By Michael Gleeson, Peter Ryan and Andrew Wu
Clubs are exploring how they could put together a deal to persuade Melbourne to part with one of the best players in the competition, acting in the belief that Clayton Oliver could be available in this year’s trade period for the right deal.
Melbourne sources dead-batted queries over Oliver’s future, pointing to the seven-year contract he signed only last season worth about $1 million a year to remain at the club until 2030. However, a source familiar with the 26-year-old midfielder’s situation said the Demons were prepared to explore what clubs would offer.
Clayton Oliver is one of the best players in the competition.Credit: AFL Photos / Getty Images
The Demons, currently with pick five in the draft (tied to Fremantle from the Luke Jackson trade) as well as their own pick 13, are keen to get deep into the draft. The possibility of Oliver being available - and sources stressed that Melbourne were not pushing him out the door - has prompted clubs to assess their own salary cap, the suitability of Oliver for their club, and what a trade would require in draft pick terms.
The trade period, which starts on Monday, already looms as a busy one for Melbourne, who have been asked to negotiate with Sydney over a trade for ruckman Brodie Grundy, who they only secured 12 months ago on an expensive long-term deal from Collingwood.
James Jordon will also depart the club for the Swans as an unrestricted free agent, while James Harmes is seeking a fresh start.
This masthead spoke to several clubs about Oliver, two of which said they were doing their due diligence on the premiership midfielder. Other club sources who wanted to remain anonymous said they would find it impossible, despite his talent, to fit him into their salary cap or did not see him as the right fit.
Oliver was a star in Melbourne’s 2021 premiership, but he had a tough season after he hurt his hamstring in round 10 and then spent time in hospital with an infection. He ended up missing two months of football, and was involved in what appeared to be heated exchange with a Melbourne official on the training track while trying to prove his fitness, before returning to the team in round 22.
Oliver’s management company declined to comment on his future.
Harmes, meantime, has told the Demons he wants a fresh start, and has the club’s blessing to talk to rival clubs.
He has a year left on his contract and is yet to formally request a trade as he canvases potential new homes, but said he and his fiancee were open to a move interstate if required.
Melbourne midfielder James Harmes is after a fresh start.Credit: Getty Images
“It’s all up in the air,” Harmes said at the TAB’s Spring Fling event to launch this year’s spring racing carnival.
A member of the Demons’ drought-breaking premiership team in 2021, Harmes was limited to just nine of 25 games this year, three of them starting as the sub, and missed the finals with a hamstring injury.
“This year was pretty hard for me, personally,” Harmes said. “I said to the club I’d be interested in having a fresh start.
“[I’m] just really looking forward to putting my best foot forward next year, whether that’s [with] Melbourne or wherever it is – I’ve got a real determination to go back as fit as I can and play some really good footy.”
Harmes said coach Simon Goodwin and the Demons’ list boss Tim Lamb were happy for him to shop around.
Despite working closely with former midfield coach Adem Yze, who has taken the top job at Richmond, Harmes said his manager had not spoken to the Tigers.
Foot injury delays Lynch’s pre-season start
Richmond spearhead Tom Lynch will have a delayed start to the pre-season due to the foot injury that derailed his 2023 campaign.
In the coming weeks Lynch will have further scans on the foot he fractured in round four before he gets the medical sign-off to step up his rehab program. He is unlikely to be ready to train with the main group until the new year, but expects to be ready for round one.
Tom Lynch will have a delayed start to the preseason as he continues his recovery from a foot injury.Credit: AFL Photos
The Tigers had hoped as late as June he could return late in the season, but those plans were shelved in mid-July by what Lynch said has been a frustratingly slow recovery.
“I won’t be with the main group [on] pre-season day one. I’ll build throughout pre-Christmas, and post-Christmas I’d imagine I’ll be with the main group,” Lynch said.
“It’s a very long way off, but all things going well I’ll be no worries for round one.
“With feet they can take a long time to heal. It just didn’t recover. We decided when we weren’t going to get back for this year we’d take the plate out and [I’ve] been in a moon boot since.
“The plate’s come out – we had to look after it. It has taken a lot longer than we thought, but we’re on track now.”
Lynch has a welcome off-field distraction to focus on during the rest of his time off. He is a part-owner in Soulcombe, one of the leading contenders for this year’s Caulfield and Melbourne cups. The stayer will run in the group 1 Turnbull Stakes at Flemington on Saturday.
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