Melbourne CEO provides update on Oliver contract talks

Melbourne CEO Gary Pert says the timeline on Clayton Oliver re-signing with the club is entirely in the player's hands.

The 23-year-old, who will play his 100th game on Saturday afternoon, has yet to re-sign heading into the 2021 season.

Pert said he was “very comfortable” with how talks were progressing, but says any delay in an official announcement would largely be down to Oliver and his management.

“(Signing a new contract and the timeline) is in Oliver’s hands,” he said on SEN’s Crunch Time.

“We’re talking to his management like we are with quite a few of the other players, some of them like (Max Gawn) want to do it before the season starts and others need a bit more time to think about it.

“We’re very comfortable that he loves the club and loves being part of this group, I’m pretty confident that it’s just a matter of time.

“He’s not indicating that he wants to see how he’s playing or the team is performing, it’s more about that we’re having conversation (on a range of things) and there might be some talk around the financial packaging.

“We move on all these things as quickly as the player and manager wants. Ideally it never becomes a distraction throughout the year.”

Oliver finished fifth in Melbourne's best and fairest last year, averaging 25 disposals from 17 games.