All aboard the Oliver Express

[Lord Travis 10,470]

Just needs to get fitter. His kicking is actually brilliant, top ranked kick in his draft in the testing. At the moment he gets no ball on the outside as I he isn't fit enough. He smashes in with the stoppage and then can't spread to follow up. With added fitness he will be a weapon and IMO could become our best player.

[Akum 2,660]

37 minutes ago, Lord Travis said:

Just needs to get fitter. His kicking is actually brilliant, top ranked kick in his draft in the testing. At the moment he gets no ball on the outside as I he isn't fit enough. He smashes in with the stoppage and then can't spread to follow up. With added fitness he will be a weapon and IMO could become our best player.

Most posters have got this. No problems whatsoever with the standard of his play, just that in the seniors he's struggled to run out 60% game time.

Especially considering Roos' reflection on Brayshaw was that they prob erred by playing him through the season when they might have been better to have not had him in the firsts. Perhaps they even wonder whether Brayshaw's injury probs this year may be because they burned him out a bit.

No doubt that Clarrie's going to be a top-class mid, and sooner rather than later.

[Deestroy All 14,262]

Was he bitten by a radioactive spider last week?

He's destroying Coburg. 

[Nasher 33,607]

6 hours ago, Lord Travis said:

Just needs to get fitter. His kicking is actually brilliant, top ranked kick in his draft in the testing. At the moment he gets no ball on the outside as I he isn't fit enough. He smashes in with the stoppage and then can't spread to follow up. With added fitness he will be a weapon and IMO could become our best player.

Yep.  Considering that early last season he was overweight and barely on the draft radar, and lost the weight by basically stopping eating - it's understandable that he's well behind the pace in the fitness stakes.  This is where Misson will really earn his pay over the next few years.

Oliver is probably the most exciting prospect on the list, with some strong competition.  Waiting for him to get to AFL standard conditioning is going to be like counting down Christmas from February when you're 5.  Please let him come back near it in season 2017! If he gets injured this pre-season, I am in danger of actual tears.

[WERRIDEE 5,349]

13 hours ago, picket fence said:

Should be getting a game in front of Brayshaw, who in my view is still not quite right.

Manic attack on the ball should be in the team no doubt!

He should be getting a game ahead of Vanders. Don't understand why Vanders seems undropable.

[Adam The God 29,381]

13 hours ago, picket fence said:

Should be getting a game in front of Brayshaw, who in my view is still not quite right.

Manic attack on the ball should be in the team no doubt!

Rubbish. Brayshaw's fortnight since he's come back has been really positive. I love Clarry, but it's not Gus I'd be switching him for. If he had the tank, I'd be swapping him for AVB.

[Adam The God 29,381]

27 minutes ago, WERRIDEE said:

He should be getting a game ahead of Vanders. Don't understand why Vanders seems undropable.

See, I'd agree with this, except for the lack of TOG both Brayshaw and Oliver play at. We can't carry them both at the moment. Cannot wait until they're both in the same side though. This is going to be a scary midfield. We talk about GWS, but injury permitting, in 2-3 years we'll have the best midfield in the competition.

[PaulRB 6,297]

27 minutes ago, AdamFphlebeb said:

See, I'd agree with this, except for the lack of TOG both Brayshaw and Oliver play at. We can't carry them both at the moment. Cannot wait until they're both in the same side though. This is going to be a scary midfield. We talk about GWS, but injury permitting, in 2-3 years we'll have the best midfield in the competition.

Vanders is a season and several years body wise ahead of Clarry and when on is as damaging, as was seen last year. This year Vanders has been working through his ankle issues and his role shifting to be more up forward as others get more time around the ball. 

I reckon he's as good a prospect as our top 10 kids in terms of his ceiling, and Roo's (who saw it and developed it with Kennedy) knows it.

Hence, straight back in.

[rjay 24,604]

9 hours ago, PaulRB said:

Vanders is a season and several years body wise ahead of Clarry and when on is as damaging, as was seen last year. This year Vanders has been working through his ankle issues and his role shifting to be more up forward as others get more time around the ball. 

I reckon he's as good a prospect as our top 10 kids in terms of his ceiling, and Roo's (who saw it and developed it with Kennedy) knows it.

Hence, straight back in.

Although I love Vanders attack on the player and ball, Oliver is streets ahead of him in raw talent.

Oliver is just so much more damaging with ball in hand...

[PaulRB 6,297]

11 minutes ago, rjay said:

Although I love Vanders attack on the player and ball, Oliver is streets ahead of him in raw talent.

Oliver is just so much more damaging with ball in hand...

I can see that, but Vanders performs better when resting forward than Oliver and is stronger one-on-one when ball in the air. 

Another preseason and an injury free run for both will tell us a lot.

[jumbo returns 6,703]

I cannot understand why Clayton Oliver is not in the starting 22.

[PaulRB 6,297]

I think he's limited by his inability to play out the full four quarters (or even 80%) at AFL level, and as a result is unable to fulfil his midfield role consistently, despite his obvious talent for it.

Roos said as much when comparing Oliver with Petracca recently.

Edited July 31, 2016 by PaulRB

[John Crow Batty 8,780]

1 minute ago, PaulRB said:

I think he's limited by his inability to play out the full four quarters (or even 80%) at AFL level, and as a result is unable to fulfil his midfield role consistently, despite his obvious talent for it.

No reason why he could not play from the interchange bench. Would make a handy impact player. There must be other reasons.

[chook fowler 19,251]

I can't understand everybody's rush to play Clarry. Our development gurus are obviously developing him slowly but surely. Seems right to me.

[PaulRB 6,297]

7 minutes ago, america de cali said:

No reason why he could not play from the interchange bench. Would make a handy impact player. There must be other reasons.

He was at around 60% game time earlier in the year, and while doing well it means that others in the team had to play more game time. And with a young team that can be problematic. As in, Hunt, Petracca, OMac, may also need to be managed. 

I also think that they are looking to shape him into a more rounded mid and that education may be better achieved at Casey...

Edited July 31, 2016 by PaulRB

[Cheap Seats 3,310]

I dont understand the panic to rush clarry back to the 1s.

With the vfl performing well and expecting consistent strong performances, as well as having blokes like Macca & goodey heading up development. 

I confident the mfc will get this kid right.

I haven't looked up any stats but i remember seeing somewhere when he was in the 1s  he was only playing 65 - 70% game time

[rjay 24,604]

3 hours ago, Unleash Hell said:

I dont understand the panic to rush clarry back to the 1s.

With the vfl performing well and expecting consistent strong performances, as well as having blokes like Macca & goodey heading up development. 

I confident the mfc will get this kid right.

I haven't looked up any stats but i remember seeing somewhere when he was in the 1s  he was only playing 65 - 70% game time

...because he's a better player already than a lot of those getting a game. He's a match winner, others are marking time.

[Demon Disciple 11,652]

The team will be better with him in it. That's why he should be given the call up.

[picket fence 16,689]

GO CLARRY, STICK T UP THE HAWKS SON!!

[DV8 2,271]

8 hours ago, PaulRB said:

He was at around 60% game time earlier in the year, and while doing well it means that others in the team had to play more game time. And with a young team that can be problematic. As in, Hunt, Petracca, OMac, may also need to be managed. 

I also think that they are looking to shape him into a more rounded mid and that education may be better achieved at Casey...

And the perfect time of the year now,  for him to start developing the new skill-sets at Casey,  before his next pre season.

[Demon Dynasty 17,094]

8 hours ago, chook fowler said:

I can't understand everybody's rush to play Clarry. Our development gurus are obviously developing him slowly but surely. Seems right to me.

Yep. They would be all over this. There's no rush for Clarry to come in on a regular basis until he has the tank to go at it for longer and better on the outside.

Having said that he is def our best ball user inside and i would still play him occasionally ahead of Matty for a few games over the remainder of the season just to keep his hand in and confidence/belief up at AFL level. Maybe after the Hawks match.

For a great example of how good his work is inside check out the 28 minute mark of the 2nd quarter, Casey v Sandy match last week. It's approx 1:14:40 into the replay on the Plus 7 website. Magic Clarry at his best. Link here if interested.....

https://au.tv.yahoo.com/plus7/vfl/-/watch/32144867/vfl-sunday-24-jul-casey-vs-sandringham/

Edited July 31, 2016 by Rusty Nails

[picket fence 16,689]

19 minutes ago, Rusty Nails said:

Yep. They would be all over this. There's no rush for Clarry to come in on a regular basis until he has the tank to go at it for longer and better on the outside.

Having said that he is def our best ball user inside and i would still play him occasionally ahead of Matty for a few games over the remainder of the season just to keep his hand in and confidence/belief up at AFL level. Maybe after the Hawks match.

For a great example of how good his work is inside check out the 28 minute mark of the 2nd quarter, Casey v Sandy match last week. It's approx 1:14:40 into the replay on the Plus 7 website. Magic Clarry at his best. Link here if interested.....

https://au.tv.yahoo.com/plus7/vfl/-/watch/32144867/vfl-sunday-24-jul-casey-vs-sandringham/

Luuurve it He is clearly CLEARLY above VFL standard!

Edited July 31, 2016 by picket fence

[Demon Dynasty 17,094]

18 hours ago, picket fence said:

Luuurve it He is clearly CLEARLY above VFL standard!

tryin to keep a lid on it!

[Demon Dynasty 17,094]

On 7/31/2016 at 0:56 PM, Unleash Hell said:

I dont understand the panic to rush clarry back to the 1s.

With the vfl performing well and expecting consistent strong performances, as well as having blokes like Macca & goodey heading up development. 

I confident the mfc will get this kid right.

I haven't looked up any stats but i remember seeing somewhere when he was in the 1s  he was only playing 65 - 70% game time

Correct

Season average is 67.5% so far.  Up to Rnd 17 this was only bettered by Gus on 64.5%

Need to update Gus for Rnds 18 / 19

[CBDees 3,165]

On 31 July 2016 at 0:45 AM, WERRIDEE said:

He should be getting a game ahead of Vanders. Don't understand why Vanders seems undropable.

Leading goal kicker yesterday along with Watts might be just one reason. Vanders and Watts were our only multiple goal kickers with 3.2 each. If Vanders hadn't played we would have lost to the Suns! Him and Watts each kicked three times the score of our only other (three) solo goal kickers.