An emotional Clayton Oliver declared he had “chills down his spine” thanks to the Melbourne fans’ reaction late in his side’s Round 1 win over the Western Bulldogs.
After a difficult off-season, where Oliver’s medical issues saw him take time away from the club and be briefly considered as a trade option, the superstar midfielder returned to the MCG for the first time in 2024.
And despite a limited pre-season he was spectacular, with a game-high 35 disposals, six clearances and two goal assists.
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Coming off the ground for his final rotation late in the fourth quarter, having just passed off a potential shot on goal, Oliver received a standing ovation from the Demons fans and a big hug from coach Simon Goodwin.
“I was a little bit emotional, I got chills down the spine,” Oliver said on Fox Footy post-game.
“We love the Melbourne faithful, they’re always behind us every step of the way, so we love that.
He added: “It’s been a tough couple of months, and Gawny and the rest of the guys have helped me out. It’s all worth it, end of the day, coming in and getting the win with the boys.”
His captain and one-time off-season housemate, Gawn, was full of praise for Oliver’s selfless play late in the comfortable win saying it shows what he brings to the side.
“It’s been noted how much the Melbourne faithful are being Clarry and I’m sure you (Oliver) feel that,” Gawn said on Fox Footy.
“I think, what we see from Clayton is he’s had such a tormented little period, but he’s running into 50, going into goal and he passes it off to Jacob (van Rooyen).
“He’s still playing a selfless role; that’s the player we’ve got and I’m excited for the best version of Clayton this year.”
But Oliver knows he must do more than just play footy to completely regain the trust of his teammates, with even great mates like Christian Petracca conceding Oliver briefly lost it last year.
Asked whether great performances are how he pays the group back, Oliver said: “Definitely not. I’ve still got a lot of work to do.
“There are little steps along the way but here’s one of them, keep being a better person, a better teammate, just keep striving every day.”
Source Agencies
