Unfortunatleynim a tad young to recall his games live, and the oldest games I have is '84/85 GF where I don't think he really stamps his authority on the game. I sort of half wonder what all the fuss was about.
Would he have been the league equivalent of buddy in terms of hype and freak anility? Or was he more an essendon superstar first and a very good VFL player second. Either way, hes got a highlights package and medals to show his grand kids most players would die for.
Check this clip out, notice how the commentators say how he played CHF with the wind and CHB against the wind, unheard of in those days....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Np0nhs0_HNQ
He did that against St Kilda in 1985 too and finished with 9 goals from CHF after having played half the game at CHB. There was no real reason for him playing at both ends as we won in a canter; it was just Sheedy being Sheedy.
Unfortunatleynim a tad young to recall his games live, and the oldest games I have is '84/85 GF where I don't think he really stamps his authority on the game. I sort of half wonder what all the fuss was about.
Would he have been the league equivalent of buddy in terms of hype and freak anility? Or was he more an essendon superstar first and a very good VFL player second. Either way, hes got a highlights package and medals to show his grand kids most players would die for.
Check this clip out, notice how the commentators say how he played CHF with the wind and CHB against the wind, unheard of in those days....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Np0nhs0_HNQ
He did that against St Kilda in 1985 too and finished with 9 goals from CHF after having played half the game at CHB. There was no real reason for him playing at both ends as we won in a canter; it was just Sheedy being Sheedy.
Windy Hill I think 1990, we were towelling Melbourne and Hamilton wasn't giving Bennett a sniff.
Sheedy swapped Vander onto Bennett at three-quarter and Bennett gave him a kicking. Kicked a few himself, Ricky Jackson kicked a couple of joe-the-goose's (the only goals he ever kicked) and they got up after we'd led by 6 at three-quarter.
Great thread, trip down memory lane, Dutchy was an absolute freak of a footballer, in regards to who would you compare him to, Jake Carlisle is similar but Vander could really fly at the ball and take speckies...Was a beautiful kick of a ball, there are many examples of him kicking 70+ metre goals..I asked him once when he was out injured with a broken leg, how's your leg Paul, not bad mate, how's yours he replied..Was a true joy to grow up watching the likes of Vander, Watson,Madden, Terry and Neale, Glenn Hawker, Merv Neagle, Nobby, Ezard, Bomber, harvey, Salmon and the rest develop into the legends they became...Truly glorious days..
Check out the footage in this clip to understand how good he was, back in those days contested marks were everything and Vander and Madden were both incredible and ahead of their time, Tim Watson was also brilliant in the air, VanderHaar was a star check out some of his leaps, he was also targeted by other teams who knew how good he was but he just took it, was never a dirty player played hard and partied hard, great memories, great thread, loved the news paper clippings, had them myself as a kid any more of other players in the time please?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NH3F4iu-DOU
That goal from inside the square at 3:24 went 15 rows into the crowd and he kicked it with a broken leg. It sunk Richmond's comeback and Jack Dyer couldn't shut up about it for weeks after.
Great thread, trip down memory lane, Dutchy was an absolute freak of a footballer, in regards to who would you compare him to, Jake Carlisle is similar but Vander could really fly at the ball and take speckies...Was a beautiful kick of a ball, there are many examples of him kicking 70+ metre goals..I asked him once when he was out injured with a broken leg, how's your leg Paul, not bad mate, how's yours he replied..Was a true joy to grow up watching the likes of Vander, Watson,Madden, Terry and Neale, Glenn Hawker, Merv Neagle, Nobby, Ezard, Bomber, harvey, Salmon and the rest develop into the legends they became...Truly glorious days..
Check out the footage in this clip to understand how good he was, back in those days contested marks were everything and Vander and Madden were both incredible and ahead of their time, Tim Watson was also brilliant in the air, VanderHaar was a star check out some of his leaps, he was also targeted by other teams who knew how good he was but he just took it, was never a dirty player played hard and partied hard, great memories, great thread, loved the news paper clippings, had them myself as a kid any more of other players in the time please?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NH3F4iu-DOU
That goal from inside the square at 3:24 went 15 rows into the crowd and he kicked it with a broken leg. It sunk Richmond's comeback and Jack Dyer couldn't shut up about it for weeks after.
Have just watched it again, he was an absolute freak, thanks for the memories Dutchman..
What I picked up on was he looked pretty handy on both feet, and interestingly he leaps off his left foot for a right side dominant player. Some lovely footage tho.
my fav player as a youngster and was the reason i went to the footy every week. Have had the pleasure of speaking with him many times over the past 15 years, a real mans man.
I am told it was vanders idea to play pass the microphone with a story about someone who then told a story about the next person.
Even TD thought it was a great idea.
Venue was windy hill social club with about 60 people close to the 84/85 premiership sides on the saturday 11/4 /2015.
Budgies wife was voted best on ground for most entertaining story and budgie was so grateful to be back home ,ducky was also in great form all weekend …what a great club essendon are .
There was a newspaper interview with him c1983. At that time he was revered but, despite a strict diet and training regime, was not playing to the standards he set in the '70s (which is hardly surprising considering he would have broken most of his bones by then). Anyway, the reporter asked what was he going to do, to which he replied “Dunno, I s’pose I have to get back on the ■■■■ again”!
Vander was a ripper. Massive unit who could play, play, play. If everything was true about him off field you wouldn’t let him with in a mile of the club and 5 of your daughters.
Every time I watch that Simpsons episode when homers dad was watching the gridiron I think of vander as the prime reason homers mum ran out on them.
That’s how cool vander was.
Few things I picked up from that interview is his son is at Melbourne, he came runner up in the b and f in his first year and mike is a condescending smug git.