“There’s no world”: Why Demons legend would not even contemplate Oliver trade

Melbourne great Garry Lyon can find absolutely no sense in the trade talk surrounding Clayton Oliver.

Again the Demons midfielder is being linked with a potentially sensational move elsewhere, perhaps to the Adelaide Crows, due to reported frustration and tension with the club.

Lyon insists he has not heard anything regarding Oliver, nor has he inquired about the situation.

“Hand on heart I haven’t heard it, but also hand on heart I haven’t asked in recent times,” Lyon said on SEN Breakfast.

“It’s none of my business, really. I semi-regularly speak or text Clayton, but I don’t profess to know. Let me put that up.”

But the former club captain suggested firmly that he cannot see a world where the Demons would even contemplate offloading the four-time best and fairest and three-time All-Australian.

“Just my opinion, but there’s no world that I’d be changing or trading Clayton Oliver. There’s no footy world that I follow where I would contemplate trading Clayton Oliver,” he added.

“He’s 27 years old, he’s won four best and fairests, he’s won two (AFLCA) coaches awards, he’s a premiership player, he’s a superstar of the game who is in a bit of a hole, relatively. He’s still averaging (almost) 25 touches.

“If you believe everything you read he’s like a 10-possession player who can’t impact. He’s nowhere near his peak, but we know his issues, we know how well-documented they are.

“If I’m the Melbourne footy club I’m looking at him as getting through this year hopefully still playing good footy and then cracking in, having a big summer, (Christian) Petracca back, midfield going, and go again.

“I don’t know why you would even think (about it). I don’t know anything else other than that, but for me as a Melbourne supporter - in no world would I be trading Clayton Oliver.”

Lyon’s comments come after Melbourne assistant coach Andrew McQualter rejected the claims surrounding the 180-game midfielder.

“It’s just not true,” McQualter told reporters.

“Clayton’s great. He's really determined to play great footy for us, be a great teammate.

“You look at him every time he comes to training and the kid’s hungry to improve.

“He probably hasn’t played as well as he has in previous years, but he’s still doing a role for us.

“I think ‘Goody’ (Simon Goodwin) mentioned a couple of weeks ago that teams are still tagging him, so there’s a lot of stuff he’s doing right and he’s determined to improve.”

Oliver is contracted until the end of 2030 after signing a monster seven-year deal midway through the 2022 season.

He has played all 18 matches this season so far, averaging 23.5 disposals, 4.3 clearances, 4.1 tackles and 3.6 inside 50s.

The 10th-placed Dees face fifth-placed GWS in a must-win clash at the MCG on Saturday night.