Milestone Crow Nathan van Berlo says he’s developed a greater appreciation for the game after missing all of last season with an Achilles injury.
Van Berlo, 29, had surgery to repair a ruptured Achilles tendon following a freak training accident in January last year. The diligent onballer worked tirelessly in his rehabilitation and fell just short of making a remarkable comeback towards the end of 2014.
After a full pre-season, van Berlo made his long-awaited return in Round One. The former captain played the first 13 matches of the season, but preparations for his 200-game milestone were put on hold when he was sent back to the SANFL in Round 16.
After a best-on-ground performance against Norwood in his third game in the local league, van Berlo was recalled to the Crows team for the Round 19 win over Richmond. He’s played every match since, holding down a position across half-back.
“I’ve enjoyed playing footy this year, to be honest, after missing all of last season. That was one of my priorities going into this season, just to enjoy playing my footy and enjoy being out there with the boys,” van Berlo said.
“I’m not taking any games for granted, these last 20 games have taken awhile to come, so you certainly earn that appreciation when it does come around.”
Van Berlo was recruited by the Crows with pick No.24 in the 2004 National Draft.
The lightly-framed Western Australian made his AFL debut against Port Adelaide in Round Three of the following season, and didn’t take long to cement his place in the team.
He quickly became one of Adelaide’s most reliable performers, winning the Club’s Emerging Talent honour in his debut year as well as the prestigious Mark Bickley Award the following season.
Van Berlo was named captain ahead of Season 2011, when he would also finish runner-up in the Crows Club Champion Award, and carried the role with great esteem until passing the baton over to current skipper Taylor Walker last year.
“It’s been an awesome journey,” he said.
“When I was first drafted into the AFL, and to the Adelaide Crows in particular, (if you told) me that I’d still be here 11 years later and be lucky enough to play 200 games would be beyond my wildest dreams.
“I’m certainly very fortunate and grateful to the footy club for the opportunity that they gave me and I’m sure when my career is finished I’ll look back very fondly with some great memories here.”
The West Australian led Adelaide to its second pre-season premiership in 2012 and captained the side through its run to the preliminary final in the same year.
Van Berlo said the desire for more team success in the future remained the driving force in his career.
“Team success is what I’ve tried to achieve my whole career. That’s what the whole of our group is about, that’s what you play footy for,” he said.
“The highlights of what I’ve had to-date throughout my career, and I guess if you ask the rest of the list it would be…to play finals footy and in winning finals. (They’re) certainly the memories that stick the strongest in your mind.”
Adelaide will be shooting for its fifth straight victory when it confronts Geelong at Simonds Stadium on Saturday afternoon, however the Crows haven’t won at the venue in over 12 years.
Van Berlo said it was important the Club continued its winning ways on the eve of its first finals campaign since 2012.
“It’s a really tough environment and a tough ground to play at,” he said.
“I know over my period of time at the footy club it’s been a really difficult task for us to head down there and play good footy. So that’s our challenge ahead of us this week and that’s where our sights are firmly focused.
“Then we’ve got some bigger fish to fry in the weeks to come after that.”
