Jones back to help Melbourne repair relationships

Former Melbourne captain Nathan Jones has returned to the club as midfield coach and peacemaker as the club attempts to repair relationships with its key midfielders.

With Clayton Oliver asking for a move to Geelong after being offered for trade two years running and Christian Petracca’s frustrations with the club after his serious injury, the popular former leader has returned as part of the club’s attempt to heal the relationship with the star players.

Max Gawn and Nathan Jones, two who did the hard yards with the Demons.Credit: Getty Images

The appointment of Jones, which was confirmed by two sources aware of the situation but who did not want to comment publicly, comes as the Demons’ twin reviews of football and the club’s board are poised for imminent release.

Former Carlton senior coach David Teague will not join the Demons to fill a second vacant coaching position as had been reported. Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin’s former Adelaide teammate Nathan Bassett is favoured to land that role.

Jones was a teammate of both Oliver and Petracca, had a good relationship with both, and as a former club captain remained a strong leadership voice at the club.

The return of Jones also means that after Brad Green’s appointment as chairman two former Melbourne captains have emerged in important roles for the club in a critical period.

Christian Petracca hugs Nathan Jones. Credit: AFL Photos

Jones played 302 games for the club, but after captaining the Demons from 2014 to 2019 was the highest-profile Demon to miss out on playing in the drought-breaking premiership team in 2021.

Melbourne raised the prospect of trading Oliver, who is on a long-term contract of well over $1million per year, for a second successive year when CEO Gary Pert sounded out clubs on the eve of the trade period.

The Demons, realising they would not get a suitable trade return for a player of Oliver’s ability, then said they would not part with the player.

But Oliver, frustrated at being offered for trade for a second year running, then met with Geelong and sought a move there.

Oliver met several Cats players at ruckman Rhys Stanley’s farm heading into the player exchange period, but ultimately Melbourne were not interested in a trade.

“That’s alright, Melbourne are looking good, we’ll be right,” Oliver said at the races at Caulfield recently.

“We were there a couple of years ago, we fell short 2022 and 2023, last year we had Gussy [Angus] Brayshaw retire, Trac [Christian Petracca] got injured, I had a stinker of a year, Maysy [Steven May] was a little bit off.”

Oliver said he was over the fitness issues that interrupted and disrupted his season.

“I’m alright, got my hand fixed up, metal plate taken out, my knee’s all good, I had a couple of broken ribs, they’re all fixed up,” Oliver said.

“I had a stinker but that’s all right, it happens.”

Keep up to date with the best AFL coverage in the country. Sign up for the Real Footy newsletter.