AFL 2023: If Melbourne trades Clayton Oliver, who could get a deal done?

If one of Melbourne’s greatest ever players was officially up for grabs, which clubs could satisfy the Demons in a blockbuster trade deal? We look at the contenders.

Tim Taranto of the Tigers.

Is Clayton Oliver being hung out as trade bait by Melbourne as a shock tactic to make him realise he is not as untouchable as he thinks?

Or have they realised he will never change after more than a season of rumblings about his off-field behaviour and are actually prepared to follow through?

The AFL’s clubs are split on that question, with some saying if the Demons are prepared to flick him their boards would want countless hours of due diligence before even considering a trade.

So, which clubs might consider a trade – and what would they give up?

GEELONG

Oliver is exactly the kind of midfielder the Cats need – both in age demographic and as an inside extractor who would feed the ball to runners like Max Holmes, who have more polish by foot.

He might even benefit from getting out of the big city, with Geelong prepared to take a risk on Tyson Stengle despite behavioural issues.

But the Cats would need to give up their first-round pick in this year’s draft and next year’s first as well – and even then the Demons might baulk at it, or might ask for a young ruck successor for Max Gawn in Toby Conway thrown into the deal.

Could young ruckman Toby Conway be part of a Clayton Oliver deal? Picture: Michael Klein

WESTERN BULLDOGS

The Dogs are under huge pressure to perform for coach Luke Beveridge next year and considered giving up picks 10, 17 and a future first-rounder for the Suns’ pick 4.

Bringing Oliver into their midfield would release Marcus Bontempelli to play forward more.

Would they consider moving on Bailey Smith and giving up 10 and 17 for Oliver given he would fix their contested ball issues?

Surely, the Dogs would consider it if they were sure Smith would move on next year anyway.

The Demons also need a player of Rory Lobb’s positional strength as a forward-ruck.

ADELAIDE

The Crows are already in talks with the Demons over Shane McAdam’s attempt to don the red and blue next season, so why not expand the discussions further.

The Herald Sun understands they are interested, but would need to put in a huge amount of due diligence.

Would a new environment in a new state give Oliver the scope to get back to his best, potentially reuniting with high performance boss Darren Burgess?

The Crows would need to give up their prized pick 9 but importantly have three picks inside the top 24. If you were to throw in McAdam as part of any deal, either Darcy Fogarty or Riley Thilthorpe could also be in the trade mix. On the evidence of 2023, Adelaide looks one really good mid away from being in the premiership mix.

Would Adelaide part ways with Darcy Fogarty? Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

ESSENDON

Could this be Adrian Dodoro’s jaw-dropping exit statement? Dodoro will hand over the reins after this trade/draft window, and if he could land one of the most exciting midfielders in the game, it could be a massive curtain call.

The Bombers are already active in trade talks, with Ben McKay and Todd Goldstein set to come in as free agents, while a deal for Jade Gresham (which could potentially include Dylan Shiel) is being discussed.

To secure Oliver, the Bombers would need to stump some serious cache the other way with pick 8 and maybe a future first-rounder part of their bargaining, as well as a key-position player of Harrison Jones’ ilk.

CARLTON

Who wouldn’t want to entertain the mouth-watering scenario of Patrick Cripps, Sam Walsh and Clayton Oliver playing in the same midfield together?

And the Demons do need either a key tall like Harry McKay or even ruck-forward Tom De Koning to round out their forward line.

It is a great fantasy trade but in the end the struggles of Charlie Curnow across three finals mean the Blues need McKay in their side to help him, so rival sides would be closer to the front of the queue for Oliver.

The Blues would just need to give too much when their list is so well balanced.

Harrison Jones could be part of an Essendon offer. Picture: Michael Klein

Gold Coast won’t let Ben King go. Picture: Russell Freeman/AFL Photos via Getty Images

GOLD COAST

The Suns are always on the lookout for elite talent but to have a stacked midfield featuring elite extractors – Touk Miller, Noah Anderson, Matt Rowell.

What they also have is a No.4 draft pick that would be of real value to the Demons if they wanted to trade up for the No.1 overall pick to nab Harley Reid.

The Demons would also love the kind of Ben King-Oliver swap that would solve their forward line issues, but the Suns would be crazy to entertain that kind of deal.

Given the Suns will trade pick 4 for a bevy of first-rounders to help their academy picks, it seems unlikely.

ST KILDA

The Saints are desperate for exactly the kind of elite midfield talent that Oliver represents at age 26, so would have to be a contender if the Demons were open to a trade.

But even if they secure a first-round compensation pick for Jade Gresham, their draft picks this year would fall at 12 and 13, nowhere near enough to get an Oliver deal done.

The young guns are off limits, they don’t have key talls to offer in a trade (Rowan Marshall and Max King are going nowhere) and the Demons don’t need key backs.

So while he would be perfect for St Kilda – and might thrive under Ross Lyon – actually orchestrating a deal looks close to impossible.

A midfield featuring Jack Sinclair, Jack Steele and Clayton Oliver would take on a whole new look. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

HAWTHORN

We love the look of Sam Mitchell’s midfield in 2024 and beyond, but imagine what it would do if you could add Oliver as the headline act.

Given the top-end talent they have been able to secure in recent seasons by investing in the draft, could they be willing to send pick 3 plus some extra draft picks this year or future selections as well as a player or two for a mega trade with the Demons?

It would be a risk versus reward strategy, and the great thing about their coach is that he is not averse to taking a chance if he believes in it.

RICHMOND

This would be the most unlikely of options for any potential Oliver trade given the Tigers don’t have any real currency after bringing in Tim Taranto and Jacob Hopper last year.

The only way of making it happen – and regenerating the Richmond midfield – would be to look at a trade that included someone of premiership key forward Tom Lynch’s ilk. Lynch is 30 and coming off a serious footy injury. He said on Tuesday he will be at Punt Rd next season.

But given the Tigers are unlikely to be in the flag window in the next two years, would it make any sense for them to look two or three years ahead and see that Lynch might be done and that Oliver and Taranto could be the perfect one-two midfield punch? Unlikely, but an interesting debate.

SYDNEY

The Swans are desperate to be back contending for the flag as soon as next year after a difficult 2023 season.

That means they are already bringing in Brodie Grundy and James Jordon, and most likely Joel Hamling. Could they throw a Hail Mary at Oliver, and put pick 11, future picks and even Logan McDonald on the table to see if a deal can be done?

Imagine Oliver bursting out of the middle of the SCG.