van Berlo gets new contract!

[fryingpan]

The big man is here to stay, apparently just putting pen to paper according to Ten News.. :thumbsu: :thumbsu:

We love you van Berlo!

[Southerntakeover]

Great news, according to 10 news has apparently agreed to the terms of a new deal and will formally re-sign soon.

Whilst id always expected him to stay, i have to say im relieved.

[raikkonen]

Great news, according to 10 news has apparently agreed to the terms of a new deal and will formally re-sign soon.

Whilst id always expected him to stay, i have to say im relieved.

Best news all year. :D

[Southerntakeover]

Haha, i started a thread on this too. A mod to merge them i guess.

Excellent news.

[Southerntakeover]

Haha, ok, edit made.

[Drummond]

Awesome news! You knew it was VB as soon as they started describing the player. Good to see they mentioned him as a possible future captain. ;)

Great to have him secured, hopefully it's a further 3 years. :thumbsu:

[Capitalist]

I think you'll find he offered us a contract :D

[raikkonen]

Haha, ok, edit made.

;) Van Berlo resigning...I was ready to kill myself if he even thought about quitting :D

[crowsarethebest]

Hahaha:D :thumbsu:. Great to get him signed up. Hopefully he is going to stay with us forever.

[Southerntakeover]

van Berlo doesnt quit... if he leaves, the club moves with him.

[NikkiNoo]

Haha, i started a thread on this too. A mod to merge them i guess.

Excellent news.

all merged now. :D I was going to put ask and ye shall receive after it but I don't trust you lot to keep it clean! :p

[RoosterLad]

****ing yeah!

[Southerntakeover]

all merged now. :D I was going to put ask and ye shall receive after it but I don't trust you lot to keep it clean! :p

:D :thumbsu:

Wise move.

[kimirocks]

His holiness, never in doubt, great news. Next captain of the AFC IMO.

[bus24]

Woot Woot. Best news we've had for a while :D

[James23]

anyone know for how long?

i have a $100 bet with my girlfriend that van berlo will captain the club sometime during his career.. what do u think of my chances?? :D

[Southerntakeover]

anyone know for how long?

i have a $100 bet with my girlfriend that van berlo will captain the club sometime during his career.. what do u think of my chances?? :D

Ask for the money now.

[Southerntakeover]

A moderate/fair chance I reckon. All jokes aside I rate him a good prospect but not the second coming as a lot of people suggest. There are things to like about his game but the big query for mine is over whether he can take a game by the scruff of the neck and drag the side over the line. He's VERY young so we don't know yet, but as of now he hasn't had a dominant display. He needs to tick that box to chase the captaincy.

Really? Was Mark Bickley a dominant grab the game by the scruff of the neck style player?

[RoosterLad]

Not all 22 players have to be like that FD.

[NikkiNoo]

A moderate/fair chance I reckon. All jokes aside I rate him a good prospect but not the second coming as a lot of people suggest. There are things to like about his game but the big query for mine is over whether he can take a game by the scruff of the neck and drag the side over the line. He's VERY young so we don't know yet, but as of now he hasn't had a dominant display. He needs to tick that box to chase the captaincy.

Last quarter, Melbourne game 2006 at Cararra.

[Southerntakeover]

Last quarter, Melbourne game 2006 at Cararra.

Ill see that, and raise you a Brisbane at Brisbane last year.

[NikkiNoo]

I was going to mention that one too but that whole last quarter against Melbourne he was playing like a man possessed.

plus I was at that Brisbane game last year and we had no idea he had injured himself until after the game seeing him walk around with his arm in a sling and big silly grin on his face.

[Southerntakeover]

I wasn't as mad on footy then as I am now, so I'm not in the best position to argue about the good old days. I will talk about the here and now though; look at the current AFL captains - Judd, Buckley, Ricciuto, Hall, Tredrea, Lloyd, Pavlich, Neitz etc etc, these blokes are all notorious for dragging their sides over the line on numerous occasions. There are some other more questionable skippers (and rotation systems) on the run out there and they aren't spoken about a whole lot. Roo has been a fantastic leader because of his ability to lead the players off the field and his ability to rip a game to shreds on the field. Depends what we all want from our next captain I suppose (and with a bit of luck VB, Knights or someone else can go on to become the sort of player and all-round leader that Roo is/has been).

If you dont know anything about our first premiership captain you're probably not best equipped to run around making wide sweeping statements about who can and cant captain. I doubt we'll ever have another Ricciuto, so demanding all his qualities of the next captain would be foolish. van Berlo has however demonstrated he can turn a game with his desperation at the ball, and that he does stand up when the rest of the team isnt, 24 possessions against Freo as an example.

[Southerntakeover]

plus I was at that Brisbane game last year and we had no idea he had injured himself until after the game seeing him walk around with his arm in a sling and big silly grin on his face.

Just shows what a man he is. Reiwoldt breaks a Collarbone and breaks down in tears. van Berlo breaks a collarbone, dishes out a handball and breaks out into a huge grin. And some people still doubt him? For shame!

[Southerntakeover]

There will always be someone as good as a star of yesteryear imo. I don't know enough about our previous captain because back then I was very young and didn't analyse the footy at all.

All I know is looking at the premiership sides of the modern era you've got blokes like Judd, Voss, Tredrea (in the absence of Primus) and so on being the captains. Judging by the Bickley question I suppose he wasn't a "take the game by the scruff of the neck" player. I have more or less spent my fanatical years watching Roo though so I'm used to nothing less than that type of player leading our side.

We will never have another Roo. It would be a big mistake in my eyes to try and replicate him. Give it to someone with leadership abilities of their own, and of our young players, there is not one with better leadership abilities than vB. Notice, that whilst players like Knights are given publicity for being mentored by Andrew McLeod, van Berlo is being spoken of as a leader in his own right? Thats a good sign.

[NikkiNoo]

Bickley was the type of old fashioned player that if we needed someone to put their body on the line for the ball he would, no hesitation. He may not have been the most gifted player but he gave his all for the club and inspired his teammates that way. He was a fairly quiet person off the field but was a real leader on it. Roo is similar but with greater football talent and he has said that he bases his captaincy on how Bickley taught him. Roo has always also said that he wants to be able to hand over the captaincy like Bickley did to him - stay on another year while he assists in the hand over.

I don't rate Judd as a captain, he is a great player but you only had to look at last year when pretty much every player address was done by Cousins and not him.

[Blue Red and Gold]

I heard from a very reliable soure that VB offered Adelaide a new contract.

Southerntakeover is right, Roo is a once in a lifetime type player, the man will go down as a legend of the game. It would be silly of us to just assume another player of his ilk will come along.

VB, since he has come to Adelaide has not out a ffot wrong, even his first day here he impressed with his efforts on the track.

I have not seen anything not to like about VB. You have to remember FD that this is a kid who has not been in the sytem for long and he does not look out of his depth at all.

[macca23]

Terrific news.

I'm one of those who firmly believe he will captain this club one day and make a fine leader in the style of Mark Bickley.

The other young lads around the club look up to VB, so if anything it will encourage them to sign on for longer when their turn comes up. :thumbsu:

[bus24]

I don't rate Judd as a captain, he is a great player but you only had to look at last year when pretty much every player address was done by Cousins and not him.

Harsh. Judd is proving to be a great stand in captain this year in the absence of Bad Benny. Fact is last year, he was never the 'captain' of the West Coast Eagles Football Club. Just rolled up to the Interviews and did the official duties.

One day Judd will be captain in his own right somewhere, and he'll do a ****ing good job :thumbsu:

[NikkiNoo]

Harsh. Judd is proving to be a great stand in captain this year in the absence of Bad Benny. Fact is last year, he was never the 'captain' of the West Coast Eagles Football Club. Just rolled up to the Interviews and did the official duties.

One day Judd will be captain in his own right somewhere, and he'll do a ****ing good job :thumbsu:

Actually I am also basing this on some of the articles that he has written as well where he states that he doesn't want to be a role model, just wants to play footy. If you don't want to be a role model then you are not a leader. He is a great player, just not a captain in my books.

[bus24]

Actually I am also basing this on some of the articles that he has written as well where he states that he doesn't want to be a role model, just wants to play footy. If you don't want to be a role model then you are not a leader. He is a great player, just not a captain in my books.

If he didn't want to be captain, then he could've turned it down. Surely?

[Dandy_GO]

Actually I am also basing this on some of the articles that he has written as well where he states that he doesn't want to be a role model, just wants to play footy. If you don't want to be a role model then you are not a leader. He is a great player, just not a captain in my books.

To be fair, Cousins has stated that many times as well, and has proven himself to be a far worse role model than Judd.

[Southerntakeover]

Enough about Judd, we're celebrating here.

[NikkiNoo]

To be fair, Cousins has stated that many times as well, and has proven himself to be a far worse role model than Judd.

I've never read that before about Cousins. Maybe none of the WC players want to be role models? ;)

[Dandy_GO]

I've never read that before about Cousins. Maybe none of the WC players want to be role models? ;)

It was publicised a lot towards the end of 2005. He said that he didn't think it was his responsibility to be a role model to those who look up to him. I think he may have even said something similar to that effect during his brownlow acceptance speech!

[Southerntakeover]

http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,5252734,00.jpg

On topic, or this football gets lodged somewhere uncomfortable.

[Mad Dog]

Good to hear the AFC succumbed to the Great Man II's demands.

Apparently the deal involves cash, real estate, home delivered girlies 24/7, and closing down of The Shed to accommodate his car and entourage when he rocks up to training.

:thumbsu:

[Southerntakeover]

Good to hear the AFC succumbed to the Great Man II's demands.

Apparently the deal involves cash, real estate, home delivered girlies 24/7, and closing down of The Shed to accommodate his car and entourage when he rocks up to training.

:thumbsu:


:D :thumbsu:



I now have proof... you dont need moderating powers when you can post van Berlo pictures. :p

[Southerntakeover]

And even when late to training, you had better believe he is in fact on time, nay, comfortably early.

van Berlo doesnt train. He demonstrates.

[Stiffy_18]

Last quarter, Melbourne game 2006 at Cararra.
I was going to mention that game.

And as Southerntakeover mentioned that Brisbane game at the GABBA last year.

His Melbourne game in particular was SENSATIONAL in terms of pure leadership. I even remember commeting on it here, he was THE reason why we got over the line that day and his stats will not reflect it but his action on the field certainly will. Especially in that last 5 or so minutes when the game was very much in the balance.

And FD88, Mark Bickley never was a match winner but bloody hell he was one VERY FINE captain. If VB could be the sort of leader that Bicks was I would be OVER the moon. And I have no doubt that he could be.

[Stiffy_18]

I wasn't as mad on footy then as I am now, so I'm not in the best position to argue about the good old days. I will talk about the here and now though; look at the current AFL captains - Judd, Buckley, Ricciuto, Hall, Tredrea, Lloyd, Pavlich, Neitz etc etc, these blokes are all notorious for dragging their sides over the line on numerous occasions. There are some other more questionable skippers (and rotation systems) on the run out there and they aren't spoken about a whole lot. Edit: and surprise surprise, those captains are nearly all at the clubs that have struggled to be successful in recent times. Roo has been a fantastic leader because of his ability to lead the players off the field and his ability to rip a game to shreds on the field. Depends what we all want from our next captain I suppose (and with a bit of luck VB, Knights or someone else can go on to become the sort of player and all-round leader that Roo is/has been).
I am not sure what exactly you are implying here but I hope you are aware that Bicks is a 2 time premiership captain. In other words, he led this great club to back to back premiership.

[Drummond]

I was just saying that in my era it has been the clubs with game-breaking dominant players as their captains that have taken out the flags. I know that Bicks captained us to two flags, and you make a fair point. I don't doubt VB has a fair chance of captaining our side someday. If he ticks the "dominant player" box between now and when his chance comes, he would go from a fair chance of getting the job to a near cert. :thumbsu:
Richard Vandenberg ring a bell? ;)

He’s far from a dominant player, but he leads by example and puts his body on the line whenever he steps on the field to play for Hawthorn.

[Coopers]

It's the captains job to set the standard on the field. Roo is excellent at that - and he happens to be a game breaker.

I am confident that VanB also sets an excellent standard - with his all out efforts. He DOES remind me of Bix in this aspect.

I think he would make a fine captain - perhaps in 5 years, we shall see.

[Southerntakeover]

It's the captains job to set the standard on the field. Roo is excellent at that - and he happens to be a game breaker.

I am confident that VanB also sets an excellent standard - with his all out efforts. He DOES remind me of Bix in this aspect.

I think he would make a fine captain - perhaps in 5 years, we shall see.

Not just on the field, but on the training track. I dont think its a bad thing to have a captain who is capable of leading from the front on the track either.

[Coopers]

Probably off the field too. :)


The club should definately wait until he's out of his early 20's. :)

[Southerntakeover]

Im a fan of having Goodwin take the captaincy for a few years until Nathan comes of age. Goody has already become our onfield leader of sorts, hes got a few years left in him, and i feel hes earned the honour with his deeds.

[- PC -]

Ahh what great news to warm the heart on this cold night in Perth

I heard a groaning and moaning before and I have just realised it was a thousand hearts breaking in homes all over Perth


Congratulations to the AFC on getting his signature :thumbsu: and of course congratulations to NVB for sticking with the club :thumbsu:

[maccas_no1]

Best news so far for 2007:thumbsu:

[raikkonen]

And even when late to training, you had better believe he is in fact on time, nay, comfortably early.

Van berlo has the power to stop time from ticking over. That is how good he is. :thumbsu:

When he runs in an easterly direction, he defies (changes) the laws of physics and defies gravity, by making the earth rotate in the opposite direction

[CarnCrows]

Im a fan of having Goodwin take the captaincy for a few years until Nathan comes of age. Goody has already become our onfield leader of sorts, hes got a few years left in him, and i feel hes earned the honour with his deeds.
But how can Goodwin possibly be the captain - he gambled on Football :eek: ! According to some one of the worst atrocities know to man, never to be forgiven and definately never to be forgot :rolleyes:

Good call - though I think Knights and Thompson are real possibilities.

[Truck Rutten]

Im a fan of having Goodwin take the captaincy for a few years until Nathan comes of age. Goody has already become our onfield leader of sorts, hes got a few years left in him, and i feel hes earned the honour with his deeds.
Around this time last year we would have said the same thing about Roo. At this stage of their careers you just don't know how long these guys have left. I for one wouldn't like us to go down the short term, fill in route. We've already been without our captain on the field for the last 18 months and I'd like the next bloke to get the job to have it for a long time. Don't get me wrong, I love vB and I know he's probably ended lives for less, but do people honestly think he's a consistently good enough player to be our club captain? I wouldn't have thought he's at that level yet, despite his acts of courage on the field.

I'm still a fan of Thommo for the job when Roo decides to hand it over.

[Kane McGoodwin]

I was just saying that in my era it has been the clubs with game-breaking dominant players as their captains that have taken out the flags. I know that Bicks captained us to two flags, and you make a fair point. I don't doubt VB has a fair chance of captaining our side someday. If he ticks the "dominant player" box between now and when his chance comes, he would go from a fair chance of getting the job to a near cert. :thumbsu:
The captain doesn't necessarily have to be the best player, but the best leader. I would be surprised if VB did not one day become captain of AFC. If Roo gave the captaincy away next year, it would be too soon for VB IMO. The good news is we have plenty of other options - Goody, Thomo, Rutten, etc.

[Blue Red and Gold]

Thommo will be next in line, then it will be VB

[Coopers]

I dunno, how bright is Thommo?

Isn't he a bit of a vardy?

[Truck Rutten]

I dunno, how bright is Thommo?

Isn't he a bit of a vardy?

An absolute legend?

I'm not sure of your point. Roo is no Rhodes Scholar, but has been a serviceable captain.

[Vic Crow]

Sorry I got to this thread so late. The goat sacrifice took a little bit longer than anticipated.

Top news! :thumbsu:

[ams4crows]

I dunno, how bright is Thommo?

Isn't he a bit of a vardy?
Vardy!! absolute Gun I had 30 on the back of my Gurney at the 98 grandfinal! cna't believe he went to melbourne! Broke me that did!

does anyone remember Come on Vardy, Lets go Party! lol

[Southerntakeover]

Around this time last year we would have said the same thing about Roo. At this stage of their careers you just don't know how long these guys have left. I for one wouldn't like us to go down the short term, fill in route. We've already been without our captain on the field for the last 18 months and I'd like the next bloke to get the job to have it for a long time. Don't get me wrong, I love vB and I know he's probably ended lives for less, but do people honestly think he's a consistently good enough player to be our club captain? I wouldn't have thought he's at that level yet, despite his acts of courage on the field.

I'm still a fan of Thommo for the job when Roo decides to hand it over.

Goodwin would be no fill in. I feel hes already the on field leader with Roo missing, and this would just be adding a formality to it. Goodwin would be perfect for the role, until one of the younger players was able to demand the role. To be honest, i say it isnt the perfect time for vB to become captain, i dont feel it is for Thommo either. Hes still developing his own game, and isnt ready to lead the club next year. Goodwin is IMO the best option if we want a new captain next year. Down the track, the best long term option is van Berlo.

[Truck Rutten]

Goodwin would be no fill in. I feel hes already the on field leader with Roo missing, and this would just be adding a formality to it. Goodwin would be perfect for the role, until one of the younger players was able to demand the role. To be honest, i say it isnt the perfect time for vB to become captain, i dont feel it is for Thommo either. Hes still developing his own game, and isnt ready to lead the club next year. Goodwin is IMO the best option if we want a new captain next year. Down the track, the best long term option is van Berlo.
Not a fill in? Goody's already said that if we win a flag this year he'll put the cue in the rack, so at most he's probably only got one more year left in him. That's if his body is up to going around again.

[Dandy_GO]

Not a fill in? Goody's already said that if we win a flag this year he'll put the cue in the rack, so at most he's probably only got one more year left in him. That's if his body is up to going around again.
Aye - prior to two years ago, Goody was easily the most injury prone of the fantastic 4 or whatever the hell people were calling them back in the day. He's held up well in the last couple of years, but he certainly hasn't been 100% this year. I would be very surprised if he's got too many more years left in him.

[showdownhero]

An absolute legend?

I'm not sure of your point. Roo is no Rhodes Scholar, but has been a serviceable captain.
You know it really irks me when people see a big bloke with tats, who is tough as nails on the footy field and immediately assume they are stupid. Roo is a really switched on guy and you are quite obviously judging the book by it's cover and you have no idea what you are talking about. :mad: :thumbsd: :mad:

[Truck Rutten]

You know it really irks me when people see a big bloke with tats, who is tough as nails on the footy field and immediately assume they are stupid. Roo is a really switched on guy and you are quite obviously judging the book by it's cover and you have no idea what you are talking about. :mad: :thumbsd: :mad:
WTF are you on about? I said he's no Rhodes Scholar, the inference being that you don't need to be a mental giant to be a great captain. I'm not saying he's stupid; the truth be known he's probably of average intelligence. I wouldn't know for sure as I'm not privy to his I.Q. test results. I reckon I can safely hazard a guess that he's not exceptionally intelligent though.

Pull your head in next time before you go shooting your mouth off at someone, presuming to know what they're thinking when you actually don't have a f-ing clue.

[Blue Red and Gold]

WTF are you on about? I said he's no Rhodes Scholar, the inference being that you don't need to be a mental giant to be a great captain. I'm not saying he's stupid; the truth be known he's probably of average intelligence. I wouldn't know for sure as I'm not privvy to his I.Q. test results. I reckon I can safely hazard a guess that he's not exceptionally intelligent though.

Pull your head in next time before you go shooting your mouth off at someone, presuming to know what they're thinking when you actually don't have a f-ing clue.
Gee, thats awkward you guys are sitting next to each other on friday...:D

[Truck Rutten]

Gee, thats awkward you guys are sitting next to each other on friday...:D
No dramas. What happens on BF stays on BF :)

[showdownhero]

WTF are you on about? I said he's no Rhodes Scholar, the inference being that you don't need to be a mental giant to be a great captain. I'm not saying he's stupid; the truth be known he's probably of average intelligence. I wouldn't know for sure as I'm not privy to his I.Q. test results. I reckon I can safely hazard a guess that he's not exceptionally intelligent though.

Pull your head in next time before you go shooting your mouth off at someone, presuming to know what they're thinking when you actually don't have a f-ing clue.
He's a lot sharper than you give him credit for.

[Southerntakeover]

Not a fill in? Goody's already said that if we win a flag this year he'll put the cue in the rack, so at most he's probably only got one more year left in him. That's if his body is up to going around again.

Really? Where did Goody say that? Id been assuming that he was good for a few more years yet. Anyway, we appear to have differing ideas for what fill in means. I think if hes the best candidate for the job were it available next year, he couldnt be classified as a fill in.

[bus24]

"C'mon Vardy, Lets go Party" was the biggest saying in SA for some amount of time.

[Coopers]

An absolute legend?

I'm not sure of your point. Roo is no Rhodes Scholar, but has been a serviceable captain.

Vardy!! absolute Gun I had 30 on the back of my Gurney at the 98 grandfinal! cna't believe he went to melbourne! Broke me that did!

does anyone remember Come on Vardy, Lets go Party! lol

I don't like to get stuck into our blokes... but I'll spell it out.

Now I don't really know (hence I was asking) but I have heard they are thick as two bricks. In fact, probably the bricks are smarter, in that they don't make other people around them dumber with their presence.

The captain needs to have a brain, especially with the media thesedays.


Now maybe I am wrong. Thommo is certainly putting in the kind of performances that one would hope for if we are looking to him in the future.

[FCAGJAT]

I wouldn't exactly say that cousins is too bright either considering all the dramas that besiege his life atm.

A player doesn't have to be einstein to be captain as long as he leads on the field and inspires the rest of his team to perform.

[SA_Stazza]

He's a lot sharper than you give him credit for.

My mum knew him when he was a hardware rep for years, he was generally fairly switched on, good at what he did and a genuinely nice guy :thumbsu:

[King Elvis]

Im a fan of having Goodwin take the captaincy for a few years until Nathan comes of age. Goody has already become our onfield leader of sorts, hes got a few years left in him, and i feel hes earned the honour with his deeds.

Agree; him or Scott Thommo for a couple of years.

VB will be our Captain, I've got no doubt, but I don't want us to throw him in before he's ready, or when there are more deserving players ahead of him.