Cool hands Clarry! 

24 minutes ago, ManDee said:

Almost blasphemous  SWYL. In Oliver's case I think he will be seen as a superstar in a premiership team.  Robbie was a superstar of the game who never received the ultimate reward.

That was never Tulip’s fault. 

He always played at 100% MD

46 minutes ago, Sir Why You Little said:

Clayton Oliver will be thought of in the same way as Robert Flower as time rolls on. 

Don't disagree, and think your right. Would like to just add Bayley Fritsch has a lot of similarities to Robbie qualities, ie the ball pick up, change of speed, contesting against much bigger opponents and the balance/marking. Could we have two down the track, to early i know.

57 minutes ago, ManDee said:

Almost blasphemous  SWYL. In Oliver's case I think he will be seen as a superstar in a premiership team.  Robbie was a superstar of the game who never received the ultimate reward.

Not blasphemous at all.

I actually think he will be better than Flower.

18 minutes ago, Petraccattack said:

Not blasphemous at all.

I actually think he will be better than Flower.

There is a long way to go yet to be as good as Flower, did you see him in the State games? Wow!  I believe that Oliver is showing all the signs and I think he will be a champion. I also though Gysberts was going to be a star, so what would I know.

 

Edit:- How lucky are we to even contemplate comparing a current player to Robert Flower

Edited April 9, 20186 yr by ManDee

Watched a lot of Oliver's foot at TAC cup level.. Played on ball a lot but would rest up forward and play nearly as a bullockng full forward. Contested marking and sheer strength would see him kick quick bags of 2 and 3 resting up forward.

Kicked 6 goals as a mid and resting forward in one of those TAC cup games. 

He can be just as damaging up forward then he is in the midfield.

Clayton is a star. Yes, he was relatively quiet by his very high standards on Saturday, but 2 goals and 20 possessions against a hard tag is pretty handy for quiet day. 

We've had plenty of good players in the past 30 years, but most of them have had an enormous gap between their best and worst football. If Clayton can still contribute on his lesser days, as he did on Saturday, he will be the best of the bunch.

Gawn Viney Oliver Petracca thats a ridiculously talented A grade center square unit when Jack comes back in

Just watched the highlights - Daw gets 100 mentions but they don't show any of Clarry's goals !! 

55 minutes ago, Petraccattack said:

Not blasphemous at all.

I actually think he will be better than Flower.

boo boooo

4 hours ago, ProDee said:

There are very few mids with no weaknesses.  Even some of the greats have weaknesses.  Sam Mitchell - slow/contested marking, Simon Black - slow, Dangerfield - kicking, so on and so forth.

Oliver has speed, great hand and foot skills, marking ability, agility, body size, aggression, vision, decision making, etc.  He has no weakness.  None.

That's not to say he'll end up as good as some of those players, as they have a level of sheer brilliance that can't be measured.

And that is the only query.  Can he show he's capable of the regular sheer brilliance of the greats.

I hope so.

How is his left foot kicking?

it is great to finally have a mid of Oliver's ability. Pure A grade. Now. Agree with your summation. One aspect i really love about is his aggression. Does not take a backward step and is the first in to fly the flag if one his team mates gets sniped. 

He is just such a natural footballer, one of the most natural i've ever seen. The fist goals he kicked was perfect example.  His collect and jink to the left to create space was so pure and instinctive. 

Th other thing he has going for him his height. 6'2 in the old makes for a very tough match up when he pushes forward. In 3 years time he will have put on 5 kgs of muscle and might even get a bit taller(he'll certainly fill out a bit). Frightening for the opposition. Imagine him and Trac in beast mode in 2021.

17 hours ago, tiers said:

How bloody good was Clarry's first goal.

Running towards an awkwardly bouncing ball with his opponent right behind, having to change stride and pace to take clean possession of the ball, the acceleration away from the opponent and then the kick around the body at full pace straight through the goals.

If Danger or Dusty had done the same, the commentators would have wet themselves. Our Clarry does it naturally.

And now he is being compared to Diesel for his handball skills.

There are times when it's so good to be a Demon.

I'm so glad someone brought this up. That goal was amazing. Picked up a bouncing ball at speed and then turn and goal. This kid has got some serious talent! Super exciting.

17 minutes ago, binman said:

How is his left foot kicking?

it is great to finally have a mid of Oliver's ability. Pure A grade. Now. Agree with your summation. One aspect i really love about is his aggression. Does not take a backward step and is the first in to fly the flag if one his team mates gets sniped. 

He is just such a natural footballer, one of the most natural i've ever seen. The fist goals he kicked was perfect example.  His collect and jink to the left to create space was so pure and instinctive. 

Th other thing he has going for him his height. 6'2 in the old makes for a very tough match up when he pushes forward. In 3 years time he will have put on 5 kgs of muscle and might even get a bit taller(he'll certainly fill out a bit). Frightening for the opposition. Imagine him and Trac in beast mode in 2021.

Clarry and Trac are gonna run riot. I love the fact that these guys are pushing each other to be better too. That competitiveness in the group is such a good thing to have.

1 hour ago, ManDee said:

There is a long way to go yet to be as good as Flower, did you see him in the State games? Wow!  I believe that Oliver is showing all the signs and I think he will be a champion. I also though Gysberts was going to be a star, so what would I know.

 

Edit:- How lucky are we to even contemplate comparing a current player to Robert Flower

Very lucky and this time it feels real as we have the coaches and the development and our young stars are also competitive beasts.

And yes Robbie was amazing.  

 

Robbie's grace, loyalty, modesty, humility and exquisite talent were, and will always remain, incomparable. Our one and only truly immortal legend.

Clarry has shown enormous potential. We should have the patience to wait and watch his career unfold without any unreal expectations. No rush and no pressure.

 

 

16 hours ago, Demonland said:

 

 

Notice the silence from Eddie...

Clarrie's goal was a highlight of the game and a major steadying influence if not a sealer and a privilege to eye-witness. Watching the replay (thanks previous posters!) reveals the details: Salem's great tackle on Billy Hartung saw the ball spill to Kent who was tackled but still managed to get the ball to the anticipatory brilliance of Neal-Bullen who unfortunately dribbled his kick forward, but it was enough for Clarrie...he adjusted mid-lead, collected cleanly, turned on a coin moving to his left leaving his opponent a further metre behind and with supreme balance put the ball on his boot and over his shoulder for an unforgettable sausage roll. Onya Clarrie! 

Edited April 9, 20186 yr by Obmik

On 09/04/2018 at 3:53 AM, Uncle Fester said:

Thought he was pretty quiet on Sat. 20 touches and 2 goals. I'm not used to seeing anything less than 30 next to his name.

Have another look at the replay Fester! Stick a light globe in ur gob and ignite every time his disposal was instrumental in either a goal of a progression forward.

This bloke aint a 21st century player.............................................................................. More like a hybrid evolutionary 22nd Century Prototype that has ..

100% Peripheral Vision

Clean hands

Fearless

Exquisite handball skills

Runs all day

Tackles Hard

Can kick great goals

You know NOW what every talent scout will have a brief to find???????? another  SMOKY 

Get me another Clarry Choo Choo!

Edited April 10, 20186 yr by picket fence

2 hours ago, picket fence said:

Have another look at the replay Fester! etc

It was a joke, Joyce.

On 09/04/2018 at 2:45 PM, low flying Robbo said:

Notice the silence from Eddie...

Actually listening to Eddie’ss crap faux pumped up commentary throughout the game, I found his silence at the time most welcome. ?

Edited April 10, 20186 yr by monoccular

10 hours ago, picket fence said:

Get me another Clarry Choo Choo!

An unbelievable talent.

Can’t wait to watch his career unfold. 

He and Petracca were made for finals footy.

Does anyone have the gif/clip of Clarry from Hawthorn game where he did the one handed pickup/rotation/handball while being tackled? Was sheer brilliance but I can't find it online. I remember seeing it on Demonland last year though!

On 4/8/2018 at 9:00 PM, tiers said:

I go back to the late 50s. I have seen champion midfielders (or centre men as they were once called) like Laurie Mithen, Hassa Mann, Greg Wells, Brian Wilson and others but none had the same range of skills and abilities as Clarry.

None had the potential to be as destructive and dominant as Clarry - a consequence of our modern game. In their day it wasn't expected so it is not fair to make comparisons.

Clarry's more your ruck/rover of the old days, than a centerman.

Centreman were always classy movers with refined skills. Part of the skilled centreline.

The rucks (Ruck,R/R,Rover)were the blue collar bangers in the middle.

11 minutes ago, Lord Travis said:

Does anyone have the gif/clip of Clarry from Hawthorn game where he did the one handed pickup/rotation/handball while being tackled? Was sheer brilliance but I can't find it online. I remember seeing it on Demonland last year though!

Someone posted a gif of Oliver on the Changes v Hawthorn thread a couple of days ago from memory.