Sydney Swans gun Chad Warner on 12-month clock to seek trade

A Sydney Swans superstar could be on his way back to Western Australia, while another huge name has reappeared in trade talk.

Chad Warner / Clayton Oliver

A bombshell report claims a Swans superstar “wants to go home” after his side’s heavy grand final defeat.

Chad Warner could be on his way back to Western Australia as the rumour mill goes into overdrive following his side’s embarrassing loss to the Lions on grand final day.

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Warner remains contracted until the end of 2025, but both West Australian clubs believe Warner will request a trade back to his home state by the end of next year, according to the Herald Sun’s Jon Ralph.

“WA-based clubs are of the belief it is his intention to return home at the end of next year,” Ralph told Fox Footy’s On the Couch.

“He’s stubborn enough to believe he can get through a whole season of a contract impasse.

“They believe it’s not an ambit claim, it’s not a contract negotiation.

Chad Warner and Clayton Oliver.

“He and his partner, who’s also from Perth, just want to go home. They even believe that if Sydney had won this game, he might have put in a trade request. A really small chance, but it’s absolutely zero now.

“This is a 12-month saga. It’s not going to be easy for this club to negotiate through. It’s another distraction this football club doesn’t need coming off this loss.”

Collingwood champion Nathan Buckley wondered whether the Swans would get aggressive at the trade table as they seek answers after a second embarrassing grand final defeat in three years.

“I wonder how aggressive and proactive Sydney need to be given the performance in two of the last three years of some of these players,” Buckley said.

Warner had just 21 disposals and a goal in the ten-goal loss to the Lions in the grand final but was one of the Swans’ best performers in 2024.

Meanwhile for a second consecutive year, star Melbourne midfielder Clayton Oliver is seen as gettable by rival clubs, according to multiple reports.

The four-time club best and fairest winner has fought through a tough 2024 campaign, having had a limited pre-season after battling off-field concerns.

Contracted until the end of 2030, Oliver has also had to deal with knee and rib injuries during the season.

According to The Age, Geelong is believed to be a club which could be keen on adding Oliver, but Adelaide and St Kilda were also considering a move for the 27-year-old last year.

“My personal view, it’s time for these two parties to separate,” AFL360 co-host Gerard Whateley said on Monday night.

“I tend to agree with you there. There’s been too much happen now that the opportunity is arising for Clayton to potentially go a separate way and for Melbourne to get some sort of remuneration back for him,” Richmond champion Jack Riewoldt replied.

“I just think that at the moment, if we’re going to see the best of Clayton Oliver going forward, it’s going to be in different colours.”

Originally published as Sydney Swans gun Chad Warner on 12-month clock to seek trade