Deer Park coach Marc Bullen has thrown his full support behind Rodney Van Riet, confirming the star half-back flanker will come straight into the Lions’ senior side when his suspension ends.
Van Riet was suspended for 10 matches earlier in the season for striking a Sunshine player in round four. The ban will come to an end in time for Deer Park’s round 16 match against St Albans.
“A lot of players could have gone away and drifted into the sunset,” Bullen said.
“Rodney hasn’t missed a training session. He has been there Tuesday and Thursday. He has taken on a mentoring role with some of our young players.
“If he didn’t do these things, I would have made sure that when he did come back he served his time in the reserves.
“He has been superb for the footy club. He will come straight back in and be the dominant half-back flanker that he has been in the past.”
Van Riet was recruited to Deer Park from Essendon District Football League club Keilor in the off-season. He had an immediate impact at the Lions, being named outright best on ground in just his second match.
His suspension came a round later.
“We are not going to dwell on it,” Bullen said. “The incident that happened at Sunshine was unfortunate but it didn’t deserve any of the rumours and innuendo that came with it.
“What happened definitely did affect him [Van Riet] but it is in the past now.”
Bullen said he thought the ban was excessive given Van Riet’s past good record.
“You’ve got a player that has never been reported in his life, is a senior best and fairest winner and a competition medal winner,” he said. “For him to get 10 weeks was absolutely ridiculous,” Bullen said.
“That is just the way it is … we will move forward.
“We will get him back into the side and put a premiership medal around his neck and all will be forgotten.”
