‘Undervalued’: Dees star meets with AFL rival, in trade rumours again

A Melbourne Demons star is in AFL trade rumours once again, meeting with a rival club and leaving fans with a case of deja vu.

Melbourne star Clayton Oliver is once again in trade rumours 12 months after he was first linked to a trade away from the Demons.

Oliver is a premiership player, three-time All Australian and a four-time club best and fairest winner.

The 27-year-old played 21 games this season but was well below his best as Melbourne missed finals.

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The Age’s Sam McClure first reported Oliver would meet on Tuesday with Geelong officials including chief executive Steve Hocking and football boss Andrew Mackie.

McClure said on 3AW: “Clayton Oliver has felt during the year – and increasingly so in the last few weeks – that he is undervalued and unwanted at Melbourne next year and beyond.

“It’s had him questioning whether he will be back at the club for pre-season at the end of next year.”

It would be a serious coup if Geelong were to recruit Oliver, especially given the Cats are widely tipped to snag out of contract Bulldogs midfielder Bailey Smith.

Clayton Oliver is in trade rumours again. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

A trade with Oliver could be tricky to facilitate given Geelong are set to use their first round draft pick to lure Smith on a lengthy deal.

“Clayton is an important player for our club and remains a contracted, required member of the team. We look forward to seeing Clayton in the red and blue next year and beyond,” football boss Alan Richardson said in a statement.

Oliver has six years left on his contract at Melbourne, which sees him earn around $1 million per season through to the end of 2030.

It’s case of deja vu for Oliver and the Demons, who are reportedly open to the idea of other clubs expressing an interest in acquiring Oliver.

“Make no mistake, the Dees are happy for him to have a look … the club position privately, is different to what it is publicly,” footy reporter Tom Morris said on AFL Trade Radio.

“In the last few weeks the mood has shifted. He (Oliver) was happy to stay at Melbourne, and still is, but privately, Melbourne has suggest he look around. Make no mistake the Dees are happy for him to have a look around.”

Clayton Oliver and friend Jayk Papoulis at the 2024 Brownlow Medal. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

AFL.com.au’s Cal Twomey added: “There’s no doubt clubs are considering an Oliver chase, what they would pay, how they would approach it from a trade point of view. Clubs don’t just do this if players are absolutely not going to go anywhere.

“It is a massive watch, Melbourne said he was staying. That’s fine, Clayton Oliver is signed to 2030 but there’s no doubt clubs are weighing up advances for him.”

The Herald Sun reported Oliver told Melbourne he was happy to stay the Demons despite meeting with Geelong.

Port Adelaide 300-gamer Kane Cornes said on AFL Trade Radio: “If these reports are true … he is completely in the hot seat, Clayton Oliver.

“If he thinks he has been undervalued by the Melbourne Football Club, this is an amazing lack of self awareness.

“This guy’s got six years left at a million bucks. They’ve done everything they can to publicly support this guy.

“He has the nerve to suggest he feels undervalued at Melbourne? Clayton, how about you get yourself in shape.

“Go and have the greatest pre-season you’ve ever seen. Drop 8kg and make a statement on day 1 of pre-season.

“I would be doing everything I can to get this guy out of my footy club, to the point where I’d be giving picks to a club prepared to take his contract.

“I think it’s a huge issue for the Melbourne Football Club. I was staggered to hear he feels undervalued.”

The AFL Trade Period officially begins on Monday October 9.

Originally published as ‘Undervalued’: Dees star meets with AFL rival, in trade rumours again