Clayton Oliver took to Instagram to respond to media reports about his future at the Demons.Credit: Instagram
This will be the third post-season in which Oliver has emerged as a potential trade target. Last year, Geelong were interested in acquiring him and met with him, including at Rhys Stanley’s farm. The Cats were willing to pick up the bulk of Oliver’s then-six-year deal (now five), which averages close to $1.3 million a season.
The Demons ultimately found the outline of that proposed deal from the Cats unacceptable. But the change of coach and chief executive, with premiership coach Simon Goodwin replaced by ex-Geelong assistant King and Paul Guerra appointed as CEO, has prompted Melbourne to take a more hard-headed stand on not only Oliver, but also star veteran defender Steven May.
Oliver took to Instagram on Thursday to respond to reports that he was not guaranteed a spot in the Demons’ senior side next year.
“Actually doesn’t look too bad on me,” he said, along with a photo of him playing for the Casey Demons in the VFL.
Melbourne have also given Norm Smith medallist Christian Petracca the green light to explore his options after a meeting late last week. He met with Adelaide on Monday and has already spoken with Gold Coast coach Damien Hardwick. Petracca is contracted for a further four years, on similar money to Oliver.
Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver.Credit: AFL Photos
This masthead cannot confirm as yet what proportion of Oliver’s hefty wage Melbourne would be prepared to pay as part of any trade. Oliver was willing to take a small pay cut at Geelong previously. Oliver is contracted until the end of 2030.
Oliver’s off-field issues, which frustrated the Demons in 2023, particularly over the strife-ridden post-season of that year – he was forced to train away from the team for a period during the pre-season – have not been as problematic in 2025.
Melbourne’s stance is a measure of their wish for a cultural overhaul.
Another Demon, Judd McVee, has requested a trade to Fremantle, while premiership forward Charlie Spargo will leave for North Melbourne in free agency.
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The Cats could be an option again for Oliver, although they hope to sign Hawks onballer James Worpel in free agency.
Melbourne’s change of heart on Oliver comes eight months after outgoing president Brad Green told this masthead that the midfielder was “teary” last year during a phone call between the pair where Green told him he was “not going anywhere”.
“I said [to Oliver], ‘It’s OK, mate. I love you, I love having you around the club, you’re a four-time B&F winner, you’re going to go down as one of our champion players and [a] hall of famer at our football club, and you’re going to be a big part of our future’,” Green said in February.
Oliver’s value across the league is unclear, given his significant contract and him not reaching his earlier heights across the past two seasons, including finishing only seventh in this year’s best-and-fairest award.
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The triple All-Australian averaged 29 or more disposals in every season bar one from 2017-23 as one of the AFL’s best players, the only exception being 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in shorter games.
That number dipped to 23 last year before improving to 25.5 this past season.
Adelaide and Geelong both considered making moves for Oliver at the time, but the Demons’ then-CEO, Gary Pert, wrote in a letter to members that “at no stage has the club entered discussions with any club regarding a trade for Clayton [and] Clayton has not requested a trade”.
Oliver went to hospital in an ambulance in October that year, after hitting his head following a seizure.
Oliver and Petracca were Melbourne’s leading midfielders during their run to the 2021 premiership.
However, much has changed in the years since as a once-promising era that seemed capable of being a Demons dynasty came crashing down, including Goodwin’s sacking. Melbourne did not win a single final after that drought-busting flag win, and finished 14th the past two seasons.
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