The Melbourne Demons met with star midfielder Clayton Oliver on October 2, 2025, where new coach Steven King proposed shifting him from his inside midfield role and warned of no guaranteed senior spot in 2026.
As part of a cultural reset following a dismal 2025 season, the club is willing to subsidize up to $700,000 annually of Oliver’s $1.3 million salary through 2030 to facilitate a trade, with demotion to the VFL otherwise.
This move aligns with broader changes, including Christian Petracca and Steven May testing the market, marking the third straight year of trade talk for Oliver.
