2024 Player Reviews: #13 Clayton Oliver

[Demonland 71,962]

Lack of preparation after a problematic preseason prevented Oliver from reaching the high standards set before last year’s hamstring woes. He carried injury right through the back half of the season and was controversially involved in a potential move during the trade period that was ultimately shut down by the club.

Date of Birth:  22 July 1997
Height:  189cm

Games MFC 2024:  21
Career Total: 183

Goals MFC 2024: 3
Career Total: 54

Brownlow Medal Votes: 5

[Dingo 1,059]

He’s a champion.Love him.Bring on 2025!

[jnrmac 20,058]

We're all holding our collective breath that we can see the pre 2023 Clarry 

[picket fence 17,131]

I'll back the Chatanooga, Choo Choo Express to bounce right back in 2025!🤩😎

Edited November 5 by picket fence

[DeeZone 9,805]

Having watched our super hero play indomitable footy year after year it was very hard to watch Clayton this year, unfit injured constant headlines and derision from the media pack. So looking forward to seeing Clayton Clarry Oliver back to his peak fitness and enjoying his footy surrounded by a group of energetic enthusiastic youngsters following in his footsteps. Comeon down Champ.

[Bring-Back-Powell 14,815]

Clearly a negative year, but he still played at least 5 Clayton Oliver quality games against the likes of the Dogs (MCG), Geelong, Brisbane (GABBA), Essendon and GWS.

You'd imagine he'll increase that to at least 12-14 quality games next season if he has a full pre season. Add that to a (hopefully) full season from Trac and that's surely some automatic improvement right there.

Was understood to be injured at the time, but he was a complete liability in this last game against Port, to the point where he needed to be subbed off as he was hurting us on the field. Let's hope those days are behind him.

[Cranky Franky 2,049]

Gets a pass this year for obvious reasons however his output is down by about third.

Needs to get back to his better form in 2025 or the Club will have to take a long hard look at him.

You can't be earning $1.1 m & deliver a $500,000 performance.

[Dante 2,739]

I'm writing 2024 off completely, it was a [censored] year and was all over the place.

I think everyone has a bad year and we had a collective one, things will turn around next year for Clayton and the club.

We have to get on top of any negative press as soon as it hits and not just let it fester away as we did.

[whatwhat say what 22,732]

here's hoping he returns to the player he was pre-hamstring in 2023

[Rodney (Balls) Grinter 10,812]

15 hours ago, DeeZone said:

Having watched our super hero play indomitable footy year after year it was very hard to watch Clayton this year, unfit injured constant headlines and derision from the media pack. So looking forward to seeing Clayton Clarry Oliver back to his peak fitness and enjoying his footy surrounded by a group of energetic enthusiastic youngsters following in his footsteps. Comeon down Champ.

Think it was pretty hard and frustrating for Clarry to be playing at below his normal capacity.  He's a pretty laid back character Clayton and doesn't give away alot, but I think some of his own disappointment with his fitness level and I think at the hand injury in particular came out in that great podcast interview he did after the season

 

For all the criticism of his apparent underperformance on the field this season, I don't think he's been given enough credit for continuing to push through the injuries he had week in week out for the team and still put in mostly credible performances, even if those performances were well below the lofty super high standards he's set in his time at the MFC.

 

[Dee-tonator 238]

It's make or break next season for Clarrie.

He will emerge at the end of it as the true champion we all know he can be, or as a rare but flawed talent undermined by injuries and off-field issues.

I just hope the media sharks will give him the break he needs to get his mind and body into the right shape.

 

[layzie 33,793]

Full pre season and what will be will be. 

[leave it to deever 17,511]

Hopefully he can put 24 well behind him.

Showed his great skills in a few games but the season as a whole was a complete bust for him.

Not confident that he will be able to turn things totally around because the spotlight will be intensified all year and there will be more pressure on him.

Also the team structure has changed with the loss of Anb and Gus. And how Tracca will perform will also have an impact on Oliver's season given how closely the two work together.

However he is one of the games true elite and perhaps he will dig deep and rediscover this.

I don't believe another season from him like 24, will see us playing finals.

[Sir Why You Little 37,016]

On 06/11/2024 at 20:37, Dee-tonator said:

It's make or break next season for Clarrie.

He will emerge at the end of it as the true champion we all know he can be, or as a rare but flawed talent undermined by injuries and off-field issues.

I just hope the media sharks will give him the break he needs to get his mind and body into the right shape.

 

If he is playing well the media will be writing about other things 

[Demon Disciple 12,118]

On 06/11/2024 at 15:09, whatwhat say what said:

here's hoping he returns to the player he was pre-hamstring in 2023

Don’t forget his thumb this year

[Harbinger43 124]

I am an unabashed Clayton fan - but even putting that to one side - I think he is going to surprise an awful lot of people in 2025 - looking forward to it and the doubters who will be very quiet. 

[Willmoy1947 4,085]

On 06/11/2024 at 23:09, Rodney (Balls) Grinter said:

Think it was pretty hard and frustrating for Clarry to be playing at below his normal capacity.  He's a pretty laid back character Clayton and doesn't give away alot, but I think some of his own disappointment with his fitness level and I think at the hand injury in particular came out in that great podcast interview he did after the season

 

For all the criticism of his apparent underperformance on the field this season, I don't think he's been given enough credit for continuing to push through the injuries he had week in week out for the team and still put in mostly credible performances, even if those performances were well below the lofty super high standards he's set in his time at the MFC.

 

Don't of course bring up the number of times quality players like him were, year in and year out, regularly punched in the guts or tripped or pushed into contests dangerously. The unfunny part about that was that maggots , for all that they promise to be "watching out for", are as blind as the three wise monkeys.

[Hawk the Demon 985]

Reports from Echuca indicating he's working hard up there - Go Clayton.

[Bobby McKenzie 2,385]

19 hours ago, Hawk the Demon said:

Reports from Echuca indicating he's working hard up there - Go Clayton.

Great news. Just think, Clarry back to his form as AFL player number one and Petracca  back.Not a bad couple of recruits for 2025!  With our younger players emerging and some high draft picks look out for Melbourne next season. Go Demons!

[Willmoy1947 4,085]

3 hours ago, Bobby McKenzie said:

Great news. Just think, Clarry back to his form as AFL player number one and Petracca  back.Not a bad couple of recruits for 2025!  With our younger players emerging and some high draft picks look out for Melbourne next season. Go Demons!

If they need someone to help with intentionally timing a run into a pack mark from the side using your take off knee into the rib cage, i/m an expert.

[Roost it far 8,236]

The fact is if we get Petracca and Oliver back to full health there’s every chance we win 3-5 more games next season. The maths is simple. Add growth in our youth, a couple of strong recruits then minus likely drop off in May and perhaps Gawn and top 4 isn’t out of the question. There’s also an argument that bottom 6 isn’t out of the question. Going to be a ride to watch. As usual I’m flip flopping on where we finish. If I had to put a stake in the ground I’d say we finish 5th.