‘Don’t believe a word’: Demons torched over Clayton Oliver ‘shambles’

The Melbourne Demons have been slammed for their handling of trade rumours, with ex-players labelling the club a “shambles”.

Matthew Sullivan

3 min read

October 8, 2024 - 9:54AM

Melbourne’s handling of the Clayton Oliver trade rumours has been labelled a “shambles” as the club attemps to walk back any talk of trading the premiership midfielder.

Oliver, who is contracted until the end of 2030 with Melbourne, reportedly wanted to shift to Geelong for next season after meeting players at the farm of Cats ruckman Rhys Stanley last week.

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Geelong list boss Andrew Mackie declared interest in Oliver was only “fleeting” as he put a full stop on any potential move after a week of drama.

As the AFL’s trade period officially began on Monday, Mackie sad the Cats were “respectable” of Melbourne’s position on Oliver, as Demons list boss Tim Lamb remained adamant they were never going to trade him.

Speaking on AFL Trade Radio on Tuesday, Kane Cornes said: “I just don’t believe a word he (Lamb) says” about Oliver never being up for trade.

Kane Cornes isn't buying Melbourne's handling of the Clayton Oliver trade rumours.

Oliver is contracted until 2030. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

“I think we all agree it’s been a shambles, the way that this whole thing has been handled,” Leigh Montagna told Fox Footy’s Trading Day.

“The whole year for Melbourne has been a shambles, and it continues to be the case with some of the comments … it’s been a tricky situation.

“I don’t see the trade going ahead. Melbourne are going to back in Oliver, back in Petracca, back in some sort of camp over summer to get together and all buy in and fall back in love with each other.”

The Herald Sun’s Scott Gullan said: “I don’t reckon this one’s dead. There’s a week, it could go all over the place again.

“This was a fire sale from the start. It was a cultural issue, you draw a line in the sand. ‘It’s a big contract, we want to shake things up, get Melbourne going right. You’re the ones that came to us’.”

Clayton Oliver at Melbourne’s best and fairest. Picture: Mark Stewart

Journalist Jon Ralph said: “Right now they feel Geelong’s trying to take the mickey out of them.

“If you’re Geelong, you’re thinking, ‘This is great. Clayton wants to play for us. He’s liked Instagrams that say I would like to play at this football club. At the very worst we’ve destabilised Melbourne, another premiership contender. And you never know, sneaky chance we still might get him’.”

It came after Melbourne chief executive Gary Pert reached out to rival clubs to assess their potential interest in Oliver, who has endured two trouble-plagued seasons.

But at the club best and fairest on Friday night, which Oliver attended, Melbourne president Brad Green was unequivocal in declaring there would be no trade.

“I know, come round 1 next year, when I see the first ball bounced and our midfield of (Max) Gawn, (Jack) Viney, Oliver and Petracca … that you Melbourne faithful will be there in full force,” Green said.

As the AFL Trade Period kicked off on Monday, Mackie said the potential for an Oliver move was over.

“Clayton’s manager was aware it might be in his best interests to have a chat but it was pretty brief,” he said.

“We met with him last Tuesday and it’s always time well spent. But as far as we are concerned, Melbourne have come out and had their stance on it and we are respectful of that. He’s got six years to go on a contract. He’s a Melbourne player.

“It was a brief chat, and like I said, that’s where it sits. From Clayton’s point of view it’s something that he needs to work through. But as far as I know, Melbourne have been strong in their stance.

“As far as we are concerned it was fleeting. We are respectable of Melbourne and their stance. We will put it to bed.”

After all that it seems Clarry isn’t going anywhere. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Lamb, Melbourne’s list boss, was defiant that Oliver was never going anywhere, despite meeting the Cats.

“Our position has never changed. We’ve never been trading Clayton and we won’t be,” Lamb said.

“There’s always conversations at this time of year and I’m not going to go into the details of who spoke to who,” he said.

“But clubs ring us, we ring clubs. It doesn’t mean that someone’s going to be traded.”

But while the Cats missed Oliver, a move for wantaway Western Bulldogs star Bailey Smith is on, with discussions having already taken place and Mackie is confident it will happen.