WEST COAST midfielder Elliott Yeo and Collingwood star Jordan De Goey sunk a pair of impressive long-bomb goals in Saturday’s AFL grand final.
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But no one on the hallowed MCG turf last weekend launched the ball as far as Nick Oliver.
The former Castlemaine footballer won the final of the Carlton Draught Barrel Time competition at the MCG on grand final day.
Oliver – the son of BFNL goalkicking great Steven Oliver – booted the ball 67m with his best effort to win the $2500 first prize and a return trip to the United States for the ultimate NFL punting experience with the Denver Broncos.
The 23-year-old couldn’t be more stoked – he’s an avid NFL and Broncos fan.
“It will be a ripping experience,” said Oliver, who previously trained with Ballarat’s Gridiron Victoria team.
“What I’ve been told so far that will involve a couple of training sessions with the Broncos and a chance to kick with their special teams squad.
“We also get to go to the Broncos-Steelers game on November 25.”
On his return, Oliver will spend time with Prokick Australia, under the guidance of former Brisbane and Hawthorn player Nathan Chapman, who appeared in three NFL pre-season games as a punter for the Green Bay Packers.
To compete on grand final day, Oliver had to first win a qualifying round in Geelong, before advancing to the grand final day showdown following another win during the Richmond-Hawthorn final at the MCG.
The avid Collingwood supporter said he was shocked to win, but added his victory had more than made up for the Magpies’ gut-wrenching five point loss.
“It was a bit unexpected to be honest, but it was good to come away with the win even if the Pies couldn’t – at least one of us had a win,” said Oliver, who credited his mother for his AFL allegiances, despite his father playing 13 AFL games with the Blues in the early 90s.
“I actually (kicked) further in the trials down in Geelong, but I have been consistently up there at about 67m in the weeks leading up, more so lately having had a bit of practice.
“It was good to put it out when it counted under pressure.
“The MC at the MCG was a Pies man as well … I had a pair of Collingwood shorts on, so he got the crowd nice and pumped up for me.”
It was good to put it out when it counted under pressure.
- Nick Oliver
Oliver has endured a stop-start to his senior football career.
Following a knee reconstruction during his days at Castlemaine, he sat out of football for a season after he failed to win a transfer to South Bendigo, where his father coached in 2015.
Oliver then turned his attention to the Ballarat league, where he played with Sebastopol and Daylesford.
Coming off a second knee reconstruction, Oliver played the back half of the 2018 season with Mininera and District league club Lismore-Derrinallum.
The racking right-footer’s victory was also a win for the Lake Wendouree Football Netball Club, where he is a junior coach.
The Lakers netted $5000.