Lyon: Oliver is Demons best EVER midfielder

[Macca 17,084]

2 minutes ago, Moonshadow said:

 

So that's what Josh Mahoney looks like.  Who knew?

The club has copped it left,  right & centre on our drafting & trading history but what about the recent past ... Oliver,  Brayshaw and (probably) Petracca are star quality whilst I believe Weideman could be really good if he can develop a genuine belief in himself.  Salem is another success story.  Viney the same.  Melksham & Hibberd came for 2nd round picks.  Fritsch,  Frost & AVB came reasonably cheap as well. 

On top of that we've used top end picks to trade in 2 quality backmen (May & Lever) to shore things up down back.  Trading/recruiting for senior talent in Cross,  Vince & Lewis were also good moves.

We've gone from predominately missing to predominately hitting with regards to recruiting. 

 

[beelzebub 23,388]

9 hours ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

Just for fun: 

Different camera angle, same action.

Have you read Red Fox ?

Might be more than an accidental comparison ;)

[Lucifers Hero 40,489]

6 minutes ago, beelzebub said:

Have you read Red Fox ?

Might be more than an accidental comparison ;)

No bb I haven't read it.  Just some of my favourite pics.  What connection do you make?

[Wiseblood 24,637]

56 minutes ago, ProDee said:

Matthew Lloyd just said that to elevate his game and join the absolute best mids, like Patrick Cripps, he had to kick more goals.  

Cripps and Oliver average the same amount of goals across their career (.4) and averaged the same amount last year (.5).

I don't necessarily disagree and think Oliver will kick more goals, but at least get your facts right.

Not only that, but statistically in 2018, they were extremely similar players.  Cripps gets plenty of love, and rightly so, for being a fantastic footballer, but he stands out in a rubbish football side.  Clarry is an absolute gun in a side that has plenty of gun players around him.  That speaks volumes.

I'd wager both of them are well and truly on the same level and Lloyd is well wide of the mark in his assessment.

[pineapple dee 2,892]

2 hours ago, willmoy said:

If i was playing against this bloke we are talking about it probably wouldn't hurt to shake his hand after a game and not wash it for a while. I reckon he's that good..........

Can I just say for those who didn't catch it before ( and I swear I will never mention it again )  I did shake Clarry's hand in the Middle Camberwell Woolworths just after he got drafted and wished him luck. 

Sadly, I have washed that hand since.

[Ethan Tremblay 31,168]

10 minutes ago, pineapple dee said:

Can I just say for those who didn't catch it before ( and I swear I will never mention it again )  I did shake Clarry's hand in the Middle Camberwell Woolworths just after he got drafted and wished him luck. 

Sadly, I have washed that hand since.

Did you swab it to get a DNA sample before you washed it? 

[jnrmac 20,207]

3 hours ago, Macca said:

Clarrie did win the Morrish Medal (fairest & best in the Under 18 comp) so every club would have known about him.  But you're right,  working our way to the 3 pick was a masterstroke. 

The Bombers were all set to take Oliver and Parish with picks 5 & 6 but we usurped them.  

  

He's lost a few Kegs since his Morrish medal win....

[Macca 17,084]

38 minutes ago, jnrmac said:

He's lost a few Kegs since his Morrish medal win....

Clarrie has that look about him though and the bloke behind him has that look of utter despair. They're both possibly looking at their own footy future's in that snap.

'A picture is worth a 1000 words' was never more apt.

Oliver is your quintessential above the shoulders player.  Born to play footy.

[DeezNuts 624]

Yer, he’s alright I guess..

[picket fence 17,747]

6 hours ago, TeamPlayedFine39 said:

Thank god Sydney matched our bid on Mills.

Thank god Gold Coast traded us pick three.

Thank god we took a risk on a draft bolter and didn't play the safe pick in Parish.

Thank Jaheesus H Christmas 

???

[picket fence 17,747]

4 hours ago, Jaded said:

I reckon Todd’s son might end up better than him too just quietly. 

Nup Not in a month of Sundays Viney Bull 

Clarry Choo Choo AVATAR!!

[tiers 2,860]

When Clarrie was drafted I looked at his draft video. Even then, at junior level, he displayed a level of skill with his handball that I had never seen before. At that moment, 50+ years of misery slowly started to slip away. 

Let's be patient and watch this superstar in the making evolve. For the moment at least, he is our's alone to enjoy. That will soon change and he will belong to the whole footy world.

 

[DV8 2,271]

5 hours ago, Macca said:

"In Lyon's time on earth" but ...

Clarrie has a long way to go before he catches up with Ron Barassi

I never saw RDB play but I know plenty who did see him play ... a gun ruck-rover (midfielder) who was arguably best on ground in 3 winning grand finals.  Universally regarded as a great footballer.

Oliver is on a similar trajectory but he's still got to get there. 

Not sure we should ever dismiss the past so easily.

Oli is a beaut, and will continue getting better.  BUT he is not as good, yet,  as Robbie Flower was.

Oli has a way to go.

 

[DV8 2,271]

5 hours ago, Deespicable said:

I didn't hear Lyon, but if he rated Oliver the best he's seen at Deeland, then he's pretty much on the money in my opinion.

Garry would never have seen Ronald Dale or Brian Dixon and I doubt he saw Stan Alves or Greg Wells in demon colours, so there's really only one player ahead of him and it's already been pointed out that 'Tulip' Robbie Flower was very much an outside mid. Gerard Healy's final year at our club in 1985 was Oliver-esque but much of his early years were spent as a forward, so i've left him out of my list below, but he's the only other player who can be mentioned in the same breath as these guys. Also left out on a positional basis were Adam Yze, Steven Febey (best work as half back), Brett Lovett (same) and Glenn Lovett (half forward).  I also remember more of Willow as our gifted umpy-appealing forward, even though he was a pure mid for his Brownlow year with us and flipped spots a bit. 

My 10 best Dee mids I've seen (which dates back to 1971) are:

1) Robbie Flower - Kept our club alive with hope in the 70s and early 80s. Could do anything, just watch any state game highlights.

2) Clayton Oliver - only a small sample, but his past two years have been huge and he's getting more confident in taking the game on.

3) Todd Viney - a bit wonky with his kicking at times, but grunt work was exceptional. Made everyone walk taller when he played.

4) Greg Wells - an unbelievable mark for his size and he didn't even have a leap - just great at positioning his body.

5) Stan Alves - one of the first to realise the importance of fitness and out on his wing, he found space.

6) Jack Viney - if he can keep injury free then he'll climb up the order. He's our Joel Selwood.

7) Stephen Tingay - when he was hot during the early 90s, so were we. Had courage and a damaging kick on the run.

8) Nathan Jones - we all know he's a hard worker, but he's also very elusive for a bloke who's not exceptionally quick.

9) Shane Woewodin -OK, the haters are going to hate, but his 2000 year was inspiring and we did make the GF largely because of him.

10) Andrew Obst - a tremendous work ethic over a number of years and better in traffic than Sugar Healy IMO.

Likely to be on this list in a couple more years: Gus and Harmes

And look at this list from another perspective.   These Mids listed above, are all our best since the mid 60's ...  not very many. 

And IMO, is a very big reason why we have not won a AFL/VFL Premiership Cup, within that time frame.

.

[rjay 25,203]

5 hours ago, Deespicable said:

I didn't hear Lyon, but if he rated Oliver the best he's seen at Deeland, then he's pretty much on the money in my opinion.

Garry would never have seen Ronald Dale or Brian Dixon and I doubt he saw Stan Alves or Greg Wells in demon colours, so there's really only one player ahead of him and it's already been pointed out that 'Tulip' Robbie Flower was very much an outside mid. Gerard Healy's final year at our club in 1985 was Oliver-esque but much of his early years were spent as a forward, so i've left him out of my list below, but he's the only other player who can be mentioned in the same breath as these guys. Also left out on a positional basis were Adam Yze, Steven Febey (best work as half back), Brett Lovett (same) and Glenn Lovett (half forward).  I also remember more of Willow as our gifted umpy-appealing forward, even though he was a pure mid for his Brownlow year with us and flipped spots a bit. 

My 10 best Dee mids I've seen (which dates back to 1971) are:

1) Robbie Flower - Kept our club alive with hope in the 70s and early 80s. Could do anything, just watch any state game highlights.

2) Clayton Oliver - only a small sample, but his past two years have been huge and he's getting more confident in taking the game on.

3) Todd Viney - a bit wonky with his kicking at times, but grunt work was exceptional. Made everyone walk taller when he played.

4) Greg Wells - an unbelievable mark for his size and he didn't even have a leap - just great at positioning his body.

5) Stan Alves - one of the first to realise the importance of fitness and out on his wing, he found space.

6) Jack Viney - if he can keep injury free then he'll climb up the order. He's our Joel Selwood.

7) Stephen Tingay - when he was hot during the early 90s, so were we. Had courage and a damaging kick on the run.

8) Nathan Jones - we all know he's a hard worker, but he's also very elusive for a bloke who's not exceptionally quick.

9) Shane Woewodin -OK, the haters are going to hate, but his 2000 year was inspiring and we did make the GF largely because of him.

10) Andrew Obst - a tremendous work ethic over a number of years and better in traffic than Sugar Healy IMO.

Likely to be on this list in a couple more years: Gus and Harmes

This list shows where we've been since '64 & why....we've lacked real star power.

Oliver is the best mid I've seen at the club (apologies to Hassa one of my heroes growing up but the memory is fading) & well on the way to being an absolute champion of the game.

 

[58er 6,687]

1 hour ago, picket fence said:

Nup Not in a month of Sundays Viney Bull 

Clarry Choo Choo AVATAR!!

Reckon he was saying Jack could be better than Todd not Clarry!

only my take on the comment and the jury is still out but Jack has to be available consistently!

[Dame Gaga 2,453]

He's come a long way from the chicken parmigiana and chips with no salad. Now he only has an appetite for the Brownlow, Premiership, and a Norm Smith. ( More than one of each of these will be tasty).

[P-man 13,366]

I think it was during the scratch match against Collingwood where one of the commentators asked, “Is Clayton Oliver in the top twenty players in the competition?”. I actually burst out laughing. Of course he is. How is that even up for debate? 21 years old and the kid is already an out and out star.

[What 18,810]

How can a player this brilliant only poll a combined 25 Brownlow votes the last two seasons.

The umpires never cease to amaze.

[Guest]

13 hours ago, binman said:

Not sure the connection to Oliver but I was definitely one of those people.

How do I feel now? 100% confident I will be proved correct. Why wouldn't I be?

Neita is a true mfc great and one or my all time favorites. games record holder. Fantastic, inspirational skipper. Great team man.

 But if truth be told was not an A grader as his modest AA record attests. Early on had 1 great season whete it appeared he could be anything. Good but not great thereafter. Went through a period where he couldn't catch a cold.

Jessie has had an incredible start to his career. Suoer consisyent. And if he keeps focused will get better. And be a level above neita

I'll admit the statements were somewhat different: Clayton Oliver will be the best Melbourne midfielder ever vs. Jesse Hogan will be better than David Neitz. However, for mine, the latter statement had an implication that Jesse would be a Demon for life, hence why he was compared to Neita rather than say a Jonno Brown or Tom Hawkins. 

[binman 44,202]

27 minutes ago, Hillary Bray said:

I'll admit the statements were somewhat different: Clayton Oliver will be the best Melbourne midfielder ever vs. Jesse Hogan will be better than David Neitz. However, for mine, the latter statement had an implication that Jesse would be a Demon for life, hence why he was compared to Neita rather than say a Jonno Brown or Tom Hawkins. 

Fair enough. He definitely won't hold a candle to neita as a dee.

You would have to say that despite contributing to the dees history will show he was not fully invested in the way neita was - and still is.

Edited March 4, 2019 by binman

[binman 44,202]

35 minutes ago, Petraccattack said:

How can a player this brilliant only poll a combined 25 Brownlow votes the last two seasons.

The umpires never cease to amaze.

Because he is lippy And tells the umpires when they have made a blue. Often. And with conviction. And he gets stuck into opponents. Scraps and pushes and holds tbem down after tackles. All of which dees fans love. Tbe umpires not so much.

 I backed him for most brownlow votes for us last year. Was shocked that Brashaw won it. But shouldn't be. They love golden boy Brayshaw. Clarry not so much

[Moonshadow 17,678]

2 hours ago, binman said:

Because he is lippy And tells the umpires when they have made a blue. Often. And with conviction. And he gets stuck into opponents. Scraps and pushes and holds tbem down after tackles. All of which dees fans love. Tbe umpires not so much.

 I backed him for most brownlow votes for us last year. Was shocked that Brashaw won it. But shouldn't be. They love golden boy Brayshaw. Clarry not so much

Clarry should start wearing a helmut

3 votes: C. Oliver

[hemingway 7,633]

15 hours ago, pineapple dee said:

Can I just say for those who didn't catch it before ( and I swear I will never mention it again )  I did shake Clarry's hand in the Middle Camberwell Woolworths just after he got drafted and wished him luck. 

Sadly, I have washed that hand since.

What the hell was Clarry doing in Middle Camberwell ?  Did he get lost coming off the Hume from Mooroopna.? Came off the Ring Road and headed down Burke Road until he landed in Barry Humphries old hood. 

We don't want a country boy like Clarry being identified with Camberwell. No vanilla type bushies.  

By the way Pineapple Only a true Camberwelltonian calls Middle Camberwell, Middle Camberwell. 

Woolworths was once Angus Tuckerbag run by Geoff Angus ex Hawks Footballer and Premiership player and prior to that Geoff's dad who ran a small licenced grocer for 50 years.

 

[Guest]

15 minutes ago, Moonshadow said:

Clarry should start wearing a helmut

As in Kohl? Not sure his family would appreciate that.