Clayton Oliver could miss another game for Melbourne with hamstring issue

Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin delivered an angry message to those spreading rumours about star midfielder Clayton Oliver.

Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin says rumours about a star midfielder are ‘garbage’. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin has hit out at “garbage” speculation over star midfielder Clayton Oliver who could miss another match with a hamstring complaint.

After Oliver as left out of Thursday night’s loss to Geelong as he continues to recover from both a hamstring injury and an infected blister, the rumour mill went into overdrive suggesting behavioural issues were behind j\his stint on the sideline.

Goodwin had already pointed out the impact spending five days in hospital treating the infected blister had on Oliver’s fitness and said he would also need another scan on his hamstring before being cleared to play.

“There’s a lot been spoken about Clayton in the past 48 hours and a lot of it is incorrect,” Goodwin said.

“Clayton had a hamstring strain against Port Adelaide and then got an infected foot, spent six nights in hospital and as he’s come back into training in the past eight days, his hamstring is tight. He’ll have scans tomorrow.

“Anyone that thinks they know better than that, come and walk in our environment and find out.

“He’s off for a hamstring scan tomorrow and we’re hopeful he can continue to progress his training to a certain level, but he’s not quite there yet.

“That’s not the type of player that you risk.

“But for all the other rubbish that’s out there, it’s just garbage, so hope we can put that one to bed.”

Clayton Oliver will have a hamstring scan. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Oliver’s manager, Nick Gieschen, also told the Gettable podcast that Oliver was in a “pretty bad way” when he was in hospital with the infection.

“I saw him not last week, the week before,” Gieschen said.

“He was in a pretty bad way. When he said that he had an infection, I didn‘t realise how bad it was. I went to see him in hospital and he was laying on the bed and his foot was up, all bandaged. From what he’s said, it was quite painful.

“Obviously, it’s still causing him some issues even now.”

Oliver’s absence was telling in Melbourne’s loss that left Goodwin bitterly disappointed.

Goodwin bemoaned his team’s inability to sustain pressure as Geelong effectively doubled its score in the final term to run out 15-point winners after trailing by seven points at the final break.

“For three quarters … we were right on track, but we’re very disappointed (and) walk away knowing that was a game that was up for grabs,” Goodwin said.

“But we lost the arm wrestle and we lost the game.

“It’s something we want to be strong at. But to be the best you’ve got to sustain it for four quarters and Geelong in the last quarter was sensational … and we weren’t.

Goodwin said ruckman Brodie Grundy had been assessed for concussion but returned to play in the third quarter after 20 minutes off the ground after being given clearance.

Originally published as Clayton Oliver could miss another game for Melbourne with hamstring issue