Could we have terminated his contract of the last couple of seasons, perhaps. Had a been player number 40 on the list I think we may have. Moving forward we need to move quicker. I’m all for helping people and second chances but we can put it place protocols that allow us to do that and not be out of pocket.

This topic has been closed. Please move along to the "Pick a New Favourite Player Thread"

One player with respect to his old club, the other Clayton Oliver

On 30/11/2025 at 11:25, Wrecker46 said:

Yeah when you lose the best player you have seen in your lifetime and won us a premiership it cuts deeply.

Oh, yeah ..... who? 😂 Sorry, but I saw Flower, Schwarz , arguably Petracca (and Stynes, Lyon, Neitz, Jakovich), and Gawn by now. But I take your point . No one's wanted what's happened in recent years.

1 hour ago, Billy said:

One player with respect to his old club, the other Clayton Oliver

What a rubbish response! What has Steele done?? Poor mans bootlace to Clayton Oliver but wait, he seems like a nice stereotype of the upper gentry nooo shheeit on him old boy club boyo! Lovely chap! Good onya Billy goat the kid!

Edited 16 hours ago16 hr by picket fence

8 hours ago, Go Ds said:

Oh, yeah ..... who? 😂 Sorry, but I saw Flower, Schwarz , arguably Petracca (and Stynes, Lyon, Neitz, Jakovich), and Gawn by now. But I take your point . No one's wanted what's happened in recent years.

Loved them all. I take your point as well. I’d even put Brad Green on that list.

Flower, Neitz and Stynes (Green) were much better clubmen.

So I appreciate what you have written.

Clarrie was a bit more in the Ablett snr or Wayne Carey style. The best player in the competition but didn’t always do the right thing by himself or the club.

4 minutes ago, Wrecker46 said:

Loved them all. I take your point as well. I’d even put Brad Green on that list.

Flower, Neitz and Stynes (Green) were much better clubmen.

So I appreciate what you have written.

Clarrie was a bit more in the Ablett snr or Wayne Carey style. The best player in the competition but didn’t always do the right thing by himself or the club.

Surely taking the [censored] putting Clarrie in the same bracket as Carey and Ablett snr 🤣🤣

16 hours ago, dice said:

The mark of a great player.

Side note, only 2 players in the history of VFL/AFL have achieved this 3 times: KB (67,73,74) and Lethal (71, 76, 78)

Even though I want the best for Clarrie it will break my heart if he becomes the third, unless he requests a trade back to us and gets his last one at Melbourne. To be honest I think he will ask to come back

44 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Surely taking the [censored] putting Clarrie in the same bracket as Carey and Ablett snr 🤣🤣

Nup every bit as good, and without the extreme baggage of these two!

1 hour ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Surely taking the [censored] putting Clarrie in the same bracket as Carey and Ablett snr 🤣🤣

Why? Carey and Ablett snr were two of the greatest players ever but Clarrie won the coaches award for best player in the league two years running and was leading for a third until he got injured and hasn’t been the same since.

The comparison wasn’t just about being the best player in the league I was factoring in the troubled off field behaviour, whilst doing it

1 hour ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Surely taking the [censored] putting Clarrie in the same bracket as Carey and Ablett snr 🤣🤣

I just had to look it up. North got pick 2 and 18 for Carey. But why I bring it up Ablett snr moved to Myrtleford between leaving Hawthorn and going to Geelong.

Myrtleford seems to be a good place for us.

I would take another Guy Rigoni any day and another Ablett Snr would wipe my Clarrie thoughts off the map.

Hope our traing camp at Myrtleford has gone well

18 minutes ago, Wrecker46 said:

Why? Carey and Ablett snr were two of the greatest players ever but Clarrie won the coaches award for best player in the league two years running and was leading for a third until he got injured and hasn’t been the same since.

The comparison wasn’t just about being the best player in the league I was factoring in the troubled off field behaviour, whilst doing it

Oh dang, you were serious..

Bailey Smith won the coaches award last year, do we start putting him in the same discussion as well after he probably wins another next year?

Honestly, no offence, but one of the more ridiculous comparisons I have seen. Carey is one of the greatest footballers we have ever seen in the game full stop.

On pure talent alone taking away the off field dtuff there is still no comparisons, both Carey and Ablett are light years ahead of Oliver. Oliver isnt even top 20 of the games greatest players lol.

53 minutes ago, picket fence said:

Nup every bit as good, and without the extreme baggage of these two!

Nah thats outright ridiculous mate. You've officially lost the plot if you genuinely believe this. This is where you've got your red and blue blinkers on firmly tight.

Probably best to take a longer spell off here.

Fancy actually thinking on here Clayton Oliver is better then Gary Ablett Senior and Wayne Carey..

Place is officially cooked.

Edited 6 hours ago6 hr by dazzledavey36

2 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Oh dang, you were serious..

Bailey Smith won the coaches award last year, do we start putting him in the same discussion as well after he probably wins another next year?

Honestly, no offence, but one of the more ridiculous comparisons I have seen. Carey is one of the greatest footballers we have ever seen in the game full stop.

On pure talent alone taking away the off field dtuff there is still no comparisons, both Carey and Ablett are light years ahead of Oliver. Oliver isnt even top 20 of the games greatest players lol.

Nah thats outright ridiculous mate. You've officially lost the plot if you genuinely believe this. This is where you've got your red and blue blinkers on firmly tight.

Probably best to take a longer spell off here.

I have no love for Bailey Smith and would take Sam Darcy over him any day.

If he wins the coaches award next year and the following year (Oliver was leading the 3rd year before he got injured) I will put him in the same conversation.

I am not bagging Carey or Ablett they are the greatest but I think Oliver is underrated because he was more like Diesel Williams or Sam Mitchell. Not spectacular like Carey or Ablett

16 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Fancy actually thinking on here Clayton Oliver is better then Gary Ablett Senior and Wayne Carey..

Place is officially cooked.

Some folk be like .....

Goodwin and Co failed Oliver by giving a player senior games after missing preseason which ruined the culture, not to mention Tracs post injury.

Can we now all agree that Goodwin should have been moved on in 2023 as was strongly suggested by a group on here.

1 hour ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Oh dang, you were serious..

Bailey Smith won the coaches award last year, do we start putting him in the same discussion as well after he probably wins another next year?

Honestly, no offence, but one of the more ridiculous comparisons I have seen. Carey is one of the greatest footballers we have ever seen in the game full stop.

On pure talent alone taking away the off field dtuff there is still no comparisons, both Carey and Ablett are light years ahead of Oliver. Oliver isnt even top 20 of the games greatest players lol.

Nah thats outright ridiculous mate. You've officially lost the plot if you genuinely believe this. This is where you've got your red and blue blinkers on firmly tight.

Probably best to take a longer spell off here.

Double down on my comments. Clayton Oliver EVERY BIT AS GOOD!

Edited 5 hours ago5 hr by picket fence

14 minutes ago, picket fence said:

Double down on my comments. Clayton Oliver EVERY BIT AS GOOD!

Today's informative explanation ( perhaps )

There have been and are players, who by and of their own will can impact and determine games. Such is their presence and effect that they , all but seemingly of their own volition, change the course of a game. This is where the term "match winner" is most prevalent.

There are the likes of Ablett, certainly Carey. Players like Judd, Lockett, Voss, Buckley Martin and ( I'll was my mouth out after ) Hird. These players could of themselves mould a game. Id even put our own illustrious Max in among players who can will the momentum.

Clarry is, on his day, a very effective player. No one's really disputing this but his effect has required that other players be complicit.

Personally I've never witnessed, nor am aware of any game that he changed its course. Being instrumental is not the same as being the cause.

Then there are players like Flower. He's that good ( well was ) that he belongs in a very select group. Poor old Tulip played when we at times were.... 'hard to watch' . Robbie often didn't WIN the game but he was the reason it may not have been an absolute drubbing. Those who went to these games will understand perfectly ( imo )

There are others who were truly annoying to play against. Johnston (Dominator) ,Goodes, Buddy, and on. I can't bring myself to include Lethal because hes just a thug.

Oliver, was a favourite of mine because he had a spark and he did bring energy to a game. But to be realistic he was as wasteful as he could be damaging.

Ive no problem ( at all ) seeing him moved on. We will be better overall, as a team, as a result.

One player i do think made a big difference by his exit..... was Gus. Now talking about players that can will a change into a game...well you have to go no further than the big dance of 21. Many will make much of tge bang bang bang but I do invite one and all to watch the game and especially the desperation and determination Brayshaw brought to the game...when it needed it.

As they say... not all superheroes wear capes 😉

Thats it for me... had my say on ol' #13

1 minute ago, beelzebub said:

Today's informative explanation ( perhaps )

There have been and are players, who by and of their own will can impact and determine games. Such is their presence and effect that they , all but seemingly of their own volition, change the course of a game. This is where the term "match winner" is most prevalent.

There are the likes of Ablett, certainly Carey. Players like Judd, Lockett, Voss, Buckley Martin and ( I'll was my mouth out after ) Hird. These players could of themselves mould a game. Id even put our own illustrious Max in among players who can will the momentum.

Clarry is, on his day, a very effective player. No one's really disputing this but his effect has required that other players be complicit.

Personally I've never witnessed, nor am aware of any game that he changed its course. Being instrumental is not the same as being the cause.

Then there are players like Flower. He's that good ( well was ) that he belongs in a very select group. Poor old Tulip played when we at times were.... 'hard to watch' . Robbie often didn't WIN the game but he was the reason it may not have been an absolute drubbing. Those who went to these games will understand perfectly ( imo )

There are others who were truly annoying to play against. Johnston (Dominator) ,Goodes, Buddy, and on. I can't bring myself to include Lethal because hes just a thug.

Oliver, was a favourite of mine because he had a spark and he did bring energy to a game. But to be realistic he was as wasteful as he could be damaging.

Ive no problem ( at all ) seeing him moved on. We will be better overall, as a team, as a result.

One player i do think made a big difference by his exit..... was Gus. Now talking about players that can will a change into a game...well you have to go no further than the big dance of 21. Many will make much of tge bang bang bang but I do invite one and all to watch the game and especially the desperation and determination Brayshaw brought to the game...when it needed it.

As they say... not all superheroes wear capes 😉

Thats it for me... had my say on ol' #13

Fair comment!

2 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Fancy actually thinking on here Clayton Oliver is better then Gary Ablett Senior and Wayne Carey..

Place is officially cooked.

Pure insanity. He's not even in the same league as numerous contemporary players like Bont, Danger, Dusty, Franklin, Ablett Jnr and Gawn let alone Ablett Snr and Carey.

Oliver was a great player but his last 3 years have been ordinary (for one reason or another)

So he has regressed

However, his kicking to position has always been ordinary and he rarely kicks short

With the long kick forward* becoming a thing of the past means that his handballing and ball-getting ability are his weapons

His short range vision A grade but long range vision C or D Grade (?)

And we did acquire Steele with the freed up salary cap space as a result of his departure

So on an overall basis, it was Petracca & Oliver for 3 first round draft picks & Steele

It's definitely a win if the 3 picks and Steele turn up trumps (remembering that Oliver & Petracca are also entering their 30's, soon enough)

As a starting point from a trade point of view, we need one of the picks to be of A grade quality and Steele to play well for 3 or 4 years

And we no longer have to deal with 2 disruptive influencers

*Short passing and or handballing into the forward 50 could become a style that is used 75% - 90% of the time. It's certainly heading that way

Edited 2 hours ago2 hr by Macca

How can you put a Clarry in the conversation of modern day greats where he averages 5 goals a season?

4 hours ago, picket fence said:

Nup every bit as good, and without the extreme baggage of these two!

You’re just making a fool of yourself now, here’s an idea go support GWS.

You bag everything about Melbourne except Clarry so you may as well.

8 minutes ago, Billy said:

You’re just making a fool of yourself now, here’s an idea go support GWS.

You bag everything about Melbourne except Clarry so you may as well.

This wil be the LAST thing I will say on this thread.I have spoken to three ex Demon players all of whom were shocked that he was given away for next to nothing, paying a huge chunk of his wage.

Edited 2 hours ago2 hr by picket fence