van Berlo gets new contract!

[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.

 

[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

 

[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

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]

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.

 

[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.

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

 

[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.

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 and of course congratulations to NVB for sticking with the club

 

[maccas_no1]

Best news so far for 2007

 

[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.

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 ! According to some one of the worst atrocities know to man, never to be forgiven and definately never to be forgot

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