‘It’s been confronting’: Manager says ‘robust’ talks and dinner with coach paved way for Oliver to stay

Melbourne have pledged to support Clayton Oliver through the personal circumstances their CEO Gary Pert described as “challenges” as he confirmed in a letter to members that the 26-year-old would remain at the Demons.

He said the Demons are confident the talented on-baller understands his responsibilities as a professional athlete but recognise he will need assistance as he works on his personal issues, and asked for Oliver’s privacy to be respected.

The Demons also made it clear that the club could not make exceptions for one player and had to care for all players and staff.

“The club has been aware of and supporting Clayton with his personal circumstances for some time and is committed to continuing to do so,” Pert wrote on Friday.

“While club leaders focus on the care and support Clayton needs, we also have a responsibility to uphold our strong club culture for the benefit of all our players and staff. We have a responsibility to ensure that everyone within the club is committed to meeting the expected behavioural standards of a player within an AFL high-performance environment.

“Clayton understands what is expected of him as a professional athlete, as well as the standards and behaviours a Melbourne person is expected to uphold.”

Clayton Oliver with teammate Jake Lever.Credit: Getty Images

Oliver’s manager says some “robust” conversations and a dinner with coach Simon Goodwin proved the breakthrough that kept the star midfielder at Melbourne.

“It’s been confronting, but out of all of this it’s an opportunity to grow,” Oliver’s manager Nick Gieschen told AFL Media.

“Off the back of a lot of the hard, honest, robust conversations it’s given him a chance to get some stuff off his chest and some time to heal.

“He very much loves the Melbourne Football Club, it’s like his family.

“He’s grown up there, he feels very strongly about the footy club and the players and coaches, and sometimes families fight but he’s got enormous respect for ‘Goody’.

“And as much as it’s been challenging I don’t think he can see himself playing under another coach because of all the support he’s had from the footy club.”

Gieschen said there was “genuine” interest from other clubs but dinner at Goodwin’s house on Thursday night, which football manager Alan Richardson also attended, “settled” matters.

“After three or four days of him processing it, it was a bit of a coming together and a ‘let’s get on with it’ and he took it on board,” Gieschen said.

Oliver attended Melbourne’s best and fairest night on Friday, which was won by teammate Christian Petracca, and was among players honoured for reaching a milestone, having played his 150th game during the season.

The club statement put a full stop on a confronting week for the four-time best-and-fairest winner in which the possibility of prising him out of the club was explored by opposition teams aware of the disconnect between the player and the club.

At the best and fairest, Goodwin addressed the function with a message about standards and support.

“Great moments are born from great opportunities. We don’t want to tell our dreams, we want to live them and we want to live them with you,” Goodwin said.

“To all our players, when you do face challenges and eventually break through them, it makes the prize at the end of the road more satisfying and more fulfilling.

“We have an opportunity right now, an opportunity to harness the hurt. Learn from it and come back stronger. It’s in our hands.”

Melbourne have finished top four on the ladder in the two seasons since their breakthrough 2021 premiership, but have been knocked out of the finals in straight sets both times.

“One thing that has enabled us to keep showing up is our culture; a culture that has been built over a period of time and is the piece that we will be uncompromising in maintaining and building further to achieve the ultimate success,” Goodwin said.

“Everyone needs to be heading in the same direction, and as we head into the off-season, I’ve never been more confident that we can achieve this as a club.

“It’s up to everyone to keep driving standards and I urge every player here tonight to enjoy the break.

“But remember, we will be dusting ourselves off and going again next year. It’s all about winning more moments. As the famous Ron Barassi said, ‘If it is to be, it is up to me’.”

As of Thursday night, clubs interested in exploring a trade for Oliver had not been told to call off the chase for the contracted star, despite ongoing uncertainty surrounding the Demons’ plans for the gun midfielder.

Pert said in the statement that Melbourne had not entered trade discussions with other clubs, although opposition clubs were aware that the right package might convince the Demons to trade him out despite having seven years remaining on his contract.

“At no stage has the club entered discussions with any club regarding a trade for Clayton. Furthermore, Clayton has not requested a trade and will remain at the Melbourne Football Club,” Pert wrote.

Pert said the club would provide “care and support for any individual who may struggle at times in the highly scrutinised and high-pressure environment of the AFL”.

Melbourne’s senior officials had advised on Thursday they would make no public comment on the Oliver situation despite the media storm engulfing their player.

Four industry sources familiar with the Oliver situation who did not want to speak publicly because of the sensitivity of talks said they expected Melbourne to shut down the Oliver trade discussions on Thursday. But that didn’t happen, clubs were given no indication from Melbourne of a shift in position that Oliver could be available for the right deal.

The only comment Melbourne made was “no comment”.

Oliver signed his latest contract, worth more than $1million a season and running through until the end of the 2030 season, midway through the 2022 season as Melbourne seemed headed towards a second premiership.

The Demons board met on Wednesday night to discuss their star midfielder who has not spoken publicly since the reports emerged with speculation raging as to what may have led the Demons to contemplate offering up a four-time best and fairest winner to other clubs.

Senior club officials then met on Thursday and were determined to try to ride out the storm without making comment as members and fans were left to guess why the club was considering trading one of their best players and what the club was attempting to achieve.

Feeding this idea of uncertainty about the club’s broad strategy, the Demons are also negotiating with Sydney on a trade for ruckman Brodie Grundy just 12 months after he was brought into the club on significant financial terms. They hope to recruit Brisbane Lions’ ruckman Tom Fullarton after he requested a trade to the Demons.

Reports that the Demons were potentially open to trading Oliver emerged strongly late last week among rival clubs list managers. While there had been noises in recruiting circles several weeks ago that Oliver could be on the table those noises moved into something more tangible in discussions with other clubs.

After not winning another final since their premiership, the Demons have been determined to take a strong approach in all areas of football operations.

With AAP

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