One of the best young footballers in the GVFL lives in Echuca and plays for Mooroopna.
Clayton OLIVER is the young man concerned in this unusual situation.
The 17-year-old Goulburn Valley Grammar School Year 11 student is the third wildcard nomination for the Mooroopna Golf Club Rising Star Award for 2014. Clayton shot to prominence earlier this year when he was named best afield for the Goulburn Valley Football League Under 18 team which defeated the Ballarat League by 33 points at Deakin Reserve in the AFL Victorian Country Championships before the seniors accounted for the BFL to the tune of 65 points. GVFL coach, Jason WELLS, who has taken the interleague side to the past three state titles, along with his other selectors, was elated with the performance of the team and the then 16-year-old who comes from Echuca and plays for the Cats.
Following his classy display, the midfielder, who stands at 188cm and weighs 83kg, was given three games with the Bendigo Pioneers on WELLS’ recommendation. Since then he has been a regular with the Cats until a hip injury interrupted his senior career and caused him to miss two games. However, he was back to his best on Saturday against Rochester along with his teenage team mates Jy SIMPKIN, Matt CLEARY and Lachy DEVINE.
Clayton’s mother, Michelle, said her son began playing with Mooroopna when he went to GV Grammar in Year 7 because he could not get back to Echuca in time for training. This resulted in the family seeking out the Cats where he signed on with the Under 14’s who were coached by former premiership player, Col CORMICK, whose son Jake played in the Victorian Under 12 team with Clayton.
Clayton won the bottom age Under 16 club best and fairest and was named the best in the final series in the top age team which won the premiership against Kyabram in the Shepparton and District Junior Football League. He represented the SDJFL at the WorkSafe AFL Victoria Country representatives games last season along with another Mooroopna star Jy SiIMPKIN.
His father, Stephen, played for Echuca where he has a plumbing business while his mum played netball for Echuca and his 18-year-old brother, Mitch, plays for Latrobe University.
If it’s not his mum picking him up from school and taking him to training at Mooroopna or Bendigo with the Pioneers, it’s his Grand Parents Rhonda and Les STEWART.
Other rising star nominations to date are Nick SNEYD (United), Rhys McKENZIE (Mooroopna), Patrick O’SULLIVAN (Shepparton), Henry PENI (Swans), Nate TROTTER (Euroa), Richard TONIZZO (Echuca), Billy COX (Seymour), Kyle MUELLER (Kyabram), Charlie MORRISON (Benalla), Matt PALMER (Rochester), Lachie CHRISTOPHER (Mansfield), Sean MARTIN (Tatura), Mathew O’DWYER (United), Robert STAFF (Euroa), and Matthew RYAN (Tatura).
Last Modified on 28/03/2015 19:17
