Vander Haar

[BERT]

http://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/a/Vid ... lying/9174

A interesting video on Vanda. For those too young to have seen him play he was a super player. Would take a hanger every week. Could play key forward or key back. Was a very important player in our flags in the 1980s.

He played very hard off the ground. Loved a beer and a smoke. Would go out on a Friday night before a game.

[Windy_Hill]

Apart from FoJ, my favourite player of that era - what a player, but more importantly, what a drinker!!!

[BERT]

I was at a 40th a few years ago that Vanda was at. There was 2 kegs of heavy beer and 1 on light beer. After a couple of hours the first keg of heavy had gone and we were well into the 2nd.

It was decided to just start giving some light beers out so we don't run out. They had been drinking for 3 hours. They won't know the difference.

Vanda came up for a beer and was poured a light. He had one sip, looked and then said to the barman, Can I get a heavy thanks mate, you have given me a light.

The only one there who picked up on it.

[Itsmyshow]

What a champ Vander was.. Loved watching the way he played, didn't seem to care, but was just so damn good.

[swoodley]

Absolute legend both on and off the field.

[Crazyman]

He was my fave player in that era...just loved watching him...

[hop]

Van der Haar

Albatross Pools - Warrandyte/Ringwood

Paul put my pool in about 7 years ago. Worked like a trojan and enjoyed a couple of cleansing ales at the end of the day.

Back in the 80's he turned up to training with a bottle of JD and a Scotch - when questioned by Sheeds he simply replied - "you said we needed more spririt at this club".

Tim Watson occasionally talks about a form slump that he had not long after his return from his knee reconstruction in 1986 - Van der was 'red hot' at the time so Tim decided to follow the form. A Friday night on the turps - night clubbing. Morning = hangover - a packet of Winnie reds and a couple of Dim Sims before the game. Tim was off the ground by half time - Van der was BOG.

Was always intimitadeted by the big finals crouds - so we never saw the best of him come September. However he was ALWAYS a key ingredient why we got there.

He and TD would always sneek over to the 'Bowls Club Bar' under the Showers Pavillion after we had a win at Windy Hill.

Champion footballer - Champion bloke!

[F111]

Vander Spa's... Love it!

[s'dreams]

Loved that his prematch warmup was a chunder on the way to the ground ...

We shall not see his like again

[billyduckworth]

Definitely one of my big faves from that era too.
Pity he got injured a lot (especially in later years). He could have been even better.
His broken leg in 1986 arguably costs us the flag that year.

[BenDoolan]

Ah, he was super. Champion CHB or CHF - it didn't matter. Would regularly take a spectacular mark (always seemed to juggle them more than vice grip them), kick bags of goals, left foot, right foot, didn't matter. Loved kicking long bombs from 60 metres out with a customary torp. And he was a terrific ground ball player as well! Can't imagine what he would have been like if he took the game more seriously.

Would have made a magnificent drinking coach!

[rockhole]

"84 flag. Vanda bombs a big swinging torp into the forward line. Totally unsighted, Roger takes a single grabber on the goal line and scores.

Almost as big as Leon's blind turn (almost )

[BenDoolan]

"84 flag. Vanda bombs a big swinging torp into the forward line. Totally unsighted, Roger takes a single grabber on the goal line and scores.

Almost as big as Leon's blind turn (almost )

That was the mark and goal that put us back in front for the 2nd time in the last quarter. The rest is history!!

[Windy_Hill]

"84 flag. Vanda bombs a big swinging torp into the forward line. Totally unsighted, Roger takes a single grabber on the goal line and scores.

Almost as big as Leon's blind turn (almost )

That was the mark and goal that put us back in front for the 2nd time in the last quarter. The rest is history!!

What a grab from Roger....he could not have seen it at the last second as he was at the back of a big pack. It just stuck

Go to 4:45 into the video below for a better view

[Windy_Hill]

Here you go lads - watch it and weep. He had an uncanny ability to tap the ball to himself in the marking contest rather than trying for the impossible one grabber in the packs

[MH_Bomber]

Thats a great highlight package. What was with Dermott head hunting in every passage he was in. That prick was an out and out thug.

One of those long goals he kicked at the G I am sure he had broken leg.

[rockhole]

Fantastic package, Windy.

FMD, Vandar must have the record for being "coat hangered"