The Flying Dutchmen – the Dutch Australian Rules Team of the Century
There have been several ‘origin’ Teams of the Century named in recent years, some official – the Greek, Italian and Indigenous sides – some unofficial – the German, Jewish, Irish, Asian and African-American teams for example, posted here at the Footy Almanac in early 2020 (the thread turned into one of the site’s craziest and longest – I suspect the arrival of Covid helped with that).
In this spirit, I now present my Australian Rules Dutch-origin Team of the Century, aka, the Flying Dutchmen.
Unofficial, of course, but I’ll claim it as my birthright – I love my footy, and my father was Dutch. Fact is, over the years I’ve developed an interest in all things Dutch, including the Dutch migrant experience in Australia. This extends to publishing a book in 2023 on the Dutch involvement in and influence on Australia soccer. (See www.clogball.com)
I had a straightforward selection criterion: all players had to have proven Dutch heritage of one sort of another and to have played for at least a few seasons in the AFL or at the highest level in their state league – SANFL, WAFL, VFL, etc.
Victoria may have been where Australian Rules was invented though the VFL/AFL is but one expression of the game, albeit, at its very highest level. Let’s not overlook the enormous influence and popularity of other senior leagues across the southern states in the years before the AFL national juggernaut arrived. The Flying Dutchmen, therefore, includes several decent, even outstanding, Dutch-origin players from other senior state leagues. Sandgroper and Croweater readers will hopefully appreciate this element.
There are several players with Dutch-sounding names that I’ve excluded as any Dutch heritage couldn’t be verified. This category includes Jordan de Goey (Collingwood), Mark Bos (Geelong), the Duursma clan and the Bootsma father-son duo (names ending in sma are common in the northern provinces of the Netherlands). Other players may be of southern African Dutch origin, like Jacob van Rooyen (Melbourne), for example. A couple of others, Stan Vandersluys (Fitzroy / Richmond) and Charlie van der Bist (Hawthorn), were excluded due to their Dutch connections being broken by extensive time in another country: Stan’s ancestors left the Netherlands for England around 1700 while Charlie’s forebears came from France.
The Flying Dutchmen includes six VFL/AFL premiership players (sharing 12 premierships between them), nine team captains, six club best & fairest winners, a cluster of leading club or league goalkickers and several club life members. Several played for their state when such games still mattered and had cache.
No doubt many names will be very familiar, others less so. Players have been grouped in their closest, ‘best-fit’ general field position, and the team includes four on the interchange, a sub, and emergencies, for 28 players all up. The total number of senior league games follow. Those with an asterix are still playing in 2024. There’s also an additional group of ‘squad’ players, those of known Dutch heritage who didn’t make the final 28.
The Flying Dutchmen
Colours
Orange guernsey, with red-white-blue centre hoops
Dutch jumper design [Source: Jarrod Landells]
Defenders
Ah Chee, Callum – 117* AFL (Dutch grandfather)
Klomp, Robbert – 93 VFL/205 SANFL (Dutch born)
Rutten, Ben – 229 AFL (Dutch father)
Smedts, Albie – 61 VFL (Dutch born)
Van Berlo, Nathan – 202 AFL (Dutch grandparents)
Vlastuin, Nick – 211* AFL (Dutch father)
Midfielders
Klomp, Kim – 235 SANFL (Dutch parents)
Swallow, Andrew – 224 AFL (Dutch mother)
Swallow, David – 220* AFL (Dutch mother)
Vandenberg, Richie – 145 AFL (Dutch grandparents?)
Van Dommele, Rene – 273 SANFL (Dutch parents)
Verstegen, Hans – 204 WAFL (Dutch born)
Forwards
De Koning, Tom – 60* AFL (Dutch grandparents)
Mandemaker, Rudi – 141 SANFL (Dutch parents)
Vander Haar, Paul – 201 VFL (Dutch parents)
Zurhaar, Cameron – 100* AFL (Dutch grandparents)
Ruck
Hale, David – 237 AFL (Dutch mother)
Kreuzer, Matthew – 189 AFL (Dutch father)
Interchange
Ah Chee, Brendon – 58 AFL (Dutch grandfather)
De Koning, Sam – 43* AFL (Dutch grandparents)
Melai, Eddy – 7 VFL/202 VFA (Dutch born)
Rosbender, Wim – 156 WAFL (Dutch born)
Substitute
Schoenmakers, Ryan – 121 AFL (Dutch grandparents?)
Emergencies
Bais, Renz – 111 SANFL (Dutch born)
Boekhorst, Blaine – 25 AFL (Dutch grandparents)
Pannenburg, John – 107 SANFL (Dutch born)
Smedts, Billie – 47 AFL (Dutch father)
Van Berlo, Jay – 32 AFL (Dutch grandparents)
Captain
Swallow, Andrew
Vice Captains
Vlastuin, Nick
Vander Haar, Paul
Coach
Rutten, Ben
Extended Squad
De Koning, Terry – 31 VFL (Dutch parents)
Gibcus, Josh – 18* AFL (Dutch great-grandparents)
Gysberts, Jordan – 19 AFL (Dutch grandparents)
Leyendekkers, John – 34 WAFL (Dutch parents)
Paap, Shane – 84 WAFL (Dutch father)
Pearce, Daniel – 6 AFL (Dutch mother)
Van ‘t Hag, Ron – 2 VFL (Dutch-born)
Van Lind, Wennie – 2 VFL (Dutch-born)
Many of the Flying Dutchmen need no introduction. Others deserve to have their footy credentials better known. Here are player bios for some of those talented, though lesser known, Flying Dutchmen.
Renz Bais. Born in the Netherlands and raised in South Australia, Bais played soccer as a boy before switching to Aussie Rules. Played for South Adelaide for eight seasons, 1965-1973, finishing with the Panthers at just 27.
Kim Klomp. Brother of Robbert Clippity Klomp, ex-Carlton dual premiership player. Born in Adelaide to Dutch parents. Played initially for Sturt (1980-1981) before joining North Adelaide, where he had an outstanding career from 1982-1992. He captained the club for two seasons (1991-1992), played in two Roosters premierships (1987 and 1991) and was Best & Fairest winner in 1992. Klomp was named in the SANFL Multicultural Team of the Century, along with his brother.
Rudi Mandemaker. Born in Poowong, Victoria, to Dutch parents. Recruited by Hawthorn where he played in the Reserves, Mandemaker was swapped to Central Districts by the Hawks as part of the John Platten trade. Had seven seasons at Centrals, where he topped the club goal-kicking for six consecutive years. Mandemaker was the SANFL leading scorer in 1989 with 93 goals; he also took out the 1989 Mark of the Year. Named in the inaugural 1991 Adelaide Crows training squad. A three times South Australian rep, he was named in the SANFL Multicultural Team of the Century.
Eddy Melai. Born in the Netherlands and grew up in Geelong where he played in the 1963 Geelong Cats Reserve Grade premiership team. In 1964 he joined South Melbourne, lasting one season. Melai then became the first VFL player to move to the VFA on a free transfer, joining Dandenong, where the tough ruckman became a cult figure, especially once VFA games became televised. Played in two premierships for Dandenong (1967 and 1971) and in 2004 was named as ruck in the club’s Team of the Century. Famous for being suspended for six matches for fighting during the 1976 VFA Grand Final – as the team runner. One of his more memorable quotes was: ‘If you don’t look out for yourself, someone else will’.
Shane Paap. Born in Perth, Paap is the son of Western Australia’s best soccer player of the 1960s-early 1970s, Theo Paap, who won the Perth soccer competition’s Fairest & Best five times and played 18 times for WA. In the 2000s Shane played for Subiaco and later Perth in the WAFL, and then took up playing and later coaching in Perth district competitions.
John ‘Jack’ Pannenburg. Born in the Netherlands and raised in the Mount Gambier district where there was a significant Dutch migrant presence in the 1950s and 1960s. Recruited to West Adelaide, Pannenburg played nine seasons for the Bloods in the ruck. He made the South Australian state side in 1969.
Wim Rosbender. Born in the Netherlands and grew up in Perth. A ruckman, Rosbender played for Perth for nine seasons and was a key member of the Demons premiership sides of 1976 and 1977. Rosbender captained the Demons in 1980 and played for Western Australia three times. In 2016 he was made a Legend of the Perth FC.
Rene van Domelle. Born in Adelaide to Dutch parents. A classic ‘utility’, van Domelle was a star for Central Districts, where he played for 16 seasons and 273 games. Van Domelle captained the club for three years, 1986-1988, and was named in the SANFL Multicultural Team of the Century.
Hans Verstegen. Born in the Netherlands and arrived in Perth with his parents in the early 1950s. Verstegen played for East Perth where he was a key midfield/rover from the late 1960s through to the mid-1970s. Verstegen won the Royals’ Best & Fairest in his debut year (1967) and was later named captain (1974). The Royals were a powerful side throughout his career but lost several grand finals – Verstegen alone, played in four losing Grand Final sides. He was a key member of the Royals break-through premiership of 1972.
And finally, here’s some additional observations on certain members of the Flying Dutchmen.
The Ah Chee brothers have a diverse family heritage with Indigenous, Chinese and Dutch threads. Their mother Valerie actually lived in the Netherlands for a couple of years as a child when her Dutch father and Nyoongar mother decided to give living there a go. Alas, it didn’t quite work out, which is possibly Dutch voetbal’s loss while a distinct gain for Australian Rules.
Nick Vlastuin’s father was born in Dutch New Guinea, where his parents lived at the time before migrating to Australia in the 1960s. Nick’s Opa, Leendert, served in the Dutch Army during the Second World War and was interned in Changi by the Japanese and then sent to the notorious Thai-Burma railway.
The Klomp brothers have a quintessential Dutch surname – a ‘klomp’ is a clog. (The plural is ‘klompen’). With that insight Robbert’s nickname of Clipperty seems to take on even more absurd notes.
Another surname of note: Zurhaar. The literal translation of Cameron’s family name is ‘sour hair’. And Rudi Mandemaker’s name translates as ‘basket maker’.
Fans of every club seem to need a player to bemoan, the perennial ‘fall guy’ when things go askew with the team. Ryan Schoenmakers fitted that bill at Hawthorn, where he was an often maligned figure. But injuries had a major impact on his football – he averaged just 12 games a year across his career. He had the last laugh though, winning a premiership medal in 2015. Because of his unfortunate history of injuries, it seems appropriate to name him as the medical sub for the Flying Dutchmen.
Eddy Melai played soccer as a boy in Geelong. His father, Bill, was a prominent figure in the large local Dutch community in the city in the 1950s, running a Dutch language national paper, founding a Dutch migrant soccer club and heading up the local Geelong soccer association for a period.
Ringwood and the outer eastern suburbs of Melbourne were home to several thousand Dutch migrant families from the 1950s onwards, including the Vander Haars. Two Dutch soccer clubs were based there, including one of Melbourne’s most successful clubs of the day, Ringwood Wilhelmina, while several other soccer clubs in the district had significant Dutch migrant involvement, including Ringwood United. But then, Australia is home to four codes of football, all jostling for the attention of keen youngsters and teenagers. Fat chance anyone who enjoyed Paul Vander Haar’s soaring antics back in the 1970s and 1980s, would complain about his ultimate choice of code.
(Thanks to Pete Carter and Michael Gijsberts for additional information).
Hup!
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About Adam Muyt
Born into rugby league, found Aussie rules, fell for soccer, flirts a little with union. Author of three books, including 'Clogball' (2023) and 'Maroon & Blue' (2006). Lives in Tasmania and is looking forward to soon yelling out, 'Go Devils!'
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Great research there Adam, glad to see two beloved Centrals stars get guernseys. I’m not sure of the ancestral background of Woodville’s dashing Eddie Holland, but he would have been an apt addition. Enjoyed the colour selection too.
It’s a strong team, as well as the extended squad.
Arie Schoenmaker was taken by St Kilda at pick 63 in the 2023 AFL draft, but is yet to make his AFL debut, which makes him ineligible, as well as not having played a few seasons in the AFL. However, there are big wraps on him, and hopefully he will fulfill his potential in the years to come. Is Arie Schoenmaker, although it’s a Dutch surname, of Dutch heritage?
Just a minor thing, but it’s actually Terry De Koning, not Ted De Koning, who played 31 VFL games for Footscray, from the extended squad.
If this Flying Dutchmen team were to play against The Team of players with German names, named by Glen in the Footy Almanac, February 1, 2020:
The match would be played at Johan Cruijff ArenA in Amsterdam.
Transport would be by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.
Entertainment would be provided by Dutch singer, Marco Borsato.
The lawyer for the Flying Dutchmen team would be Nick Holland.
The after match meal would be Dutch Stroopwafels (Syrup Waffles) and Broodje Rookworst (Dutch Sausage and Sauerkraut Sandwich) and Gouda Cheese.
The team that wins the toss will kick to the part of the ground where the windmills are blowing.
Let’s hope for a good game of football, with no Double Dutch in the team game plan. Instead, there would be plenty of high flyers!
Excellent work Adam and what a list.
Good to see a couple of WAFL greats in the squad with Rosbender and Verstegen who really lit up the local comp in the 70s for their sides, the Royals and the Cardies.
My mum’s Dutch (Wassenberg) from Limburg in the south and so I was wondering if players details extended to identifying the province they are from. As you know, like Australia and many other countries, rivalries abound.
Great stuff, Adam.
An enjoyable read. Cheers
Thanks Smokie and Swish. Mmmm, name of Holland…not many Dutchies with that name ;)
Anon, I stand corrected – yes, it is Terry de Koning, not Ted.
And yes, Arie Schoenmaker is of Dutch heritage (plenty of Dutchies in Tasmania, where he’s from). He hasn’t yet played a senior game so he didn’t make my team / squad. I should include him in the Rookie List!
I also like your KLM reference – they can be the main jersey sponsor, alongside Heineken.
Rick, Dutch provinces…that might be a step too far! Could possibly go ‘Catholic South’ and ‘Calvinist North’, but then, why would you? All Dutch to me ;)
Great article, Adam
I’m just about to send out ASSH minutes so will give it a plug.
Great work, Adam, and I enjoyed our lengthy chat on Monday night.
One very useful player I forgot to mention was ruckman/forward Llane Spaanderman, who played 110 WAFL games with East Perth, Swan Districts and Perth, along with 3 AFL games with Brisbane.
Not sure some of those old boys would make our current National team over here in the Netherlands… Although seeing as we mainly play nine-a-side footy (lack of cricket pitches is the main issue), they might go alright.
With three club teams in the Netherlands, we’ve got a decent dutch contingent playing here now although it’s hard to compete with soccer, hockey, volleyball, etc. Really good bunch of guys and loving the culture that we’ve been able to build here. I’ve been involved since 2008 although I had a stint in Melbourne where I played at East Malvern in the SFL. With the flying Dutchmen, we compete in the annual AFL Europe Euro Cup and play mainly friendly games against other continental European countries.
Good article! Thanks for putting together!
Hey Adam – excellent post….gefeliciteerd!
I notice that no-one has had a shot at a Baltic States (Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania) team of the century. I can understand why – but I’ll put it out there.
Ta for your WAFL Dutchie insights, Fitzroy Pete. Had forgotten about Spaanderman – his career at the Lions was over in the blink of an eye. Will check whether he has Dutch heritage.
And Matt de Boer, ex-Freo, and GWS gun. Reckon he would have to be in the final 22 if of Dutch heritage. Of course, so many white southern African migrants have made their way over to Oz in recent decades, particularly to WA, so you have to be cautious with Dutch claims on any of the more recent AFL players. .
Another player I overlooked was All de Wolde, ex-Hawthorn premiership player (1978). Will have to check his bloodline too – his name sounds typical Dutch. Alle would also make the final 22 if its confirmed he has Dutch heritage.
Karl, love the idea of a Baltics Team of the Century. Surely it wouldn’t be easy though, what with all the Russian and Germanic names interwoven there.
Michel, great to hear about the real Flying Dutchmen of NED. Be a bloody tall team, I’m sure! Hup, Hup Holland!
What a magnificent list. We could have a World Cup of teams!!!
Italians
Irish
Greek
Macedonian Marvels.
Etc etc
Incredible work Adam. And what a helluva of a team. I attended a school in the outer eastern suburbs of Melbourne that was founded by the Dutch Reformed Church. You can imagine what it was like in the 80s: almost every second kid had blonde hair, supported the Dons and wanted to be the Flying Dutchman. Paul Vander Haar was King. I’ve shared the link to your team with some of my old school mates. They will love it.
Thanks Damien! Don’t know whether to take pity on you or congratulate you for surviving all that Dutch Calvinism. Wonder if those Dutch blondies took up some of Vander Haar’s other traits, like the fags?
I have done further research on Matt de Boer. His grandparents are from the Netherlands, so he is of Dutch heritage. If you google the title of an article in the Daily Telegraph, dated 22 May 2017, “Matt de Boer never thought his meeting with royalty would be an omen for his football”. The article mentions that De Boer met the King and Queen of the Netherlands in Canberra in October 2016, just weeks before becoming a GWS player. Orange is his favourite colour.
In this article, Matt de Boer was quoted as saying “My grandparents, my Oma and Opa’s immigration records were on file in Canberra. My grandmother was pregnant with my dad when they left the Netherlands by boat. They were heading to Melbourne but the seas were so rough heading across the Indian Ocean. They got off in Fremantle.”
Therefore for team balance, my Flying Dutchmen team is:
B: Robert Klomp, Ben Rutten, Albie Smedts
HB: Nathan Van Berlo, Sam De Koning, Nick Vluistin
C: Richie Vandenberg, Andrew Swallow, Matt de Boer
HF: Callum Ah Chee, David Hale, Paul Vander Haar
F: Rudi Mandemaker, Tom De Koning, Cameron Zurhaar
R: Matthew Kreuzer, David Swallow, Brendon Ah Chee
Int: Kim Klomp, Rene Van Dommele, Hans Verstegen, Eddy Melai
Sub: Wim Rosbender,
Emergencies: Ryan Schoenmakers, Renz Bais, Blaine Boekhurst, John Pannenburg, Billie Smedts, Jay Van Berlo
Thanks Anon, agree, Matt de Boer is a must for the team.
And I can announce that I was approached yesterday to be involved in naming a formal Dutch-Oz ‘Team of the Century’ at a function later this year in Melbourne. Not confirmed yet, but looking likely.
Fine work Adam. Great to see Hans Verstegen (23) in there – one of the unlucky Royals who finally got rewarded in 1972.
I played a game with John Leyendekkers. We somehow snuck him into the Graylands Teachers College D-grade amos team for a game at Allen Park Swanbourne. He was an impressive looking athlete, I think our opponents were suspicious. He was recovering from injury at the time… played some good games for East Perth.
Matt de Boer’s father Ron played for Perth (7 games in 1971 according to waflfootyfacts.net).
Thought you might like ‘Dutchy’ Verstegen’s inclusion, Les.
And thanks for the heads up about Matt de Boer’s dad. Another to add to the ‘squad’.
Also, I need to find out whether Robert Groenwegen has Dutch heritage. I suspect so- name means green wagon in Nederlandse. He’d be a likely inclusion, too, playing 79 VFL games for Footscray.
Excellent work Adam.
Robbert Klomp a Sturt favourite!
Adam, that’s fantastic news to hear about the ‘Team of the Century’ function later on this year. You might have already done the hard work. I know you mentioned him above, but I always was under the impression that Mark Bos was of Dutch heritage.
To answer your question, those Dutch blondies certainly didn’t mind a fag or two, and boy could they drink. As we got older, the stories of Vanda’s off-field exploits garnered just as much as attention as he screamers and torps (boy, could he roost).
As for the school (Donvale), it was mostly a positive experience, though there certainly were some strange customs now that I look back on it. They still caned kids in the late 80s. I reckon I might have been the last student to cop corporal punishment in Victoria!
Thanks Barry – Clippity certainly sounds like he was a talent. And personality.
Damien, yes, a formal Dutch ToC is an exciting prospect. Probably held at the Abel Tasman Club in Carnegie in October. But a bit of work to still do to clarify whether players such as Mark Bos and All de Wolde are of Dutch heritage.
Ah yes, corporal punishment. Was a fixture of my late 60s – 70s Catholic education. First the Sisters of Perpetual Beatings, then the Flogging UnChristian Brothers followed by the Jesuits, who generally liked to mix a bit of philosophy with their canings and strappings. All good – made me the person I am today ;)
Nice work on the jumper, Jarrod Landells. Thanks.
Congratulations to Arie Schoenmaker, who will make his debut for St Kilda on Friday night against Brisbane. Hope he goes well!
Good debut from Arie Schoenmaker, who had 18 disposals. That was the equal 4th highest number of disposals for St Kilda on the night. He has very good kick of the football. Well done Arie!
Yes, Arie has a nice left boot on him – shows much potential. Look forward to seeing how he progress’ in seasons to come.
Does anyone know if Jacob Weitering has any Dutch heritage? Apparently, the surname Weitering is most prevalent in The Netherlands.
It’s probable Jacob Weitering is of Dutch heritage, Anon. We have a formal Dutch Team of the Century event coming up in October at the Dutch Club Abel Tasman and we are awaiting confirmation from him – if so, he’ll be named in the squad.
What about the Duursma family. Eagles new signing Willem Duursma, his first name is very Dutch.
Hi Rob,
Yes, the Duursma name is very Dutch. When I put this Flying Dutchmen Team of the Century together 18 months ago I couldn’t confirm the Dutch heritage of the Duursma clan. I have since.
The VFL / AFL Duursma story all started with Jamie Duursma, uncle of the four Duursma kids running around in the AFL / AFLW these days.
Jamie played 59 VFL games with the Swans, Brisbane Bears and Melbourne, including at centre half back in the Demons Grand Final team of 1988. His brother is Dean, father of the WXYZs. (Love it!) Their father was a reserve grader at Hawthorn in 1960-61.
No doubt, the Duursma clan are the Dutch Team of the Century’s #1 family, with the Klomp boys and De Koning’s following in the place getters.
Hup!