Marlon Landbrug Comes Out of Retirement to Join SCHC in Late Hoofdklasse Transfer Flurry

The ink is barely dry, and the Staatsloterij Hoofdklasse landscape has already shifted days before the opening whistle. In a frantic final week of the transfer window, newly promoted SCHC sent shockwaves through the Dutch league by coaxing former Euro Hockey League champion Marlon Landbrug out of retirement.[2]

The 27-year-old forward had hung up his stick in 2024 after a glittering nine-season run with Pinoké, where he netted 31 goals, captured the 2023 Dutch national title, and lifted the EHL trophy. Now, after a two-year hiatus, the three-time Dutch international is back to lead SCHC's frontline as they return to the top flight following their Promotieklasse championship.[2]

Landbrug isn't the only reinforcement heading to Bilthoven. SCHC also secured 22-year-old forward Mats Gruter from Kampong, offering the youngster the playing time he struggled to find with the Utrecht powerhouse. The new-look squad will be tested immediately when they kick off their campaign against Oranje-Rood on September 27.[2]

Meanwhile, in the capital, Amsterdam executed a blockbuster late-window reload. With 27-year-old midfielder Stella van Gils retiring to focus on her career as a dentist—closing a chapter that included Euro 2021 gold with Oranje—the club moved aggressively to fill the void.[2]

They landed 26-year-old English and Great Britain international Fiona Crackles from Wimbledon. Crackles brings a massive pedigree to the Wagener Stadium, boasting 77 caps for England, 54 for GB, an Olympic bronze from Tokyo, and a Commonwealth Games gold.[1][3]

Amsterdam technical manager Ellen Hoog was blunt about the expectations. "With Fiona we bring in a player who has stood on the highest stage and who immediately makes our team stronger with her experience, game insight and mentality," Hoog said. The club doubled down on international pedigree by also adding 28-year-old Australian midfielder Kaitlin Nobbs to an already stacked roster.[1][2]

The defending men's champions weren't quiet either. Rotterdam bolstered their squad by signing 29-year-old attacking midfielder Thijs van Pelt. Returning to the Netherlands after a three-year stint in Spain—where he won the league title with Club de Campo—Van Pelt brings veteran savvy back to his boyhood club.

The window also saw emotional departures. Douwe Steens bid farewell to Klein Zwitserland after a staggering 16 seasons. Named a Member of Merit upon his exit, Steens is heading Down Under to join the Canberra Chill in Australia's Hockey One league.[1]

With the rosters now locked, the focus shifts entirely to the pitch. SCHC’s bold acquisitions will face a trial by fire against Oranje-Rood on September 27, while Amsterdam’s newly assembled international core must prove they can translate individual accolades into Hoofdklasse dominance before the European fixtures pile up.