Sign up now!!!<\/a><\/p>\nOLIVER\u2019S RENAISSANCE LOOKS A WIN-WIN TRADE<\/p>\n
Giants star Clayton Oliver \u2014 one of Melbourne\u2019s greatest and most decorated players in the club\u2019s history \u2014 this weekend comes up against his old side.<\/p>\n
But in the lead-up to his meeting with the Dees, he was quick to shut down any chatter he\u2019ll be the central figure in Alice Springs on Sunday.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, no, it\u2019s the (Toby) Bedford, (Jesse) Hogan, and Oliver Cup,\u201d he cheekily told reporters on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Clayton Oliver of the Giants. Picture: Daniel Carson\/AFL Photos via Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images<\/p>\n
Personally, we prefer the Tom Bugg Cup.<\/p>\n
Nonetheless, Oliver faces the Demons for the first time since his sensational trade to the Giants in late 2025.<\/p>\n
The 28-year-old left as a premiership Demon, four-time best and fairest winner, triple All-Australian and dual AFLCA Champion Player of the Year \u2026 and was traded for a Giants future third-round pick.<\/p>\n
There were so many factors at play behind the low-value trade, including the fact Oliver\u2019s form had dipped across his final two seasons with the Demons.<\/p>\n
Nearly halfway through the Giants\u2019 2026 campaign and Oliver has been one of the biggest revelations of the AFL season to date.<\/p>\n
In the absence of star teammate Tom Green, Oliver has been the No.17 rated player in the competition and ranked first in contested possessions, groundball gets and clearances.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe will want to play well this week no doubt,\u201d Lewis told On The Couch.<\/p>\n
Oliver\u2019s Melbourne role has been filled by recruit Jack Steele \u2014 coincidentally another Dees-Giants Cup contender after starting his career at the Giants before moving to St Kilda and Melbourne.<\/p>\n
But as Buckley said on Monday night: \u201cSometimes it\u2019s just good to cut the cord, move on to a fresh opportunity, blank canvas.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s quite clear that Clayton Oliver has embraced that and given it every thing he\u2019s got, and the Giants are being rewarded.\u201d<\/p>\n
Giants coach Adam Kingsley said Oliver\u2019s output hadn\u2019t been fully appreciated by those outside the club.<\/p>\n
Lynch dissects GWS’ historic 3rd quarter | 01:40<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you consider we lost Tom Green in the pre-season \u2014 who was our best and fairest winner, one of our best players, a great clearance player \u2014 for Clarry to come in and have the impact straight away, it\u2019s almost a like-for-like replacement in the short-term until we get Tom back and we\u2019ll have both of them playing through the midfield,\u201d Kingsley told Fox Footy\u2019s AFL 360.<\/p>\n
\u201cClarry has been fantastic. Overall he\u2019s been our best player this year, which says something for a guy coming in who doesn\u2019t really know our system all that well. He\u2019s really developing across each game and building his game as to how we see him playing as a midfielder.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve been really pleased with his attitude, that\u2019s first-class. The way he trains is first-class, he wants to learn and wants to be a great teammate. That\u2019s really shone through the last 10 weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite the anticipation ahead of his Demons reunion, Oliver is downplaying the occasion.<\/p>\n
\u201cI haven\u2019t thought about it too much yet. I\u2019m just going to treat it like another game, to be honest,\u201d Oliver said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was at the Dees for 10 years and have a lot of great memories there. I got to win a flag and have a lot of great mates there. But it\u2019s a new chapter in my career now, and I\u2019m loving it up here with the Giants. I\u2019m just looking forward to playing for my team against the Dees.\u201d<\/p>\n
CLARKO\u2019S FINEST HOUR AND WHY \u2018SKY IS THE LIMIT\u2019 FOR ROOS<\/p>\n
St Kilda great Leigh Montagna has hailed North Melbourne\u2019s after the siren victory against the Gold Coast Suns as Alastair Clarkson\u2019s \u201cfinest hour\u201d, \u201csince the Hawthorn flag in 2015\u201d.<\/p>\n
The Roos kicked seven goals in the final term, including Cameron Zurhaar\u2019s match-winner, under the roof at Marvel Stadium to erase a deficit that was as much as 43 points in the second quarter and snap a four-game losing streak.<\/p>\n
With North Melbourne trailing by 38 points at half-time, Montagna admitted that \u201ceyebrows were raised\u201d when Clarkson gave an upbeat interview with Fox Footy\u2019s Ben Dixon.<\/p>\n
Post-match, however, the four-time premiership coach\u2019s approach looked to be a stroke of genius as he methodically plotted a way for his side to get back into the game.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was a calmness and I think he instilled a belief in this group that they were good enough,\u201d Montagna said on First Crack on Sunday night.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat was one aspect, but then what he did structurally to make some changes was significant.<\/p>\n
North complete historic comeback | 01:28<\/p>\n
\u201cTristan Xerri, their All-Australian star ruckman, went in for four centre bounces after half-time.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe flipped the magnets. Said Cam Zurhaar, we\u2019re not getting enough out of you, you are a match-winner, go back down forward.<\/p>\n
\u201cColby McKercher, we need a bit more run and a bit more bounce off half back, you go back to half back and slowly things started to turn.\u201d<\/p>\n
Most pleasing for North Melbourne fans was that it was their young midfield brigade that did the bulk of the damage when the game was on the line.<\/p>\n
In the last quarter, George Wardlaw has 13 disposals and five score involvements. <\/p>\n
Finn O\u2019Sullivan collected 12 disposals and six score involvements, and finished with a career-high 26 disposals for the day.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Harry Sheezel had eight disposals and five score involvements in the final term.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think they grew up as a football club in this performance because it was led by their young superstars,\u201d Montagna said.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo go up against the all-star midfield of the Gold Coast Suns – Petracca, Rowell, Anderson, Miller – when they game was on the line for these three 21 and under players to have the impact they did, I think now shows what\u2019s under the hood and gives them a bit of peak now of \u2018hey, we are more than capable\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019ve always had the talent and have known they were going to come.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think now they\u2019ve arrived and what they produced was spectacular.\u201d<\/p>\n
North Melbourne entered this season coming off six consecutive bottom-three finishes. It\u2019d won just 20 of its 130 games this decade.<\/p>\n
Now, the Roos sit 13th on the ladder with five wins under the belt as they take a rest for their bye this week. And Montagna believes \u201cthe sky is the limit\u201d after their stirring victory against the Suns.<\/p>\n
Clarkson speaks on epic comeback | 15:52<\/p>\n
Following their bye, they head to Western Australia for two home games the club has sold.<\/p>\n
The first match against top of the ladder Fremantle in Bunbury will be a tough test, but Montagna believes for five weeks afterwards Clarkson\u2019s side \u201cshould be starting favourites\u201d.<\/p>\n
In that stretch they take on West Coast (Optus Stadium), Richmond (MCG), Essendon (Marvel), Port Adelaide (Adelaide Oval) and Collingwood (Marvel).<\/p>\n
With more four more games to come at Marvel Stadium – where their only loss in six appearances this season was to high-flying Sydney by eight points – after that period too, the top ten is certainly on the cards for the Roos.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey should be daring to dream that the wildcard is on the radar for North Melbourne,\u201d Montagna said.<\/p>\n
ROUND 12 AFL FIXTURE AND FOX FOOTY COMMENTARY ROSTER<\/p>\n
ST KILDA v HAWTHORN<\/p>\n
Thursday May 28, 7.30pm at Marvel Stadium<\/p>\n
How to watch on Fox Footy: From 6.30pm on Channel 504, hosted by Sarah Jones, Jason Dunstall, David King, Leigh Montagna and Jon Ralph, with commentary from Matt Hill, Mark Howard, Jack Riewoldt, David King and Ruby Schleicher.<\/p>\n
CARLTON v GEELONG CATS<\/p>\n
Friday May 29, 7.40pm at MCG<\/p>\n
How to watch on Fox Footy: From 6.30pm on Channel 504, hosted by Garry Lyon, Tom Hawkins, Jordan Lewis and Jon Ralph, with commentary from Anthony Hudson, Gerard Whateley, Jason Dunstall, Garry Lyon and Cameron Mooney.<\/p>\n
SYDNEY SWANS v RICHMOND<\/p>\n
Saturday May 30, 1.15pm at SCG<\/p>\n
How to watch on Fox Footy: From 12.30pm on Channel 504, with Leigh Montagna, Kelli Underwood, Brad Johnson, Jordan Lewis and Ben Dixon.<\/p>\n
BRISBANE LIONS v FREMANTLE<\/p>\n
Saturday May 30, 4.15pm at The Gabba<\/p>\n
How to watch on Fox Footy: From 4pm on Channel 504, with Mark Howard, Nick Dal Santo, Adam Simpson and Alastair Lynch.<\/p>\n
WESTERN BULLDOGS v COLLINGWOOD<\/p>\n
Saturday May 30, 7.35pm at Marvel Stadium<\/p>\n
How to watch on Fox Footy: From 7.15pm on Channel 504, hosted by Kath Loughnan, with commentary from Dwayne Russell, Anthony Hudson, David King, Jack Riewoldt, Ruby Schleicher and Jay Clark.<\/p>\n
MELBOURNE v GWS GIANTS<\/p>\n
Sunday May 31, 3.15pm at TIO Traeger Park, Alice Springs<\/p>\n
How to watch on Fox Footy: From 2.30pm on Channel 504, hosted by Sarah Jones, Jason Dunstall and David Zita, with commentary from Dwayne Russell, Garry Lyon, Nick Dal Santo, Ben Dixon and Eddie Betts.<\/p>\n
WEST COAST EAGLES v ESSENDON<\/p>\n
Sunday May 31, 7.20pm at Optus Stadium<\/p>\n
How to watch on Fox Footy: From 7pm on Channel 504, with Cordin Middlemas, Anthony Hudson, Gerard Healy, Brad Johnson, Will Schofield, Kath Loughnan and David Zita.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Bailey Smith\u2019s \u201cunder the radar\u201d rise as Geelong\u2019s shrewd picks laid bare, plus Fremantle\u2019s trade \u201csteal\u201d and 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