Oliver seeking fresh start away from Melbourne

CLAYTON Oliver wants a fresh start away from Melbourne.

That is what Channel 9 journalist and SEN regular Tom Morris is reporting in relation to the Demons midfielder.

Oliver met with Geelong last year and now his future in the red and blue is again being questioned.

Morris says the 27-year-old, who did not play against West Coast on the weekend to prioritise his mental and physical wellbeing, is pondering a fresh start elsewhere.

“Clayton Oliver is entirely invested in Melbourne and he loves playing for Melbourne,” Morris said on Channel 9’s Footy Furnace.

“He’s got nothing against the players, the coaches, the club whatsoever. My understanding is he does want a fresh start again at the end of the year.

“This conversation will happen at the end of the season as it has done the last two seasons. Then it will be up to Melbourne and how they deal with it.

“Do they keep Clayton Oliver to his contract? Because it’s nothing against the Demons why he’d want to go, it’s just a change of environment, a change of scenery, which is Geelong or somewhere else – we’re not sure. He wanted Geelong last year, we know that.

“He’s on $1.5 to $1.7 million a year and he’s contracted until 2030. I don’t see how Melbourne can offload him, even if they wanted to, and not pay some of his salary. I can’t see them wanting to do that either.

“They all just might be snookered and they might say, ‘Clarry, you’ve got to stay, keep playing as good a football as you can’.”

Oliver, a four-time best and fairest winner and three-time All-Australian, has five years to run on the mammoth contract he signed in 2022.

He is averaging 27.6 disposals, seven clearances and more than five tackles across seven games in 2025.

BY SEN