View Full Version : Richie Vandenberg - Thoughts on his future at the club?
philhawk
28 Aug 2006, 23:40
If a player was rated on the passion he displayed for his club, Richie Vandenberg would be in the Top 2 players in the competition.
For many years now, Richie has been a tireless contributor but unfortunately since being made captain, his position in the team (from an outside perspective), has come into question more than ever. While i'm fairly sure that we'll see a new captain at Hawthorn next year, where will that leave Richie? Will he continue in the team or will 2007 perhaps be one of his last years at the club? Don't get me wrong, I think he's had a reasonable good year this year (at least in comparison to last year), but (IMO) he doesn't really offer much bar experience and a 'hard body' in the team.
I think when it comes down to it, we can only afford to have 2 of those 'types' in the team. Guerra, Osbourne (the forgotten man) and Vandenberg are these three players. While i'm all for retaining Vandenberg, the position of the other two in the team at least then must come into question.
Thoughts?
Dr_Mutley
28 Aug 2006, 23:56
I think when it comes down to it, we can only afford to have 2 of those 'types' in the team. Guerra, Osbourne (the forgotten man) and Vandenberg are these three players. While i'm all for retaining Vandenberg, the position of the other two in the team at least then must come into question.
Thoughts?
I dont think those 3 players have much in common in what they offer the team... i think the only common thing is their toughness... i think Osborne offers the most in terms of being a hard creative backline/midfield player, who can do a reasonable jobs against taller opponents... but adds considerable run, however can be overly loose in doing so...
Guerra gives us someone who can get 20 posessions consistently on a flank, and use his excellent disposal from kick outs and in general play...his most useful attribute is his toughness tho, as hawthorn has been blessed with too many pretty boys in the past, and we have foolishly traded away too many tough players to perpetuate that (Barnnard, Scott etc etc)...
Vanders i think will still offer something to the club in the next 2 seasons.. beyond that i fail to see much.. i think he will do much better with the weight of captaincy off his shoulders, getting the captaincy at a time when there was bugger all options... once again he offers some hardness to what is currently a pretty meek team in terms of toughness....
Maybe not as skipper, but RV has as much future at that club as just about anyone.....I don't even know why it's in question. To my mind, it definitely ain't....
SA HAWK
29 Aug 2006, 01:48
Definately has a few years left in him yet. Maybe not as captain though.
(IMO) he doesn't really offer much bar experience and a 'hard body' in the team.
Next time you're at a game live, have a look off the ball and see who does the hard running to present an option when the ball's coming out of the backline.
Changa, Crawf, Clarke and you-know-who.
Now cast your mind back to when we were at our crappiest this year. Changa out of form, Crawf and Butch injured, Vander suspended.
Coincidence?
Vander is safe until the kids get the engine and work ethic to replace him.
philhawk
29 Aug 2006, 08:22
Next time you're at a game live, have a look off the ball and see who does the hard running to present an option when the ball's coming out of the backline.
Changa, Crawf, Clarke and you-know-who.
Now cast your mind back to when we were at our crappiest this year. Changa out of form, Crawf and Butch injured, Vander suspended.
Coincidence?
Vander is safe until the kids get the engine and work ethic to replace him.
Sorry, I would have thought it was the captains job there and then to not get suspended, given the circumstances on the injury front.
He will be captain next year and possibly in 2008, he has had a much improved year on last season.
hawkaz1
29 Aug 2006, 09:55
I doubt he will be captain next year, but he is still a valuable player and he should be playing for a few more years
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d107/GaryShadforth/welcome441.gif
hawkaz1
Osborne is a player i really rate ,he's hard at it and creative and reads play well when the opposition runs the ball into our backline ,it's no coincidence the season went pear shaped when he broke his foot .
Our backline really missed him, KEEP HIM
Sorry, I would have thought it was the captains job there and then to not get suspended, given the circumstances on the injury front.
I'm not arguing the captaincy - I think it should be given to Sam. I'm arguing your premise that "he doesn't really offer much bar experience and a 'hard body' in the team".
Roughie
29 Aug 2006, 11:08
Once he looses his captaincy he will be playing 16 games a year or less. He will be in and out of the team if he doesnt find consistancy.
cschreuder61
29 Aug 2006, 11:34
Interesting old Vanders. I like his efforts and think normally he would make an AFL side but we happened to have the inside mids covered. Even Sewell has over taken him in this area of late.
If Ellis, Tuck, or Muston push for selection next season Vanders will be put under pressure, and in 2008 I feel he will struggle to get a spot at all. Also if Lewis starts to become a fitter player he's got superior skills to Vanders as well, plus is better overhead, so the younger guys coming through will take over.
burner1
29 Aug 2006, 11:41
Vander is safe until the kids get the engine and work ethic to replace him.
Yep, adds invaluble experience, and work ethic that we lack at present (and which often goes unnoticed). Will be overtaken eventualy but has a place in the team til then. Could be a handy impact player off the bench later in his career as has the intensity/work ethic to worry teams.
illnino
29 Aug 2006, 11:58
He will be captain next year and possibly in 2008, he has had a much improved year on last season.
I agree. No doubt in my mind that he will be captain next year. Getting better with every match and like someone else mentioned, he presents an option all day long.
Lord_Espos
29 Aug 2006, 12:36
Personally I am not a big fan of Vandeberg. He gets caught with the ball too often and his kicking is poor. Hard nut true but he gives away too many holding the ball decisions. Which is more about football brains than anything.
Keep him for another year or two but Hodge should be Captain.
The TACHawks
29 Aug 2006, 13:35
Personally I am not a big fan of Vandeberg. He gets caught with the ball too often and his kicking is poor. Hard nut true but he gives away too many holding the ball decisions. Which is more about football brains than anything.
Keep him for another year or two but Hodge should be Captain.
Agree...can't question his commitment and ethic but his disposal is so poor he should be playing in a 3rd world country! Use him as a tagger and let our other midfielders use the ball!
The Kipster
29 Aug 2006, 13:35
Vanders has unfortunately been the Frank Spencer of the outfit over the last couple...I love his passion but he gets over-zealous with his capabilities....keep him playing as a team member but not as Captain as one of the youngsters really deserves a crack at the title..
lethalselbow
19 Sep 2006, 10:06
Vanders is at Hawthorn till he retires. The side needs tough nuts. Whether he's captain is a different matter. Watch the game and watch his running. Watch where he throws his weight. Watch how he crashes packs. Watch how he does all the 1%'s. You don't want Hodge, Mitchell, etc having to do all the things Vanders does. He's part of our heart & soul at Hawthorn and when he fires, we fire. Not every player in a team can be as skillful as Hodge, but it would be great if every player were as courageous as Vanders.
His one problem is that he gets called for holding the ball all the time.
Surely people are getting too far ahead of themselves when they strart thinking of dumping important players. We're still on the rise and need experience. Good topic for discussion, anyway.
Herbs hawks
19 Sep 2006, 10:23
He will be safe for 2 more years at least and a good chance to retain the captaincy in 2007.
Until Ellis, B2, Tuck, Kennedy etc, etc Get 40+ games under their belts Vanders will still be in our best 22.
Davo-27
19 Sep 2006, 12:18
I dont think those 3 players have much in common in what they offer the team... i think the only common thing is their toughness... i think Osborne offers the most in terms of being a hard creative backline/midfield player, who can do a reasonable jobs against taller opponents... but adds considerable run, however can be overly loose in doing so...
Guerra gives us someone who can get 20 posessions consistently on a flank, and use his excellent disposal from kick outs and in general play...his most useful attribute is his toughness tho, as hawthorn has been blessed with too many pretty boys in the past, and we have foolishly traded away too many tough players to perpetuate that (Barnnard, Scott etc etc)...
Vanders i think will still offer something to the club in the next 2 seasons.. beyond that i fail to see much.. i think he will do much better with the weight of captaincy off his shoulders, getting the captaincy at a time when there was bugger all options... once again he offers some hardness to what is currently a pretty meek team in terms of toughness....
well put, was a similar line of thought as i was going to write...........
1 more year & then I think age and the fact that there will be far to many young midfielders better than him will see him retire.
Grandmaster
20 Sep 2006, 22:58
The line in the sand incident should have seen him named captain for the next ten years he's a bloody rippa mate!!!
Them young fellas Hodge / Mitchell just gotta focus on the footy dont need the extra pressure just yet, and yeh yeh i know there are other good young captains namely "Judd" - but look at the team he's in different strokes for different folks
We all know Crawf is still the man anyway.
Hawks61
24 Sep 2006, 00:48
One thing that can't be questioned is his love for the club. He has mongrel and that is something that the club needs while the young kids are learning the game at AFL level. As long as he uses it within legal limits and protects the kids, he definitely has a place in the team. However it now might be the time to look at appointing a new skipper with the long term in mind. I think he is still easily in our best 22. 2008 though might be a different story, time will tell.
somocca
27 Sep 2006, 03:40
Personally I am not a big fan of Vandeberg. He gets caught with the ball too often and his kicking is poor. Hard nut true but he gives away too many holding the ball decisions. Which is more about football brains than anything.
Keep him for another year or two but Hodge should be Captain.
I don't agree. If you were looking at current form for our future captain, you couldn't go past Sam Mitchell. People are saying that Richie's form has been ordinary since he was given the captaincy but then in the same breathe they are wanting Luke Hodge to fill the role. Luke Hodge has come off a very ordinary season himself and I don't think he has neally earnt the right to captain our club as yet. At his best he is one of the best in the league, at times he makes the oposition look stupid. He is definately in the leader group at Hawthorn but I think for consistancy, work ethic, love for the jumper and example to others, you couldn't go past Sam Mitchell.
Please do not pounce on me, this is not an argument about who is the better footballer, that is obvious! I am just voicing an opinion on who I think would be the better captain when Richie stands down.
hodge should be captain
mitchell should be vice captain
vandenberg should continue playing as an aggressive half forward type.
its ok to recruit kid after kid after kid but we need hard bodies at both ends to compliment them while they develop.
Beckers
28 Sep 2006, 12:33
Maybe not as skipper, but RV has as much future at that club as just about anyone.....I don't even know why it's in question. To my mind, it definitely ain't....
You are kidding right?:confused: RV is barely at AFL standards but makes up for it with passion and hardness. He is not in the best 18 and struggling to be in the best 22 next year. One trick ponies like RV and Nick Ries don't fit into the modern day footballer bracket. A first or second year draftee like Murphy (Carlton) Griffen, Cooney, Raines, Shaw, Pearce, Deledio etc have so much more to offer!
Sorry to be blunt, but anyone who disagrees, has absolutely NO CLUE about football, what is required to be a footballer, where the game is headed and needs to take the blinkers off!
Invigoration
28 Sep 2006, 13:45
I saw him at the Airport last week...He had a hot as missus, i noticed her far before him
I think taking this into consideration, Richie will take the next step up and be Capt/Coach next year. Thats just what he told me though....