By Sam McClure
Clayton Oliver has started his own pre-season early, as the 27-year-old clings on to hope that Melbourne will trade him to Geelong before next Wednesday’s deadline.
The four-time Melbourne best and fairest has been spotted several times in his home town of Shepparton this week, training weights and running.
A source at Geelong, who wasn’t willing to speak publicly given that Oliver still has six years of his contract still to run at Melbourne, said the star midfielder was willing to take a pay cut if it helped get a deal across the line.
Melbourne list boss Tim Lamb says Clayton Oliver will not be traded.Credit: Getty Images
A source at Oliver’s management confirmed a pay cut was a viable option but didn’t wish to speak publicly.
Oliver has spent the week heading back to his roots, visiting family and friends in and around the Shepparton area.
On Thursday he posted to Instagram that he was playing golf in Moama, less than an hour north-east of Shepparton.
Former Cat and Demon Shannon Byrnes, who is from Shepparton and is an old boy of the local football club, has emerged as a crucial figure in the Oliver situation.
Byrnes played 108 games for Geelong between 2004 and 2012, including the 2007 and 2009 premiership wins, before finishing his AFL career with Melbourne, where he played a further 23 games.
Shannon Byrnes in his playing days with Geelong.Credit: Sebastian Costanzo
Byrnes went on to become a player development manager at the Dees and had a strong relationship with Oliver during the run that saw the Melbourne win the 2021 premiership.
He was then poached back to Geelong by CEO Steve Hocking, who was new to the role and in the process of bringing former greats back to the club.
Byrnes rejoined Geelong alongside fellow flag heroes James Kelly and Harry Taylor, and Matthew Egan, who missed the 2007 grand final through injury and never played again.
Byrnes has been a strong advocate for the recruiting of Oliver to Geelong, according to two sources at the Cattery.
When this masthead contacted Byrnes on Thursday to ask about his relationship with Oliver, he diverted us to the Cats.
Geelong politely declined to comment publicly but did say they remained respectful of Melbourne’s strong stance on Oliver on Monday, when list manager Tim Lamb unequivocally stated the midfielder would not be traded under any circumstances.
Lamb’s comments came only three days after the club’s interim president and former great, Brad Green, stated in his best and fairest address that Oliver (and fellow star midfielder Christian Petracca) would be at Melbourne’s first centre bounce of 2025.
The statement was greeted by raucous applause by the audience.
But Melbourne’s strong stance has not dampened the appetite of Oliver, who remains in contact with the Cats.
A pay cut may help the Demons reconsider a trade, but two club sources remained staunch when contacted by this masthead on Thursday. They said a deal to move Oliver to the Cats would not be entertained.
Oliver is contracted until the end of 2030 at an average of $1.3 million per season.
While all three parties – Melbourne, Geelong and Oliver’s management – have privately confirmed that the Cats’ future first-round pick in next year’s national draft had been initially raised, they say there is yet to be a meaningful trade offer beyond that.
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