AFL Draft 2015: Clayton Oliver a likely top-10 pick despite missing national championships

THE man who helped steer the bolter of this year’s draft says whoever picks Clayton Oliver will land an outstanding talent, who reminds him of a couple of the AFL’s brightest young stars.

MELBOURNE, VICTORIA - JUNE 20: Clayton Oliver of the Murray Bushrangers is tackled during the 2015 TAC Cup round 10 match between the Murray Bushrangers and the Geelong Falcons at RAMS Arena, Melbourne on June 20, 2015. (Photo by Scott Barbour/AFL Media/Getty Images)

MURRAY Bushrangers talent manager Lee Fraser said some recruiters need an excuse.

A reason not to like a player, or at least take more of a shine to others.

But it seems the excuses are gone for AFL scouts, with those who had any doubts over Clayton Oliver now fully converted.

The Bushrangers midfielder continues to shoot up the charts in recent weeks after “ticking all the boxes”.

In short, Oliver, a strongly-built midfielder from Mooroopna near Shepparton, is this year’s draft ‘bolter’.

After missing Vic Country’s side mid-season and failing to play in the national under-18 championships, he is hot property, with Melbourne, Carlton and Essendon all believed to be eyeing the ball magnet with a top-10 selection.

And Fraser, who was among those at the ‘Bushies’ to help steer the youngster through 2015, isn’t surprised.

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He saw an underdone Oliver start the season slowly due to niggling groin issues, but transform himself from a laid-back kid to focused, competitive beast who by season’s end was dominating matches.

The Bushrangers knew they had a player when Oliver joined the club from the Bendigo Pioneers — to cut down his travel time to and from training — during the off-season.

Clayton Oliver has come a long way in 2015. Picture: Getty Images

As soon as the footballs came out last summer the Bushrangers saw Oliver could be something different.

But it wasn’t until he overcame injury and reached his full running power that he was able to show everyone just how good he could be.

While missing selection for the national carnival may have been a crippling blow to some, Oliver wasn’t deterred.

“He was probably a bit naive to it all to be honest. He was just happy doing what he was doing, playing with the Bushies,” Fraser said.

“I think the interest grew after that and as his footy continue to improve.

“He’s just played footy, it’s all he’s ever done — he’s played footy very well.

“At every level he’s gone to he’s kept on getting his hands to it and he keeps winning the ball but this year, more than any other he’s realised that there’s more to it than just that.”

Oliver’s stunning second half to the TAC Cup season — which saw him win the Morrish Medal as the competition’s best player — also included two matches with Richmond’s VFL side.

Recruiters always loved his footy, but they just wanted to make sure he was ticking all the other boxes which he’s been able to do through the course of the year.

“Once he missed that Vic Country side we developed a program where he was always going to play some VFL football,” Fraser said.

“We earmarked that August period where he played two games with the Richmond VFL and in that environment he thrived. He played really well as a half forward/midfielder, and I think then he realised ‘oh wow, there’s a whole other level out there and I didn’t mind that’.

“And that’s when he returned to the TAC Cup and was virtually, or close to, best on ground in every other game he played after that.”

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Oliver’s finish to the season (including six goals in the final home-and-away match) had AFL clubs watching closely, while his leaner physique and impressive testing at the AFL Combine had recruiters sit up and take extra notice.

He finished the TAC Cup season averaging 24 disposals — including 14 contested — and booted 20 goals from his 16 matches.

Just what type of player the 187cm midfielder may become at the top level remains to be seen, but Fraser likens him to Sydney Swans star Luke Parker, while he can see elements of Bulldog Jake Stringer’s game when Oliver goes forward.

Clayton Oliver reminds some of Jake Stringer with his strength and smarts in attack. Picture: Michael Klein

“He’s very clean. He’s big and he’s strong, and you look at a lot of those successful AFL sides and you need those players through the middle that can win their own ball,” Fraser said.

“I would rate him as good as anyone in this year’s draft at winning their own ball.

“I think he showed that if you put him in a full-time environment then you could have a very good athlete, but as we’ve seen throughout the year with (winning) the Morrish Medal, he’s also an outstanding talent.

“It’s about everything you’re doing on and off the field ... and you can just see the look in his eyes at the moment that he’s fully aware a) of what’s required and b) that he wants to do it.

“He’s a credit to himself, he’s done a really good job from where he’s come from.”

A leaner Clayton Oliver (left) competes in the 3km time trial at the AFL Draft Combine. Picture: Scott Barbour/Getty Images

Originally published as AFL Draft 2015: Clayton Oliver a likely top-10 pick despite missing national championships