Melbourne midfielder Clayton Oliver is reportedly feeling “unloved” on the Demons, as a rival membership prepares to pounce with a commerce supply.
Oliver struggled on and off discipline for the Demons in 2024, together with his professionalism below scrutiny.
However now Geelong has emerged because the frontrunner to lure the midfielder away.
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“Twelve months virtually to the day that he emerged as a commerce goal, Clayton Oliver is as soon as once more gettable, attainable from rival golf equipment,” 9’s Sam McClure revealed on Vast World of Sports activities radio on Monday.
And precisely why the 27-year-old premiership star might want out is fairly straight ahead.
Demons Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver throughout their spherical two match towards Hawthorn. AFL Images by way of Getty Photos
“Clayton Oliver has felt in the course of the 12 months and more and more so within the final couple of weeks … that he’s undervalued and in a roundabout way, undesirable at Melbourne subsequent 12 months,” McClure mentioned.
“It is had him questioning whether or not he will likely be again on the membership for pre-season on the finish of this 12 months.”
Oliver’s troubled pre-season, which hindered the beginning of his 2024 marketing campaign, noticed him reportedly fall out with the membership’s key stakeholders and a few teammates.
The 2021 premiership midfielder was within the highlight for a number of causes, together with his early exit from the membership’s coaching camp on the finish of 2023, following intense commerce hypothesis in addition to a quick hospital go to
The commerce hypothesis has left Essendon nice Matthew Lloyd calling for the Demons to make use of Oliver to release room for future picks.
“I feel they’d be nicely and actually open to buying and selling Oliver out,” Lloyd mentioned.
Oliver nonetheless has six years left on his mega deal.
He missed the ultimate few weeks of the 2024 season, after enjoying for the second half of the 12 months with a damaged hand.
Clayton Oliver of the Demons seems to be dejected after their loss to GWS in spherical 20, 2024. Getty
However Geelong will not get the star onballer that simply.
The Cats’ probabilities of touchdown Oliver may grow to be extra sophisticated as additionally they loom as the house for Bulldogs midfielder Bailey Smith.
The AFL commerce interval begins on Monday.
