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The Dramatic Rise of Clayton Oliver

Demonland
in Melbourne Demons

Featured Replies

 
23 minutes ago, spirit of norm smith said:

Excellent article 

Outstanding footballer!

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    I am on record on here saying that he could become the best midfielder I’ve ever seen in my 50 plus years of supporting the Dees.

    I think he’d played 3 or 4 games at the time. He hasn’t let me down.

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    • Like 5

    Jeepers!
     

    “The hard conversations that followed as he contemplated what life might be like at another club late last season led to him buying in totally to the selfless approach Goodwin knew was essential for team success.”

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    • Shocked 1

    Interesting insight into how direct Goodwin is as the FD drove standards.

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    I have said for years, he’s our best since Barassi and now he’s heading towards being Barassi’s equal.

    However, I would not describe it as a “dramatic rise”; he has been outstanding since his first game in which, I believe, he polled two Brownlow votes. 

    The other thing that the article doesn’t mention is a story that went around, I think, last year, that someone – it might have been Burgo - suggested to him that instead of hand passing as soon as he gets the ball, if it all possible he should take two or three steps at full pace and then dispose of it. He has obviously listened to that advice and it has taken his game to an even higher level.

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    • Like 11
    1 hour ago, Hell Bent said:

    I am on record on here saying that he could become the best midfielder I’ve ever seen in my 50 plus years of supporting the Dees.

    I think he’d played 3 or 4 games at the time. He hasn’t let me down.

    I tipped a Brownlow from him after his first few games.

    We will both be right eventually.

     

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    • Like 2

    25 minutes ago, Biffen said:

    I tipped a Brownlow from him after his first few games.

    We will both be right eventually.

     

    Just as , some years ago, I tipped your good self for a well deserved Downlow !! 
    I’m definitely right 

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    • Like 3
    3 hours ago, Demonland said:

     

    Excellent read. They won’t stop Clarry 

    Picket Fence was right 

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    • Like 1
    2 hours ago, FarNorthernD said:

    Jeepers!
     

    “The hard conversations that followed as he contemplated what life might be like at another club late last season led to him buying in totally to the selfless approach Goodwin knew was essential for team success.”

    It was a close call for a few days….

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    • Shocked 2
    3 hours ago, Ollie fan said:

    I have said for years, he’s our best since Barassi and now he’s heading towards being Barassi’s equal.

    However, I would not describe it as a “dramatic rise”; he has been outstanding since his first game in which, I believe, he polled two Brownlow votes. 

    The other thing that the article doesn’t mention is a story that went around, I think, last year, that someone – it might have been Burgo - suggested to him that instead of hand passing as soon as he gets the ball, if it all possible he should take two or three steps at full pace and then dispose of it. He has obviously listened to that advice and it has taken his game to an even higher level.

    Agree entirely with paragraph 2.   His was the best debuting have ever witnessed, and he has rarely if ever had a bad game. 
    Yes, he has become  even better this season, off a high base. 
    Well done, Clarrie …. looking forward to a Norm Smith medal to purge the Norm Smith curse. 

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    • Like 1

    I’d heard about him being told to lose weight, but I hadn’t heard the version of him being told directly by Goodwin that they’d bring scales to the combine and that’s what they’d base their decision to draft him on. 

    He’s added three things to his game since arrival, all touched upon in the article:

    1) elite fitness - finds the ball in space now as well as in close

    2) slower ball use - his natural ability to get the ball in traffic is now more of an advantage because it doesn’t get shot out to a teammate in no position to receive it

    3) kicking!

    And he’s worked his butt off to add these elements.

    The best thing in the story about him and Trac is that we’ve snatched a couple of top-end talents out of the draft, and actually managed to develop them to the level they had the potential to reach. And scarily, they’re both still young enough that their best footy is still ahead of them.

    It’s a great time to be a Melbourne supporter.

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    • Like 6

    We would be a good team this year without Clarry. Tracc, Gus, Viney and Harmes would get us in a position ranging from 5th to 9th, but we’d have little hope progressing beyond the second week of the finals.

    With Clarry (and the improved version from this year), we don’t win the minor premiership nor advance to the GF. 

    You could drop him in ANY team and their win/loss record would improve. He is that type of generational player. I’ve NEVER said that about any Melbourne player of my time (though there are two others in our midfield who definitely fit that description).

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    He's the best player I've seen at Melbourne in my time. He (and Petracca and Gawn) has an opportunity to cement himself as a great of the game if he can get this club to the ultimate. The best of the best across all sports have almost all won with the team they were drafted to...it just means more when a player achieves that. It proves that not only are they great individually...but they also have the capability to help pull an entire team along with them.

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    • Like 3

    Oliver, Petracca, Viney and Gawn are easily the best 4 players I have seen in one team at the MFC playing at the coal face in the 1950's there was some great players but they would not hold a candle to these 4.

    I have been a supporter since 1952.

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    5 hours ago, Sir Why You Little said:

    Excellent read. They won’t stop Clarry 

    Picket Fence was right 

    For Once!!

    image.jpeg.d1668ea6e0fb366d1fbaf608fd2b8dbd.jpg.23d0f1aeb052911a1ee3ba31bea22180.jpg

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    • Haha 2

    Agree that was a great read I don’t think that Clarry has ever played a bad game, he was really good from game one and just keeps getting better. A true champion is our Clarry.!!!

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    • Love 1

    I don't know about a RAPID rise. The kid has been great since GAME ONE of his star studded career. A true tough and classy champion. A perfect blend. What a will to win he has. Go Demons!!!

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    • Like 1
     

    So Roosy actually did immediately want to draft him based off his highlights vid. I always thought that rumor was a bit far fetched. 

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    Will go down as the best demon on the past 30 years maybe more. Easily our best player. 

    Great work by Goody n Co to bring out his best. He is the natural competitive beast I’ve ever seen

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