Moneyball: All the latest trade news from across the AFL

Rivals keen to follow Adelaide’s lead and attempt to prise Clayton Oliver out of Melbourne have been told to think again, with a teammate saying the star midfield feels like he owes the Demons.

Steven May wants to remain a Demon for the rest of his AFL playing days.

The 32-year-old key defender still has one more year to run on his current deal, but he is open to extending that if Melbourne wants to get it done earlier than expected.

Having spent his first eight seasons with Gold Coast, he says Melbourne feels like home to him now and credits the club with making him the player that he is now.

He played his 100th game for the Demons against Geelong last Saturday night.

“I love the place and my body is feeling good, so I plan to play on until my performance starts dropping off,” May said.

Asked if he was open to locking away a new deal, he said: “I would love to … they (Melbourne) have been great to me. But I suppose when you get to 32, clubs are a bit smarter with contracts, but you never know. My focus at the moment is more on winning.”

Essendon and Adelaide had more than a passing interest in Melbourne’s Clayton Oliver during his tumultuous trade period last year, but the midfielder won’t be going anywhere, according to his teammate and good friend Steven May.

May wants to stay. Picture: Sarah Reed

Oliver returned to his best form last week against the Cats and has played every game after an off-season that threatened his AFL career, despite a limited pre-season and finger surgery.

May says the tough love Oliver received from the leadership group and the club’s hierarchy has paid dividends, saying he is more invested than ever in the program.

“All the management, ‘Perty’ (Gary Pert), Alan Richardson, ‘Goody’ (Simon Goodwin) were really stern with him, but also gave him a clear path forward and gave him the support he needed,” May said.

“We all wanted him to get better. You give him a whack (when he needs it) but then you help him.

“I was more worried about his health than his footy in the early stages.

“He feels like he owes them; he feels like he owes us and he is working hard to get there.”

WEITERING REVEALS BLUES PLAYER PACT

Carlton vice-captain Jacob Weitering has revealed the Blues senior players have an unwritten pact to stick together in the chase for the ultimate success.

The Blues have been able to lock away most of their big name talent deep into the decade with Weitering one of the key priorities in the club’s list management strategy.

The 26-year-old dual John Nicholls medallist still has one more season remaining on his current deal but his management and the club will look to get an extension done before the end of the season, with Weitering saying the senior Blues are fiercely committed to the club.

“I will stick around for as long as I can,” Weitering said of his connection to the Blues.

“This was the club that drafted me and put its faith in me as the No.1 pick and the ultimate goal for all of us is a premiership.

“Crippa (Patrick Cripps), the leaders and all the boys at the club will do everything we can to achieve that goal.”

Weitering has declared his intent to stay. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

The Blues have already locked key forwards Harry McKay and Charlie Curnow away until the end of 2030 and 2029 respectively. Cripps’ deal runs through to the end of 2027 and Sam Walsh is also committed to the navy Blue until the end of 2026.

Weitering said the players had looked at examples of how successful clubs have been able to keep their groups together over a period of time.

Part of that has been the capacity of the group to sacrifice a little in terms of money in order to keep the talent within the club, while also attracting new players from rival clubs.

“There is the ability for players to understand that money is a big part of what we do because it is our job and it is making a living for us,” he said.

“But we also have to keep them (the team) all happy – and together.

“It (keeping the group together) is a big part of trying to win a premiership.

“We have some terrific guys at all levels and all ages. Hopefully if we can keep this group together, and be in the window for a while, then we can give ourselves a chance to win one.”

VERSATILE GIANT’S STOCK RISING ACROSS THE AFL

Footy’s most lucrative three letters have become “UFA” as unrestricted free agent Harry Perryman’s value skyrockets despite only a single top-ten best-and-fairest result in his entire career.

The Giants have offered general defender Perryman a five-year offer but are aware clubs will offer the free agent $800,000 or more per season to jump ship.

The extraordinary price for a general defender comes because of his free agency status in period where the salary cap will jump 27 per cent from early 2023 to 2025.

Port Adelaide and Adelaide are leading the chase, with the Giants offer is around $600,000-$656,000 a season.

So Perryman might have to sacrifice more than a million dollars over the life of his contract if he wants to stay.

He is a loyal clubman and his long-time girlfriend Jamie-Lee Price plays netball for the Giants and is an Australian Diamond.

So it would be a huge decision to leave a club in the premiership window, with GWS hopeful he will follow Harry Himmelberg in accepting an excellent contract that still falls short of rival offers.

Perryman could fetch plenty of cash on the open market. Picture: Getty Images

Perryman’s only top-10 result since being taken at pick 14 from the Riverine town of Collingullie is a third-placing in the 2020 season.

This year he is ranked 25th of all general defenders in football and is the 140th ranked player via Champion Data’s Player Rankings.

He plays a valuable role as a defender taking difficult match-ups to allow Lachie Whitfield and Lachie Ash to play a more offensive role.

He is also in the club’s leadership group for the second year, but is no one’s idea of a champion player.

Yet with so many clubs having significant salary cap space both South Australian clubs are interested.

The Giants are also keen to secure fellow free agent Isaac Cummings – currently playing in the VFL – but the Suns have interest in him as a rebounding defender.

The salary cap hits a staggering $17.7 million in 2025 _ as well as a $1 million marking allowance – so clubs keen to get into contention are prepared to spend that cash.

RECOVERING LION SET TO PLAY ON

Injured Lion Lincoln McCarthy will play on next season after the club recently reached a one-year agreement with the forward’s management group in the lead-up to his season-ending knee injury last weekend.

It comes as the Lions have applied the brakes on Will Ashcroft’s AFL return, taking a slightly more conservative approach to his return from a knee reconstruction following five ACLs suffered since late last season, including two last weekend.

McCarthy’s new deal has not been officially announced, but Moneyball can reveal the deal was agreed upon in recent weeks with the Lions more than happy to honour it given the great service he has given the club since moving north from Geelong.

McCarthy, 30, was the first of two Lions to do their ACLs – Darcy Gardiner was the other – in last Sunday’s clash with Gold Coast, ending his season in the final year of his current deal.

McCarthy has barely missed a game in his six seasons with the Lions after he struggled to get much of a look in during his time with the Cats.

Lincoln McCarthy will face a long recovery from his ACL tear. Picture: Getty Images

His last six years at the Lions have comprised 122 games and 142 goals from an overall tally of 151 games and 167 goals, with teammates convinced he has plenty of good footy left.

The Lions were already taking a conservative approach with Ashcroft’s return, but will likely now ensure that he waits until 12 months on from the injury he suffered in round 19 last year.

Ashcroft is tracking well with the club delighted with the way he has been able to ramp up his movement and running, but the Lions want to ensure he is ready to perform to his best on his AFL return.

They have not spoken to Gabba officials, saying they believe the ACL injuries have been bad luck rather than anything to do with the ground.