see it as part of making progress and c) be that rare thing, a depth player who opponents actually have to think about in their planning and playing.

  On 23/02/2020 at 04:10, Little Goffy said:

I expected Vanderberg to still be coming along so cautiously that he wouldn't even play this weekend, so for him to be out there doing a few of the exact things that make us appreciate him as a player was a great moment.

Best scenario in my mind is the team in general finding form and Vandenberg needing to really press for AFL selection.  As it always should be.  But in his case it is particularly nice knowing that even were he to be in and out a bit as depth he would a) appreciate the opportunities fully, b) see it as part of making progress and c) be that rare thing, a depth player who opponents actually have to think about in their planning and playing.

Vandenberg depth ?

  On 23/02/2020 at 04:25, loges said:

Vandenberg depth ?

I see your point and I don't intend my comment as a slight on Vandenberg.  It is just a fact that if the team is in form then it is likely we will be absolutely stacked for midfielders and half forwards and he'll have some work to do to establish himself.

In the midfield we look like now having Viney, Petracca, Brayshaw and Oliver as full time strong bodies, with presumably Salem, Harmes and a couple of others rolling through.

For the mid-sized forwards we've got Melksham and Fritsch basically locked in and a whole collection of other 'possibles' who Vandenberg will be competing with.

The addition of Langdon and Tomlinson has tightened the 22 quite a bit as well.

Vandenberg's physicality sets him apart and I think he is AFL quality, but if the team is up and about in general then, no, he is not a walk-up start for our best-22. 

Give him a season to find his best, though he may well play more and more as the season progresses and I'm sure there's a part of the coaching panel planning to time his peak for september as the positive side-effect of managing his loads early in the season.

https://www.afl.com.au/news/377069/no-golf-no-dog-forgotten-dee-hopes-sacrifices-pay-off-in-r1

Interesting article on the AFL website - really highlights how much his body has struggled with AFL. Had to give up his dog because he couldn't walk it apparently. Also states that he was on a modified preseason program, training twice a week (as opposed to the main group doing 4), with the aim of completing one full training session per week during the season and playing "most" games. 

The fact that he can make such an impact of such a low fitness base truly is a testament to the sheer willpower of the bloke.

  On 23/02/2020 at 05:34, Little Goffy said:

Vandenberg's physicality sets him apart and I think he is AFL quality, but if the team is up and about in general then, no, he is not a walk-up start for our best-22. 

I get what you're saying - he has his limitations, but I just can't leave him out of our best 22, simply for the fact that we're a better team when he's playing. 

Absolutely love the way Vanders goes about it. The sort of bloke that could be the difference in a grand final.

  On 23/02/2020 at 05:34, Little Goffy said:

I see your point and I don't intend my comment as a slight on Vandenberg.  It is just a fact that if the team is in form then it is likely we will be absolutely stacked for midfielders and half forwards and he'll have some work to do to establish himself.

In the midfield we look like now having Viney, Petracca, Brayshaw and Oliver as full time strong bodies, with presumably Salem, Harmes and a couple of others rolling through.

For the mid-sized forwards we've got Melksham and Fritsch basically locked in and a whole collection of other 'possibles' who Vandenberg will be competing with.

The addition of Langdon and Tomlinson has tightened the 22 quite a bit as well.

Vandenberg's physicality sets him apart and I think he is AFL quality, but if the team is up and about in general then, no, he is not a walk-up start for our best-22. 

Give him a season to find his best, though he may well play more and more as the season progresses and I'm sure there's a part of the coaching panel planning to time his peak for september as the positive side-effect of managing his loads early in the season.

I think he'd at least be on the bench, and if he's just depth this side is going a very long way.

Vandenberg is key to the manic forward pressure game that had us unravel top teams in 2018. Him crashing and hunting opens the congestion for others to wreak havoc. He can also mark and kick goals, and hurt the opposition fairly... a very useful trait in modern sanitised footy.

Edited February 23, 20205 yr by PaulRB

 Aaron vandenBerg has had to make sacrifices to get back from injury and play football at the top level again.

Aaron vandenBerg back on his feet after three tough years

  On 23/02/2020 at 03:17, A F said:

Massively important player for his pressure and tackling, but I've still never seen an AFL footballer struggle to hit handball targets like him. His kicking is very hit and miss too, so he has to get it done with his pressure game and his toughness can never be questioned.

In a two-way discussion of some length, it was determined, unanimously that:

• it is terrific to have AVB back on the field - and let's hope that he can be there every week without risk;
• AVB's role in footy for the Demons is to put people on the ground; and 
• AVB must chase at all times to scare the living daylights out of some recipient or several across a game, once he has put two or three down on the ground so that they have to live with the fact that they are not Demons!

 

Edited February 23, 20205 yr by Deemania since 56

  On 23/02/2020 at 07:09, PaulRB said:

Vandenberg is key to the manic forward pressure game that had us unravel top teams in 2018. Him crashing and hunting opens the congestion for others to wreak havoc. He can also mark and kick goals, and hurt the opposition fairly... a very useful trait in modern sanitised footy.

He wasn't there for much of 2018. He came back at the end of 2018 if I recall correctly.

Depth ... what an insult.

I have him in my top six most important players at our club because he brings a hard (almost nasty) edge to our midfield unit - go back and watch video of our Anzac Eve win against Richmond five years ago and you will see what i mean - the Tigers were jumping out of his way and we are talking the same ferocious team that won a flag two years later.

Olly and Trac are both big units that hunt the ball, but they don't hurt guys - that's why VDB makes us an intimidating unit especially against sides like Geelong and Collingwood that like to bully us.     

  On 23/02/2020 at 11:10, Deespicable said:

Olly and Trac are both big units that hunt the ball, but they don't hurt guys -

Oliver is one of the best tacklers in our team...he lays them and sticks them.

  On 23/02/2020 at 11:10, Deespicable said:

Olly and Trac are both big units that hunt the ball, but they don't hurt guys - that's why VDB makes us an intimidating unit especially against sides like Geelong and Collingwood that like to bully us.  

Agreed Ds.

I would have put AVB somewhere between our 6th to 10th best performers for game impact and contribution in the practice match just gone.

I'm guessing with the reduced training, he probably won't have the same capacity to pump out the kms in games, but he doesn't seem to have lost much/if any pace which is pretty impressive.  I don't think it matters so much if he can't cover as much ground in a game as he seems to have such good footy brain for where to position both himself and where he kicks the ball to.

Some have a bit of a chip on him for his disposal, but I think he generally makes pretty good decisions using the ball, and facilitates such good ball movement by busting tackles and breaking lines that he doesn't need the silky skills that some have.  He's a fairly decent shot for goal from what I recall too.

In just hope beyond hope that he can stay fit for the most important parts of the season.

  On 23/02/2020 at 07:09, PaulRB said:

Vandenberg is key to the manic forward pressure game that had us unravel top teams in 2018. Him crashing and hunting opens the congestion for others to wreak havoc. He can also mark and kick goals, and hurt the opposition fairly... a very useful trait in modern sanitised footy.

We didnt unravel any top teams in 2018, or at least not when it mattered. And we're so far away from that month of great footy, that who is a key or not to our current sides gameplan (Manic pressure) is in need of a dramatic revision over the next few months. VDB may very well be depth as the above poster said

Heck, brayshaw or Harmes could even find themselves depth if we're stacked with other mids and half backs in better form at some stage.

Edited February 23, 20205 yr by John Demonic

  On 23/02/2020 at 14:03, John Demonic said:

We didnt unravel any top teams in 2018, or at least not when it mattered. And we're so far away from that month of great footy, that who is a key or not to our current sides gameplan (Manic pressure) is in need of a dramatic revision over the next few months. VDB may very well be depth as the above poster said

Heck, brayshaw or Harmes could even find themselves depth if we're stacked with other mids and half backs in better form at some stage.

HMMMM West Coast  GWS Geelong Hawthorn in that order come to mind. Think Vanders played in all those games.

 

  On 23/02/2020 at 11:10, Deespicable said:

Olly and Trac are both big units that hunt the ball, but they don't hurt guys - that's why VDB makes us an intimidating unit especially against sides like Geelong and Collingwood that like to bully us.     

Jeremy McGovern says hi .( internal bleeding after a Trac hit in prelim ) 

Running hard at the footy with serious intent will always claim a few scalps - thats the only way to do it these days- Trac does that and can hurt .

Edited February 24, 20205 yr by CityDee

  On 24/02/2020 at 01:17, CityDee said:

Jeremy McGovern says hi .( internal bleeding after a Trac hit in prelim ) 

Running hard at the footy with serious intent will always claim a few scalps - thats the only way to do it these days- Trac does that and can hurt .

Well that would be a welcome first.

The knocks on his game are his disposal and likely a fitness/game minutes restriction and they are valid concerns. 

But a fitter inside mid quatet of Oliver, Viney, Petracca and we assume Gus plus Langdon and Tomlinson on the wings means we can have some lower minutes through the mid/forward group.

Vanders versatility means he can cover the wing rotations, have short bursts on ball - could switch with Petracca - and provide some pressure as a forward. Versatility + tone setting physicality + ability to break the lines adds makes a useful player even with skill errors.

Edited February 24, 20205 yr by DeeSpencer