MELBOURNE captain Max Gawn expects midfielder Clayton Oliver to return to the club imminently as he dismissed the latest trade speculation around the onballer.
Oliver missed the Demons’ win over West Coast last round due to personal reasons, granted temporary leave after what the club described as “a difficult week personally”.
“There is going to be stories about him until we’re done,” Gawn said on Triple M on Monday.
“He’s an elite player who’s on a good pay packet, and those guys are always going to have stories written about them.
“He made a very mature decision to spend the week off this week. It’s been a big first eight weeks (of the season) for him.
“He came to the club and they organised a good situation. He felt like he was getting a bit overwhelmed and just wanted a week off from the club.
“He’ll be in tomorrow and I actually really applaud the mature decision from both the club and Clayton.”
A Channel Nine report on Sunday night claimed Oliver will again seek an early release from the multi-million dollar deal, which runs to the end of 2030.
“For his future, I could not care,” Gawn said.
“I am literally week to week with both the footy club and with Clayton, so all I care about is him getting up for Hawthorn and him doing it with a smile on his face.
“Whatever happens at the end of the year, happens.”
“I’ve lived with so many of these stories … some stay, some go,” Gawn said.
Clayton Oliver during Melbourne’s match against Richmond on Anzac Eve, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos
“It’s all a beat up in May because anything can happen in May.
“Let’s say I have made a decision that I want to go next year and to somewhere else, go to Tassie; that could change by August.
“So, the ‘May story’ is just really nothing. I’m going to pretend it hasn’t even been written – nothing to see here – and continue my relationship with Clayton.”
But Goodwin stressed Oliver’s wellbeing is “the biggest thing for us” and said the club won’t put any pressure on him to play.
