WELCOME TO THE MELBOURNE FOOTBALL CLUB - CLAYTON OLIVER

[Dr. Gonzo 24,219]

1 hour ago, Pates said:

I said this at the start of the year last year with Brayshaw, we've got ourselves a gem here. Looking forward to seeing him out there round 1!

Yep, there was a bit of consternation around picking a bolter who didn't play in the nationals but I'm happy to say the recruiting team have got this one right. They haven't done much wrong since Taylor came on board and I think it's an area of our club that definitely deserves some praise, especially turning around from where they came.

Well done for backing themselves and not getting caught up in the hype of Parish, a player who we definitely would've picked a few years ago. Targeting these big bodied, aggressive players has been a real focus and will see us be one of the more hard-nosed teams in the coming years.

[Demon_JB 1,385]

1 hour ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

Well done for backing themselves and not getting caught up in the hype of Parish, a player who we definitely would've picked a few years ago. Targeting these big bodied, aggressive players has been a real focus and will see us be one of the more hard-nosed teams in the coming years.

I completely agree. Melbourne of Old would have just played it safe and drafted Parish. So glad we are drafting men now. 

[rjay 24,928]

So...it seems Oliver likes to under promise and over deliver.

Says he changed clubs in the TAC to try and get a few games then come back as a 19 yo in the hope of being drafted...He wins the Morrish.

Says he will be happy to be picked up as a late round pick...Picked up as a first rounder by us at number 4.

Says he's looking to play at Casey and continue his development with the hope of maybe getting a game later in the year (this did worry me at the time)...Looks set for round 1 and not just as a fringe player.

If he say he's looking to consolidate his place in the team...then we might be looking at a Brownlow medalist.

[Gator 17,357]

2 minutes ago, rjay said:

So...it seems Oliver likes to under promise and over deliver.

Says he changed clubs in the TAC to try and get a few games then come back as a 19 yo in the hope of being drafted...He wins the Morrish.

Says he will be happy to be picked up as a late round pick...Picked up as a first rounder by us at number 4.

Says he's looking to play at Casey and continue his development with the hope of maybe getting a game later in the year (this did worry me at the time)...Looks set for round 1 and not just as a fringe player.

If he say he's looking to consolidate his place in the team...then we might be looking at a Brownlow medalist.

Some people are self effacing.

You're reading too much into his comments (I know you're being jovial).

[13thFlagIsComing 542]

Had $20 on Oliver for Rising Star last week @ $21 on Crownbet. This morning he is at $10.

 

 

[Gator 17,357]

4 minutes ago, 13thFlagIsComing said:

Had $20 on Oliver for Rising Star last week @ $21 on Crownbet. This morning he is at $10.

 

 

You can still get $15 at Sportbet.com.au

[Demon_JB 1,385]

I'm not sure if anyone else noticed this, but Oliver did two things for a first year player that really really impressed me.

There was an instance where he ran and collected the ball and was immediately about to get tackled. Instead of just running into a player and getting wrapped up, he picked up the ball and jumped into the tackler, forcing him to tackle below his waist. He was able to fire out a handball over the tackler to one of our players in space.

Another situation he was perfectly tackled and had no chance to handball the footy. Instead of just dropping it cold like a lot of players do, he guided it to his foot and did a neat little 3metre kick from the pack to one of our players into space.

 

It's smart quick thinking attributes like this you want to see in an inside midfield player. Can't wait to see this guy in the home & away season.

 

Go Dees

[Nasher 33,616]

I just enjoy not having to go through the "gee, he's off to a slow start, but I'm sure he'll come on..." with our more recent batch of early draft pick midfielders.

I know people have been saying it for years (looking at you, ProDee) and I'm very slow to get on the bandwagon, but top shelf quality is almost universally evident immediately. Hogan, Brayshaw and now Oliver are clear examples of first impressions counting for everything.  It's no guarantee that they will actually reach the top shelf, but I am starting to think that looking all at sea early (thinking Morton, Toumpas) is pretty much a guarantee that they won't reach the top shelf.

[H_T 3,047]

1 hour ago, rjay said:

If he say he's looking to consolidate his place in the team...then we might be looking at a Brownlow medalist.   Rising Star.

Fixed.

[beelzebub 23,376]

5 minutes ago, H_T said:

Fixed.

wonder what odds we can get 

( my bad,....should have looked up !! lol ) 

Edited March 7, 2016 by beelzebub

[Curry & Beer 5,444]

28 minutes ago, juzzk1d said:

I'm not sure if anyone else noticed this, but Oliver did two things for a first year player that really really impressed me.

There was an instance where he ran and collected the ball and was immediately about to get tackled. Instead of just running into a player and getting wrapped up, he picked up the ball and jumped into the tackler, forcing him to tackle below his waist. He was able to fire out a handball over the tackler to one of our players in space.

Another situation he was perfectly tackled and had no chance to handball the footy. Instead of just dropping it cold like a lot of players do, he guided it to his foot and did a neat little 3metre kick from the pack to one of our players into space.

 

It's smart quick thinking attributes like this you want to see in an inside midfield player. Can't wait to see this guy in the home & away season.

 

Go Dees

absolutely noticed it, not something you expect to see so early and a very good sign about his instincts, as many have noted

[Ted Lasso 19,518]

The beauty of the situation for me is i almost find myself forgetting we still have Brayshaw and Petracca to come back in as well, our young talent is as good as anyones these days

[Dr. Gonzo 24,219]

9 minutes ago, Peter Griffen said:

The beauty of the situation for me is i almost find myself forgetting we still have Brayshaw and Petracca to come back in as well, our young talent is as good as anyones these days

And it's not based on "potential" as in the past (although we haven't seen Petracca yet I am confident he'll "hit the ground running" once he gets senior games too).

[beelzebub 23,376]

11 minutes ago, Peter Griffen said:

The beauty of the situation for me is i almost find myself forgetting we still have Brayshaw and Petracca to come back in as well, our young talent is as good as anyones these days

And youd obviously forgotten Hogan..lol  ( maybe not ...just ragging   )  I for one am looking forward to a rejuvenated  Harry as well.

[Vitamin Dee 903]

1 hour ago, 13thFlagIsComing said:

Had $20 on Oliver for Rising Star last week @ $21 on Crownbet. This morning he is at $10.

 

 

Sunday's Herald Sun reported that someone had 1K on Oliver @ $21.

Has to be someone from here..

Edited March 7, 2016 by Lace Out

[Mach5 4,767]

Have to be someone who's forgotten about Petracca too...

 

[Vitamin Dee 903]

26 minutes ago, Mach5 said:

Have to be someone who's forgotten about Petracca too...

 

may have been offsetting 

[Mach5 4,767]

I did consider that after the post.

[Redleg 40,926]

Oliver is a class footballer. Take a bow, Jason Taylor.

[Ted Lasso 19,518]

as good as our young list of mids is, Oliver could easily be the best of them.

[DeeSpencer 25,712]

4 minutes ago, Peter Griffen said:

as good as our young list of mids is, Oliver could easily be the best of them.

I loved Viney when he started in 2013. Then I loved Tyson in 2014. Couldn't help but enjoy Brayshaw last year. Now already moved on to Oliver. Yet after all that I'm still really keen to see what Petracca can do, but I'm loving the idea of him getting to start as a forward and support Hogan. 

We need a bit more outside run and skill, but surely young players would be excited getting to play with those names above. 

[DeeMfc 621]

On 18 February 2016 at 2:03 PM, mo64 said:

My assessment is based on the same footage as you're making your assessment. In congestion he used his physical superiority to fend off players. I question whether he'll get away with it at AFL level. I thought that Parish had far superior football smarts based on the limited footage available.

I'm sure Oliver will become a very good AFL player. I just don't believe the hype that was written about him on here after the draft.

 

 

On 18 February 2016 at 2:27 PM, mo64 said:

Just rewatched some of the early footage, and my assessment stands. I'll try and find some footage that changes my assessment.

Convinced yet Mo?

[mo64 5,874]

2 minutes ago, DeeMfc said:

 

Convinced yet Mo?

I did say that he will become a very good AFL player, just wasn't convinced that he had elite talent as a junior. His football smarts in the contest are fantastic and bordering on elite. I thought he overplayed the situation in the highlights package, but is making quick decisions at AFL level which is amazing.

To answer your question, yeah I'm convinced.

 

[beelzebub 23,376]

46 minutes ago, Peter Griffen said:

as good as our young list of mids is, Oliver could easily be the best of them.

I wouldnt mind if he was even the 3rd or 4th best  

[Oliver Sholem 17]

Liked him from the very beginning.

Like Brayshaw last year, I think that once the season starts you won't be seeing him at Casey very much.