DOB: 22 July 1997
Debut: Round 1, 2016 vs Greater Western Sydney at MCG
From: Bendigo Pioneers/Mooroopna/Murray Bushrangers, selection #4 2015 National Draft
Number: 13 (2016-)
Honours:
Rising Star nominee - Round 1, 2016 vs Greater Western Sydney
Best and Fairest - 2017, 2019 (shared), 2021, 2022
Best Young Player - 2017
All Australian - 2018 (interchange), 2021 (midfield), 2022 (midfield)
Premiership player - 2021
Games: 147* (to end 2022)
Goals: 45*
Career statistics
Wins | Draws | Losses | Winning % |
84 | 1 | 62 | 57.14 |
Statistical categories led:
Equal most handballs in a game (28) Round 10, 2017, Round 7, 2018 and Round 11, 2018
Most contested possessions in a game (27) - Round 20, 2021 vs Adelaide
Most inside 50s in a game (15) - Round 3, 2022 vs Essendon
Most handballs in a game (29) Round 2, 2019 vs Geelong
clangers in a game: (12), Round 1, 2022 vs Western Bulldogs
Equal most goal assists in a game - (4) Qualifying Final 2021
Most average disposals in a season: 32.74 - 2022
Most tackles in a season: 168 - 2018
Most clearances in a season: 199 - 2022
Most clangers in a season: 129 - 2021
Most contested possessions in a season: 435 - 2021
The midfielder missed the Victorian Under 18 carnival side in his draft year, but saw his stocks with AFL recruiters rise after a strong second half of the TAC Cup. He won the 2015 Morrish Medal for best played in the Under 18 competition and played two games for the Richmond VFL side as a top-up player before Melbourne used their first pick to draft him.
Oliver debuted in Round 1, 2016 after a strong pre-season, was one of his side's best players and received the Rising Star award. Out of favour in the second half of the season, he missed six weeks before returning to play the last three games. At the end of that year Oliver was charged with a low level drink driving offence, the first of a series of incidents over the next year. He was also accused of diving in the Round 14 win over West Coast, and forced to apologise after an altercation with a Carlton fan Round 16 two weeks later.
Despite the off-field drama, he improved on his impressive rookie season to play every game in 2017 and lead the side in Brownlow Medal votes. It was the start of a run of over 100 consecutive games, and he was Melbourne's premier midfielder in their 2018 return to finals. That year he was named an All Australian for the first time.
He had another excellent season in 2019, albeit in a much worse team, registering another 12 Brownlow Medal votes, and continued to be the highest possession getter in his side through the shortened 2020 season and 2021. In 2021 he played every game for the year, finished third in the Brownlow Medal, and was a key factor in his side winning their first premiership since 1964. He repeated as an All-Australian in 2022, despite missing his first game since 2016 after breaking his thumb in the Round 17 loss to Geelong. That year he won his fourth Best and Fairest, leaving him with the equal most wins in club history.
Year | Games | Goals | Brownlow |
2016 | 13 | 6 | 0 |
2017 | 22 | 4 | 12 |
2018 | 25 | 12 | 13 |
2019 | 22 | 4 | 12 |
2020 | 17 | 3 | 14 |
2021 | 25 | 11 | 31 |
2022 | 23 | 5 | 25 |
Tribunal Record
Match | Charge | Sanction | |
Pre-season | Dangerous tackle | $1000 fine | |
Pre-season | Misconduct | $1500 fine | |
Round 21, 2018 | Umpire contact | $1000 fine | |
Round 10, 2019 | Striking | $2000 fine | |
Round 9, 2020 | Striking | No sanction |
Lists
100 plus consecutive games
First draft pick
Grand Final Sprint
Rising Star
VFL
Media
Herald Sun - 24/11/2015