Former Crow Bernie Vince is in career-best form with resurgent Demons
LESS than two years after Adelaide controversially traded club champion Bernie Vince to Melbourne, the midfielder is in career-best form and being touted a possible All-Australian.
LESS than two years after Adelaide controversially traded club champion Bernie Vince to Melbourne, the midfielder is in career-best form and being touted a possible All-Australian.
The Crows off-loaded Vince in 2013 to improve their position in the national draft from 46 to 23 which they used on Matt Crouch who is showing signs of being a long-term player at the club.
But after three consecutive 30-plus possession games and back-to-back 38-disposal performances for the Demons including two goals in Sunday’s win over Geelong, Vince’s loss would still sting some Crows supporters.
And the man who facilitated the trade to Melbourne, Vince’s former manager Justin Reid, is now list manager at Adelaide.
In Vince’s two games against the Crows he led the Demons to victory at Adelaide Oval in Round 7 last year and in Round 3 this season tagged star Patrick Dangerfield out of the contest.
Melbourne football operations manager Josh Mahoney said Vince had been everything the Demons had hoped for.
“I think everyone always knew he was a skilful and talented player but people have been surprised at how hard he is at the contest and how he’s really a barometer for us,” Mahoney said.
“When he’s cracking in hard and winning the clearances for us he really gets the team going.
“Bernie has always been a smart player and he’s got the balance right between defence and attack, he’s doing some really good jobs for us starting on the best opposition players but finding the ball himself.
“He also helps out our young midfielders, Angus Brayshaw, Jack Viney, Dom Tyson, they’re playing around someone with Bernie’s experience (which) is invaluable for them.”
As for whether Vince had a point to prove when he was traded by Adelaide, Mahoney said he wasn’t sure.
“When he came across we had a very clear role we wanted him to play, in the midfield, and be a constant in there and I think that’s what he’s done really well for us,” he said.
Vince has been part of smart and selective recruiting by Mahoney and Paul Roos who have also added Daniel Cross and Heretier Lumumba to add experience to Melbourne’s young list.
“At that time (2013) we’d lost Colin Sylvia to Fremantle and wanted to bring in someone — I think Bernie had played just about the same number of games as Colin had and (was) about the same age,” Mahoney said.
“We thought he would really fill that role for us through the midfield and he’s done a tremendous job.”
Vince played 129 games in eight seasons with the Crows and won the 2009 best-and-fairest, but claims he was told by the club in 2013 that he would not be re-signed at the end of 2014.
Reid — who relinquished his role as player manager when he took up a job with the Crows — was unavailable for interview with The Advertiser this week.
“It has come out that this was my decision (to leave). I don’t think they (the club) want the fans or the media to know they pushed me out of the door. But the full team knows the situation,” Vince said at the time of the trade to Melbourne.
In his first year at the Demons Vince was third in the best-and-fairest and after off-season shoulder surgery has taken his game to a new level in 2015 with career-high disposal games.
Vince also drew high praise from rival Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley on Fox Footy’s AFL360 on Monday night.
“He’s done jobs on the best midfielder of the opposition for Roosy and progressively he’s grown further and further into the role,” Buckley said.
“His form against us on Queen’s Birthday — if we didn’t give him the five (votes) we gave him the four but his third quarter was absolutely significant.
“You can’t say Bernie Vince isn’t a ball getter, back in Adelaide he was an elite talent, it seems to me he’s matured as a footballer and is playing his best footy.”
BERNIE VINCE IN 2015
Round 12 v Geelong: 38 disposals, 2 goals, 11 clearances, 9 tackles
Round 11 v St Kilda: 38 disposals, 9 clearances
Round 10 v Collingwood: 34 disposals, 2 goals
Season average: 24 disposals, 4.5 tackles, 5.7 clearances