Melbourne star Clayton Oliver has opened up on a pre-draft combine meeting with Sydney in 2015 that left him in tears after being called “fat.”
Oliver admitted the candid feedback “broke him” and made him thought his AFL dream was over, however looking back at the confrontation now, could see the amusing side.
The former Murray Bushranger conceded earlier in his draft year he was a “seriously big boy” and “pushing about 95 (kilograms),” but noted he dropped five kilos in a bid to impress recruiters.
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His meeting with long-time Swans list boss Kinnear Beatson however quickly went south despite the long-time Swans list boss later confessing he was testing Oliver’s mental toughness.
“(I) walked in there and sat down and he’s (Beatson) looked me dead in the eye and (said): ‘Why are you so fat for’? First thing he said,” Oliver revealed on former AFL player Tommy Sheridan’s Ausmerican Aces podcast ahead of his 150th game against the Swans this weekend.
“I was like: ‘I have lost like five kilos’ and he was like: ‘You probably need to lose a bit more, mate’. Then he kept teeing off saying I can’t kick, I can’t run, I couldn’t handball on my left hand and only on my right hand. I literally did start crying and was like: ‘Honestly, why am I even here? You’re obviously not going to draft me. What am I doing?’
“He was just like: ‘Nah, I just wanted to quiz you, to see how tough you are’. I was like: ‘Well I’m not mate’ and started crying. I ended up getting up and walking off. I remember going back to the room with Mitch King and (Josh) Schache, I started crying to them and saying: ‘I’m never playing AFL, I hate this, everyone is so mean.’
“I thought I was pretty mentally tough and he just broke me in about three minutes.”
Oliver was eventually drafted by the Demons with the fourth overall pick after Jacob Weitering (Carlton), Josh Schache (Brisbane Lions) and Callum Mills (Sydney).
But having played a few games for Richmond’s VFL side, Oliver revealed he originally thought he was going to get drafted to the Tigers, who’s first pick wasn’t until No. 15 (used on Daniel Rioli), as a rookie selection.
Oliver also derailed how he faked a hamstring injury to avoid a beep test at the combine in fear it’d affect his draft prospects.
“I went to the combine and said I had a sore hammy … (I) didn’t … (I) just didn’t want to do the beep test,” the 25-year old said.
“I knew I was going to run a shocking beep (test score), so I was like ‘I don’t think I can do a beep test and a two (kilometre trial) or a three (kilometre trial)’, so I’m [thinking] I’m just going to say I have a sore hammy.
“It was not looking good … I have never been more nervous about anything in my life, I didn’t want to go (to the combine).”
