Melbourne’s Clayton Oliver has met with a Sydney-based club, just a day after being told by the club to pursue a trade.

Collingwood is interested in the services of a former Richmond defender, but it won’t pursue a dual All-Australian Demon.

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DEMON SPOTTED MEETING WITH RIVAL COACH, PLAYERS A DAY AFTER HEATED TALKS

Clayton Oliver has caught up with GWS coach Adam Kingsley and Giants players including Lachie Ash and Finn Callaghan, a day after being told by Melbourne to explore his options.

The midfielder left “frustrated” after a “heated” meeting with the club on Thursday, in which he was told he either needed to change his role to be a Demon in 2026, or get ready to play at VFL level.

Instead Oliver, who was already planning to head to Sydney, has been spotted by a News Corp photographer on a boat with key GWS figures.

The group could be seen eating food from Subway.

Clayton Oliver on a boat on Sydney Harbour with GWS Giants coach Adam Kingsley and players on October 3, 2025. Photo by Phil Hillyard (Image Supplied for Editorial Use only – NO ON SALES – copyright Phil Hillyard )Source: News Corp Australia

Oliver has a contract running until 2030 on a reported $1.3 million a year, and the Demons are willing to pay $700,000 to get the deal off their books, though the amount of salary they pay would determine the draft picks they’d want in return.

“Clayton is contracted for another five years. If he wants to explore his options in the upcoming AFL Trade Period, we will respect that. Should he remain in the red and blue, we will of course continue to support and embrace him as part of our club,” Dees list boss Tim Lamb said.

The Giants have a need for midfield help as, while they improved over the second half of the 2025 season, they lacked stoppage impact from players other than Finn Callaghan and Tom Green.

They’re also likely to be without Josh Kelly for much of, and potentially all of, the 2026 season due to a hip injury.

PIES MEET WITH FORMER TIGER, BUT WON’T CHASE DEE

The Magpies have met with delisted Tigers defender Jacob Blight, according to Nine’s Tom Morris on Thursday night.

Blight, 23, played 10 senior matches for Richmond this year before being cut in the off-season, having joined Punt Road as a midseason draftee in 2024.

The former Peel Thunder backman is a versatile option, having been tried forward of the ball in addition to his foremost strength as an interceptor.

Blight could walk to Olympic Park given his status as a delisted free agent.

The club is evidently aiming to improve its defensive stocks given Jeremy Howe likely has one year left and it already delisted defender Charlie Dean this off-season.

However, while the Pies assess Blight as a possible addition to their list, they won’t pursue a move for contracted Melbourne defender Steven May, per AFL Media’s Josh Gabelich.

The dual All-Australian is on the lookout for a new home after the Demons told the veteran to explore his options as the club looks to prioritise developing its youth.

The Western Bulldogs are also among the clubs that have put a line through a pursuit of May, who played just 16 senior games this year amid suspension and injury.

Petracca deciding between several clubs | 03:41

BLUES ‘STRUCK’ FROM SUN RACE, BUT MAKING ‘PROGRESS’ ELSEWHERE

The Blues have been “struck” from the Sam Flanders sweepstakes, according to AFL Media’s Riley Beveridge, as the Sun narrows his options ahead of an official trade nomination.

It comes as Carlton makes “early progress” with a host of other potential recruits including West Coast midfielder Campbell Chesser, Fremantle ruck Liam Reidy and Bulldogs utility Buku Khamis. But a possible Charlie Curnow trade would be the biggest domino of all to fall.

The Blues, along with St Kilda, Melbourne and Essendon, met with Flanders to assess a possible marriage, but it’s the Saints who remain “supremely confident” of landing the contracted 24-year-old in the coming fortnight.

It’s believed to be the role, more so than the dollar amount, that is swaying Flanders to Moorabbin. The Suns ball-getter has in past season played across half-back, half-forward and the midfield.