[4] He played just one VFL game for Carlton, against Melbourne at the MCG, on 7 July 1900 (round 10).

Selected at centre half-forward to play against Melbourne's exceptional centre half-back Jack Purse, and replacing Carlton's regular centre half-forward Bill McNamara (in the one game that McNamara did not play for the 1900 season), Oliver kicked one goal in a soundly beaten team: Melbourne 9.14 (68) to Carlton's 5.3 (33).

from Melbourne University, in absentia, in March 1903,[6] and having been entered into the Victorian medical register on 2 October 1903.

He died of a cerebral haemorrhage two days later at the Base Military Hospital in Melbourne (just 12 weeks after his wife's death).

[14][15] Although he clearly died whilst serving in the First AIF, and although he received a military funeral, (for some unexplained reason) he is not listed on the Australian War Memorial's Roll of Honour.