Melbourne hoping to sign Max Gawn, Clayton Oliver to new deals

Melbourne will hope a strong start to the season helps convince Clayton Oliver to reject likely interest from Carlton and other rivals.

Melbourne has kicked off contract discussions with free agent Max Gawn but is yet to make any progress on a bumper deal for star midfielder Clayton Oliver.

Gawn and Oliver were joined by Christian Petracca in the All-Australian squad of 40 last year, with Petracca named in the official 22 as an onballer and Gawn on the interchange bench.

Oliver will have significant interest from rivals if he remains unsigned late in the season, having already been linked to Carlton in last year’s off-season.

The Demons would never have countenanced a trade for him, but have played finals only once in his five seasons at the club.

For the sake of everyone at Melbourne, including coach Simon Goodwin, a quick start to the year will smooth tensions and ensure the job of locking away stars like Oliver is much easier.

The club is well aware that elite players do not leave good clubs with winning records so must become that club in 2021 to retain players of Oliver’s calibre.

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Clayton Oliver will attract interest from rival clubs. Picture: Michael Klein

He finished only fifth in the club’s best-and-fairest last year despite averaging elite statistics in disposals, contested possessions, pressure, and clearances.

In his best games last year he exploded out of stoppages instead of looking to handball first, but still kicked only three goals in 17 games and had 195 kicks and 230 handballs.

Clubs like Carlton still have significant salary cap space and the desire to bring in strong midfielders in the mould of Zach Merrett or Oliver to help Patrick Cripps and Sam Walsh.

Gawn only turns 30 in December so this contract will ensure he becomes a one-club player as the Demons’ best player and captain.

Melbourne has started contract talks with captain Max Gawn.

AFL clubs are still wading through the ramifications of cuts to the AFL salary cap and unsure what the collective bargaining agreement will look like past the current expiry date of 2022.

But having secured Jack Viney on a five-year deal last season despite Geelong’s interest, the Demons will be keen to lock Gawn away without delay.

He has been All-Australian in four of the past five seasons and would be looking for a longer-term deal given his awesome form and importance to Melbourne.

The club’s only concern would be his durability considering he has played only three seasons over 20 games due to knee issues.

Melbourne’s Sam Weideman is among the group of players the Demons will hope to sign up but a recent upper leg stress fracture has put him out for three months and hampered his bid to show his worth.