CLAYTON Oliver says he has lapped up every moment of his first AFL season, but has added that the city traffic has been the only dampener of moving from the country. 

Oliver said he was relishing his AFL career “very much”, but not having the country lifestyle was difficult.  

“All of the boys are really good down there and the first years are a really tight group. I like that, so it’s coming along nicely,” he told Melbourne TV.  

“I don’t really like the city lifestyle too much because of the traffic, but I went home the other week, which was really nice, just driving from one place to another without having to stop for half-an-hour.

“I’m from Echuca originally, but then moved over to Mooroopna. There was no school footy because I went to Goulburn Valley Grammar and they weren’t really [AFL] footy-focused – most people played soccer there. I played under 16s and I got injured for a little bit. I was pretty small [but] then I got a little bit bigger, so I ended up getting a few games in the seniors and played there as a 17-year-old and was then lucky enough to go the [Murray] Bushrangers as an 18-year-old.”

Oliver, who has played five matches and won the NAB AFL Rising Star nomination after his first game in round one, said coach Paul Roos had been really good for him and added that manager of development Brendan McCartney had become somewhat of a mentor.

“Brendan McCartney or ‘Macca’ is the development coach and I look up to him a fair bit,” he said.

“I go and watch vision a fair bit [with him, which] helps with your craft with setting up contests and the spread of the contest so he’s been really good.

Oliver, who was rested in round five and played in the VFL the following week, before returning to play against the Gold Coast Suns at Metricon Stadium last round, said he saw the benefits afterwards.

“I wasn’t too happy at the time [about being rested], but I saw it pay off. I felt pretty good on the weekend [against Gold Coast] and I felt like I ran my best so it’s good,” he said.

“I’m just taking it week by week; I’m not really too fussed if I’m playing in the AFL or VFL team because I just want to fast-track my game myself. As long as the team’s winning and we’re going well, I’m looking forward to it.

“I wasn’t there for the last few years but everyone says that the atmosphere is just so much better and you can feel it when you come into work so that’s really good to be a part of.

Away from football, Oliver said he liked to take it easy.

“I’m pretty knackered during the week, so I usually just go to my girlfriend’s house. She’s out in Camberwell. I’ve got another mate from the Bushrangers, Bowen Smith and his girlfriend, so [I] usually just hang out there,” he said.

“We went bowling the other day … we usually go out and do something; we’ll go shopping or we’ll get a bit of lunch but it’s usually pretty cruisy.”