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Steven Oliver & Castlemaine

Castlemaine’s Steven Oliver remains just about the ultimate Coodabeen champion. He four times kicked 100 goals in a season, including 22 in one open-age game, but he was never comfortable in Melbourne and was invariably hi-tailing it back home as fast as he could.
“Country life has always been more agreeable,” he says. “Always has been, always will.”

The father-of-three has only just retired from playing and remains heavily involved in the game via his new role as CEO of Central Victorian football.

In two stints at Carlton F.C. he played 13 senior games. He was also an outstanding teenage cricketer and debuted at Essendon in District first XI cricket as a 16-year-old. “I didn’t like the city,” he says.

“There was lots of talk (to stay) but I made the decision to return home. It’s just the way it was. It wasn’t a stellar career, no, but I don’t regret any decisions along the way. I’m lucky to have done what I have done.”

He’s happy to ferry his sons Nicholas 16 and James 13 and daughter Brianna 10 to various sporting venues on Saturday mornings before seeing a game or two in the afternoon. More than most he knows the importance of promoting sport in townships, big and small and says the fellowship and fun is irreplaceable.

Castlemaine-based, where he remains a local legend for all his goalkicking deeds and involvement in two premierships, Oliver says his playing days will always be very special. Twice he kicked 130 goals or more in Bendigo F.L. seasons, in 1992 (147, including finals) and again in 2000 (135).

“We won the premiership in both those years, too,” he said. “In 1992 we had a fantastic side, a lot of local born and bred juniors. We were all mates and still are. We won the second-semi by 100 points and the Grand Final by 5. It was the first premiership in 40 years at Castlemaine.”

Among the team’s stars were Brent Crosswell’s son, Tom Kavanagh and Paul Starbuck who both were to play at AFL level.

“We had a phenomenal year that year and the Grand Final was a particularly great game,” he said.

“We’d beaten Eaglehawk in the second semi and then Golden Square beat them in the preliminary to earn a shot at us. We’d blown sides away most weeks that year and had lost only a couple of games, but they really took it up to us and gave us a good game all day.

“I still remember the last few minutes. It was tooing and froing from one half-back line to the other. It went down to the wire.”

In the 2000 play-off, Oliver was held goal-less in a narrow 12 point win against Kangaroo Point, the Bendigo ‘Roos having 26 scoring shots to 23. Having kicked 1000 Bendigo League goals, Oliver finished as a playing-coach with district club Newstead but said his body was fast breaking down and he was unable to do the leaping he’d become renowned for in his prime.,

Both his father Charlie and his brothers Glen and Benjamin were also excellent sportsmen, Ben playing representative cricket for both Tasmania and Victoria. He also works in sport full-time, with Cricket Australia.

Asked the strengths of his own game, Oliver says his marking was always a strongpoint, learned in backyard battles with his brothers.

“I was reasonably athletic and we all used to try and take speckies. Basically I was always beating up on my brothers. It was lucky for me they were both younger.” He regards Bendigo legend Derek Folo as the best player of his time.

“He had the ability to pick up 30-40 touches despite being heavily tagged virtually every time he went out,” he said.

“He showed great leadership and was a fantastic player. He still playing too, even having turned 40 at Eaglehawk. He’s a great example for every kid in the area.”

As a 15-year-old Steven Oliver makes 343 not out (with forty-six 4s and five 6s) on a malthoid wicket at Western Reserve for St. Mary’s-North Castlemaine against Winters Flat in the 1986-87 Castlemaine under 16s grand final.

Along the way he passed 1000 runs for the season and earned an invitation to join Melbourne district club Essendon.

He captained the Victorian Under 17s and debuted in Premier ranks the following summer, but played just three first XI games over two seasons before returning home.

“At that stage I was happy to be playing anything and everything,” he said. “But you have to make choices. I got drafted (to AFL club Carlton) and cricket slipped away,” he said.

By Ken Piesse

Article first appeared The Sunday Herald Sun, June 22, 2008

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