‘He’s a liability’: Clayton Oliver torn to shreds as place in side questioned

Melbourne midfielder Clayton Oliver has been put under the microscope with questions being raised over his place in the side.

Melbourne midfielder Clayton Oliver has been torn to shreds by Kane Cornes and Nick Riewoldt on Thursday night.

Oliver endured a tough outing at the MCG as the Demons secured the 12.11 (83) to 9.9 (63) victory over Richmond.

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The 27-year-old collected only five disposals in the first half as he spent a large portion of the half on the bench.

At one point Oliver was seen visibly frustrated, in alarming footage, after speaking with one of the coaches.

The lowly output led the two AFL greats to raise serious concerns about the current state of his game with Riewoldt saying it had become evident he was no longer the player that won multiple best and fairests and who at one point was one of the most damaging inside midfielders in the game.

Watch the alarming footage in the video player above

“For a guy who’s reached really high, highs throughout the course of his career, this is a serious slump that he finds himself in. Just five possessions today for Clayton,” he said.

“The game has gone so far past players that get the footy and just wanna bomb kick it.”

Oliver throws it on the boot and bombs it away. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

Cornes went a step further and said the current output from Oliver is having a negative impact on the Demons.

“He really has no-one else to blame but himself. I don’t think they can trust him in terms of his physical output,” he said.

“Low 70 per cent game time last week, started on the bench tonight. He’s going to have to find a way to get fitter and cover the ground more freely.

“Right now he’s a liability for this team, not only with what he gets with the footy but the way the opposition can expose him the other way.”

Oliver’s game is raising alarm bells. Picture: Michael Klein

He isn’t the player he used to be. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Riewoldt agreed and said it was time to move the magnets and look at throwing him forward to change it up.

“He’s been playing a certain way for a long period of time. He’s never been a guy that bought in defensively, you wonder whether that’s starting to catch up,” he said.

“The Melbourne coaches and Melbourne system has lost patience and if he’s not getting the footy and if he’s not winning the footy, then what value is he actually providing?

“I think they have to find a role for him, maybe they play him as a forward.”

Oliver managed to bounce back in the third quarter as he racked up 13 disposals and the Demons put the game to bed with a blistering six goal to one term.

He ultimately finished the contest with 22 disposals and seven clearances, but the worrying signs still remain as the Demons look to resurrect their early season struggles.

Originally published as ‘He’s a liability’: Clayton Oliver torn to shreds as place in side questioned