From junior footy to AFL grand final — the tight bond driving Clayton Oliver and Christian Petracca

By now you have probably seen the photo.

Two friends, two huge smiles. One with a mop of curly strawberry blonde hair; the other with dimples, both gripping their medals with pride.

It is 2008 and the Victorian under 12 team has sealed another championship in schoolboy footy.

Twelve players from this team will go on to play in the AFL. Four are playing on Saturday in the grand final.

Among them — two best friends grinning widely in the photo — are Clayton Oliver and Christian Petracca.

Both polled well in the Brownlow Medal count on Sunday night, with Oliver finishing third and Petracca equal ninth.

And now, they have the chance to help the Demons to their first premiership in 57 years this weekend.

But it all started in junior footy. Their coach, Luke McCormick, remembers them well.

Even back then McCormick thought “there was every chance” they would make it to the biggest stage.

“When kids try out for these [state] teams, they’re obviously gifted,” McCormick said.

“But we have so many kids try out each year through School Sports Victoria, that we could really pick the kids almost as much on character and attitude as we could on ability.

“The ethos was we wanted to develop them as young people. So, our philosophy in 2008 — my first year as the head coach of the under 12 Victorian team — was to build up the kids’ gratitude, respect and sportsmanship.

“The real true champions have an amazing respect and admiration for each other because of the work they’ve done together.

“Twelve of these boys went on to play AFL footy — usually on average, only six make it that far from these kind of teams — including 11 of our starting team, while Sydney Swans superstar Tom Papley was our emergency sub.”

‘A super-strong friendship’

While the team was stacked with talent, two kids — Oliver and Petracca — stood out to the coach for not only their ability but for their strong friendship as well.

“In terms of footballing ability, they were very, very strong,” McCormick said.

“But you could tell, even back then, they had a super strong friendship. They got on so well.

“Christian was certainly a bit louder, full of energy and was a city kid. He came from a basketball background, so he had amazing hand-eye coordination and agility and was able to find the scoreboard as a forward.

“Clayton made the team twice. He played up an age division in 2008 and was vice-captain of the team in 2009. He is a typical country boy.

“In that first year, he was the bottom age, so he was younger than everyone else. He was very reserved and shy. What that first year did was bring him out of his shell. He was certainly still very cheeky.

In a strong field of talented young footballers, there was one thing that both Oliver and Petracca had in common that helped them rise above the pack: parents who wanted to help their kids succeed.

“Their parents had so much to do with it,” McCormick said.

“Clayton’s parents were wonderful, good country people from Echuca, while Tony and Elvira Petracca lived in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne and were just fantastic people — super, super energetic and bubbly and full of character.

“So, their attitudes and discipline were amazing and you could tell that came from these really amazing parents.

“They knew their sons could play football and after the Team Victoria training camps and championship carnivals, they became the most amazing young men.

“They were better kids at home, better kids at school.”

Now, as the grand final against the Western Bulldogs in Perth looms just days away, and Oliver and Petracca look to etch themselves into Demons history, McCormick said there was one thing that he felt the most when seeing his former players take the field.

“Certainly, a sense of pride,” he said.

“They’re willing to speak up in meetings, they’re willing to go out of their comfort zones, they show great leadership when it’s needed and that’s what they were like.

“You can just see it coming through now. It’s really cool to watch. I’m really looking forward to the weekend.”

Source: AFL NEWS ABC