Max Gawn provides update on Clayton Oliver amid fears for Demon's future in AFL
The Melbourne captain is confident Clayton Oliver will return to training this month as the "best version" of himself.
Melbourne Demons captain Max Gawn believes teammate Clayton Oliver will return to training this month after a combination of off-field issues led to him being told to take an indefinite break from the squad. The Demons midfielder left the AFL club's training camp on the first day of pre-season, rounding out a tumultuous off-season for the 26-year-old.
The four-time best-and-fairest winner's 2023 was punctuated by several off-field issues. Oliver was hospitalised in October after suffering a seizure in what the Demons described as a "medical episode". Later that month he was also alleged to have bent the windscreen wipers of parked cars in a side street next to the MCG and then in December he was charged with driving with a suspended licence.
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Port Adelaide legend Kane Cornes said he believes the situation at the Demons is far worse than people are making out, as Oliver was falling short of the minimum standards by the club. "This is bigger than what most people I think are realising," Cornes told SEN Sportsday.
"One of the game’s absolute stars’ future is in serious doubt... You’re asking your best player, one of your top three players, who is getting a million bucks a year for a seven-year contract that has just started, to meet minimum, minimum behavioural expectations? That’s a disaster in the first place."
However, Gawn is confident Oliver will return to training in January as the "best version" of himself. "From the last report, he's going to join in, in and around those January training sessions," Gawn told media on Wednesday. "Hopefully we get a good version of Clarry (Oliver) for the rest of pre-season."
Gawn and his wife Jessica have provided support to Oliver through the difficult off-season, taking the troubled Demon into their home in October when Jessica was heavily pregnant. The Melbourne captain says he continues to provide support to the 26-year-old, stating he is regularly in touch with Oliver.
"I still regularly speak to Clarry," Gawn said. "He has his ups and downs, but I'm just excited for him to get back training, get amongst us guys, and hopefully we get a good version of his this year."
Gary Pert insists Clayton Oliver is 100 per cent committed
In October, Melbourne was said to be considering trading the 26-year-old after a tumultuous season marred by injuries and attitude issues, but the club eventually announced that he was staying put. Last month Melbourne Demons CEO Gary Pert stated Oliver was "in a great headspace" and "100 per cent" committed to the club and its preparations ahead of the new season. "He wants to be part of something really special," Pert said about Oliver.
But since then Oliver has only gotten into more trouble and Cornes believes it could spell the end of his AFL career. "Since those comments, Clayton Oliver has been charged with driving without a license, it’s a bit vague because his license was taken off of him after a seizure so you perhaps give him a bit of an out there," Cornes said.
"...He wasn’t able to complete the training camp in Lorne … he left. That’s not meeting minimum club expectations if he can’t actually train and you’re once again in a bit of trouble with the law. This is a huge story regarding Clayton Oliver and it’s got off on a pretty nasty footing."
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