Demons premiership hero Clayton Oliver reveals he was left in tears after being asked by the Swans’ recruiter “Why are you so fat?” in brutal AFL Draft interview
- Shocking incident unfolded in 2015
- Swans list boss Kinnear Beatson as guilty
- Oliver was recruited by Demons the same year.
- The midfielder then won a premiership in 2021
Melbourne Demons premiership winner Clayton Oliver has revealed the brutal moment he was asked ‘why are you so fat’ during an AFL preliminary interview.
Talking about the Ausmerican Aces of former AFL player Tommy Sheridan podcastthe 25-year-old recalled his 2015 meeting in Sydney with Swans roster boss Kinnear Beatson.
“I walked in there, sat down, looked me straight in the eye and [Beatson said] ‘Why are you so fat?’ said the midfielder.
‘The first thing he said (was that), and I was like ‘oh, I’ve lost, like, ten pounds’, he said ‘you probably need to lose some more, mate’, and then he kept playing. .’
The three-time All Australian then revealed that Beatson was not done yet.
Melbourne Demons star Clayton Oliver has revealed a conversation with Swans roster boss Kinnear Beatson in 2015 that brought him to tears.
Beatson felt the midfielder was carrying too much weight and directly asked him ‘why are you so fat’ during a 2015 AFL Draft interview (pictured as a teenager playing for the Murray Bushrangers)
‘He said I can’t kick, I can’t run, I can’t play with my hand [with] my left hand, I couldn’t handball with my right hand.
‘I literally started crying. [I was] honestly, like, ‘why am I here? Obviously you’re not going to recruit me.’
“He said, ‘we just wanted to question you, see how strong you are,’ and I was like, ‘well I’m not, dude,’ and I started crying. I got up and left.
“I thought he was pretty strong mentally and he broke me in about three minutes.”
Oliver got the last laugh, winning an AFL flag in 2021 with the Melbourne Demons
Oliver also detailed on the podcast how he faked a hamstring injury in an attempt to circumvent the combined beep test, as he was concerned he would. hinder your project hopes.
Now a Brownlow Medal candidate each season, Oliver would eventually be taken No. 4 overall by the Demons in the same 2015 National Draft.
He won a flag in 2021 and is widely regarded as one of the best players in the competition.
Ironically, Oliver will score his 150th AFL appearance this Sunday against the Swans at the MCG.
It’s safe to say that Beatson, still employed by the Bloods as their General Manager of Chart Strategy and Recruitment, will be watching closely.